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

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superbee
.224 member

Reged: 09/05/20
Posts: 11
Loc: canada

best vintage scope for lee Speed?
#359433 - 19/12/21 11:52 PM

I have a nice lee speed from the late 30's.It has been drilled and tapped for a scope.
What would be a nice vintage scope to get to reflect the time period and what is the best vintage mount to use?See pic of the hole pattern.
Thanks

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LRF
.333 member

Reged: 28/03/11
Posts: 355
Loc: minnesota ,usa

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: superbee]
#359435 - 20/12/21 12:54 AM

Lyman Alaskan....but that's just me and you would need to figure out the mounts and if available

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DarylS
.700 member

Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27079
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: LRF]
#359438 - 20/12/21 04:53 AM

I would agree with a 2X Lyman Alaskan or an old 2X Weaver or 2X Lyman Perma Center would also be OK, however it might be difficult to find any of those.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39961
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: DarylS]
#359460 - 20/12/21 03:51 PM

A question. Are these old scopes reliable? Even if they look the part?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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DarylS
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Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27079
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Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: NitroX]
#359462 - 20/12/21 03:57 PM

I ended up with a Lyman All American Perma Center for my 1936 model 70. It was a gift from a close friend, but was new in box.
So - they are around, but one must look for them.

--------------------
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Docbill
.224 member

Reged: 05/03/15
Posts: 21
Loc: Texas

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: DarylS]
#359533 - 22/12/21 03:09 AM

The old steel tubed El Paso Weavers are around and quite reliable. They are both 3/4 and 1 in.

--------------------
Bill Boyd

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Old_rifle_nut
.300 member

Reged: 13/12/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Manitoba, Canada

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: Docbill]
#361218 - 28/01/22 11:47 AM

A Kahles Helia Super 2S2 (2.5x20) or Super 15S2 (1.5-4.5x20) or a low power Pecar.

D&T for a Weaver side-mount, an EAW type or Parker-Hale?

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: Old_rifle_nut]
#361228 - 28/01/22 09:49 PM

A 1930s vintage 2 1/4x Zeiss “Zielklein” on an old side mount:

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lancaster
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Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361242 - 29/01/22 06:01 AM

my own thoughts were also "side mount if possible"

is this AKAH made sidemount original for Mauser 98 and do it fit for the enfield action without problems?

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: lancaster]
#361259 - 29/01/22 08:54 AM

Quote:

is this AKAH made sidemount original for Mauser 98 and do it fit for the enfield action without problems?

Yes, the base is for a Mauser M98 action originally. To fit it to the Lee – Speed receiver I had to file a slight bevel on it’s lower, inside edge only.

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lancaster
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Posts: 9093
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Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361278 - 29/01/22 07:19 PM

thanks

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39961
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361280 - 29/01/22 07:35 PM

Quote:

A 1930s vintage 2 1/4x Zeiss “Zielklein” on an old side mount:

Very nice rifle, even if the stock is rather modern classic. Lovely setup.

And Kuduae is a master on older vintage scopes!

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (29/01/22 11:59 PM)

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: NitroX]
#361286 - 29/01/22 09:51 PM

Quote:

Very nice rifle, even if the stock is rather modern classic.

That "modern" stock is original, just about 125 years old.

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Marrakai
.416 member

Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3610
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: NitroX]
#361289 - 29/01/22 10:01 PM

Beautiful sporter there, superbee, marvelous stuff!
Absolutely love these things!

Not meaning to dwell on the obvious, but I'm thinking it is a sporterised SMLE No.1 Mk.III, rather than a Lee Speed. As I understand it, the 1930s build date is well past any Lee Speed manufacture.

Does it by any chance have Lee Speed markings on the action somewhere?

Because of the charger-loading bridge, there are a number of one-piece mounts to choose from that will fit this rifle.
Unfortunately the commercial examples are mostly ugly and agricultural, but a custom bridge-mount in the 'proper' style could be easily made.

When it comes to scopes, my vote would be for vintage German or Austrian optics, but vintage American would certainly look good too.

Looking forward to seeing photos when its properly set up with good glass.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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260rem
.375 member

Reged: 16/04/06
Posts: 757
Loc: NSW Australia

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361290 - 29/01/22 10:02 PM

It's a bloody great old gun that one, it amazes me how some of they lasted that long.
Most modern guns are trashed well inside of 25 years let alone 125 years.

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lancaster
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Reged: 06/05/08
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Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: Marrakai]
#361291 - 29/01/22 10:23 PM

Quote:

Unfortunately the commercial examples are mostly ugly and agricultural

this could be a classic statement once

--------------------
Norwegian hunter misses moose, shoots man on toilet
.
bringing civilisation to the barbarians

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39961
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361293 - 29/01/22 11:58 PM

Quote:

Quote:

Very nice rifle, even if the stock is rather modern classic.

That "modern" stock is original, just about 125 years old.

Hmmmm. At the very least heavily refurbished.

When did the buffalo horn contrasting tips become in vogue?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: NitroX]
#361297 - 30/01/22 02:21 AM

Quote:

At the very least heavily refurbished.
When did the buffalo horn contrasting tips become in vogue?

Mine is marked on the butt socket with “LEE-SPEED / PATENTS / B.S.A.Co” and the serial number 5004.
The “heavy refurbishing” was some cleaning with acetone and fine steel wool, steaming out some small dents, some applications of English CCL Gunstock Conditioning Oil and tlc.
Black horn foreend tips were standard on BSA sporting pattern No.1 and No.2 grade Lee – Speeds. But their use is much older. They are quite common on British and continental single barrel rifles from 1870 on. I have even seen such foreend tips on British target muzzleloaders.

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kuduae
.400 member

Reged: 13/01/10
Posts: 1794
Loc: middle of Germany

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361298 - 30/01/22 02:48 AM

Quote:

Not meaning to dwell on the obvious, but I'm thinking it is a sporterised SMLE No.1 Mk.III, rather than a Lee Speed. As I understand it, the 1930s build date is well past any Lee Speed manufacture.
Does it by any chance have Lee Speed markings on the action somewhere?
Looking forward to seeing photos when its properly set up with good glass.

The SMLEs, especially the No.1Mk.III, have a safety mounted on the left, rear end of the receiver. But both Lee – Speeds shown here have the cocking piece mounted safety of the earlier, 1895 – 1905 Long Lee – Enfield Mk.I. Later, the Mk.I long rifles were converted to charger loading by riveting on charger bridges, the India Pattern from 1905 and the Mk.I C(harger) L(oading) from 1907 on. Apparently BSA did the same here to update a left over older action.
I agree, that rifle shown by superbee is most likely much earlier than “from the late 30's”.

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NitroX
.700 member

Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 39961
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...

Re: best vintage scope for lee Speed? [Re: kuduae]
#361301 - 30/01/22 03:18 AM

OK thanks. So that style can be considered vintage classic.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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