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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive

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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Lee Speed chamberings
      #276059 - 04/01/16 08:55 AM

Am I off in assuming the only two factory chamberings were .303 British and .375 Flanged NE 2 1/2?

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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #276062 - 04/01/16 10:35 AM

Yes,

I have one in 8mm.

Roy.



--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html

Edited by Roy (04/01/16 10:52 AM)


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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #276063 - 04/01/16 11:38 AM

Roy, just bloody lovely.

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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #276065 - 04/01/16 11:49 AM

Thanks Bill,

Just eye candy though as I haven't yet found any suitable ammo to give the old girl a try. At least that's not the problem with my .303's..!

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html


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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #276150 - 06/01/16 02:19 AM

Roy, looking at the illustration in my old BSA catalog, that 8mm round looks a bit like a Lebel, but without as much taper. Seems the BSA sporting rifles were chambered in .375 Flanged, 8 mm, 7mm Mauser, .303 and .32-40, but these are not necessarily Lee Speeds are they?

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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #276166 - 06/01/16 07:21 AM

Hi Bill,

I'm no expert on calibres but have it on good authority that the 8mm in question is not the French Lebel round but the 8x54R Mannlicher.

As to these being Lee-Speed rifles well that's a bit of a can of worms, as I know some folks don't consider such rifle to be a 'Lee-Speed' unless it is marked as such. I disagree with this train of thought as the term 'Lee-Speed' was never an official name for these rifles and is just a name we collectors/shooters have adopted. The original term was 'Sporter', so in my mind any earl BSA (or other make) rifle originally manufactured as a sporting rifle using the Lee-Metford action (i.e. the Lee-Speed patents) is indeed a Lee-Speed be it marked or not. A good example is the wonderful 8mm I showed earlier, clearly a Lee-Speed but no marked as such. In fact out of the four such rifles I have only one is actually marked with the Lee-Speed patent details as it is quite early (mid 1890's as I recall).

Hope that makes sense?

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html


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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #276207 - 07/01/16 01:28 AM

Makes perfect sense, Roy. Congratulations on owning not one but four examples!

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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #276208 - 07/01/16 02:09 AM

Thanks for that Bill,

I'm planing on working on a dedicated 'Lee-Speed' section for my website, not totally sorted yet but have created a wants page and also a few private links to share with friends etc. I will add them below for your interest.

Wants Page: http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/B.S.A._Lee-Speed_Rifle_Wants_List.html

No1: http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/BSA_Lee_Speed_No1_Greener.html

No2: http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/BSA_Lee_Speed_No2_8mm.html

No4 (RN): http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/BSA_Lee_Speed_No4_%28N%29.html

No4: http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/BSA_Lee_Speed_No4_%28a%29.html

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html


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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #276211 - 07/01/16 03:47 AM

Roy, you've a wonderful start. Wishing you every success with the site and finding parts.
I am certainly looking forward to getting my restocked Lee Metford from Von Gruff!


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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #276214 - 07/01/16 04:25 AM

Thank you Bill,

Make sure to share some photos of your project. Just can't get enough of seeing these wonderful old guns.

All the best, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html


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Old_rifle_nut
.300 member


Reged: 13/12/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #276406 - 11/01/16 07:09 AM

It was not the 8x54R, but rather the Austrian 8x50R Mannlicher cartridge, aka .500/320 Flanged, as well as the 7x57.

I also have an Alex. Martin commercial B.S.A.Co. C.L.L.E. sporting rifle (post Speed patents) in .256 Mannlicher, aka 6.5x53R, .256 Swift Flanged & .256 Fraser Flanged.


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Roy
.300 member


Reged: 06/09/15
Posts: 219
Loc: New Mexico
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Old_rifle_nut]
      #276410 - 11/01/16 07:44 AM

Thanks for that,

Much appreciated and will make a note for future reference.

Cheers, Roy.

--------------------
My Website: www.wilkinsonfscollection.com

http://wilkinsonfscollection.com/wilkinsonfscollection.com/The_Lee-Speed_Rifle.html


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BillfromOregon
.333 member


Reged: 27/10/04
Posts: 250
Loc: Sweetwater, by God Texas
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: Roy]
      #277889 - 13/02/16 03:19 AM

After looking over various case dimensions I settled on Jamison/Captech .40-70 Sharps Straight brass to form .375 Flanged cases from. A dab of Imperial Sizing Wax and they slip right into the CH-4D FL sizing die with scarcely any effort.
I will work with the Hornady 270-grain .375 RN in working up loads, once I get my Lee Metford from Von Gruff and can have the barrel rebored and reamed.


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VonGruff
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Reged: 08/02/09
Posts: 1119
Loc: South Otago, New Zealand.
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: BillfromOregon]
      #277907 - 13/02/16 10:38 AM

Counting down the days now Bill. Are you going to use Douglas's reamer?

--------------------
Von Gruff.

Exodus 20:1-17

Acts 4:10-12


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Old_rifle_nut
.300 member


Reged: 13/12/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Lee Speed chamberings [Re: VonGruff]
      #277984 - 15/02/16 04:50 AM

Bill from Oregon:

Why not just order the correct 375 fl 2 1/2" brass from Captech like I did?


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