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Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Lee Speed Forum & Archive
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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Lee Speed Sporter
      #53468 - 28/03/06 03:00 PM

Courtesy MacNaughton





--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

Edited by CptCurl (03/12/08 11:15 PM)

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #53479 - 28/03/06 04:57 PM

id love to own one of those but i have never seen one up for sale

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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #53608 - 30/03/06 02:01 AM

303,

This particular one is on sale in the UK. Contact MacNaughton if you're interested. He has a few others as well.

Cheers!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #53773 - 01/04/06 09:33 AM

thanks for that i will do

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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #53775 - 01/04/06 11:04 AM


Lee Speeds are common in most countries.

Try the auctions in the US.

500 Nitro

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 500Nitro]
      #53798 - 01/04/06 10:32 PM

i have never been up close and personal with one and i havent seen one besides books do you guys have ant idea as to the price of one in good condition

Edited by 303 (01/04/06 10:36 PM)

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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #53804 - 02/04/06 02:19 AM


I would say US $1200 - US $3000

I THINK this may be one but can't see the photo closely enough

http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976704137.htm


Some have goo bores, some bad deending on how much they
were shot with old 303 Cases and how well they were cleaned.

Most of the ones I have seen used are very accurate.


500 Nitro

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 27104
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #53806 - 02/04/06 02:48 AM

I have a friend who still uses his for spring bear hunting in his back yard. He uses 2,000fps loads with .308 220gr. Hornady RN's. His LeeSpeed has an excellent bore that actually measures .311 groove dia. and shoots the .308" bullets very well. His other .303's run them to about 2,300fps.

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


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

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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 500Nitro]
      #53995 - 03/04/06 05:24 PM

500 Nitro,

They are not very common in the USA and that is probably because owners don't want to part with them. Greg Martin Auctions sold some very nice ones last year for approximately $ 650 to 700 though you would have to add a 12% premium to that price. The Gunsamerica one seems to have been butchered somewhat - a side scope mount sometime?

Yes they are very fine rifles and they were made in several calibres other than the fine old 303 for those interested in collecting them, including the 405 Winchester and some of the Continental rimmed calibres. The new Australian International Arms Lee Enfields which were sold here briefly by Tristar were made only in the 308 Winchester and the 7.62x39. I wish they would make them in the 303 and other chamberings in a sporting format instead of their No 4 and No 5 designs.

Cheers!



--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #54005 - 03/04/06 09:00 PM

are they mostly ten shot mags with them or fives

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500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
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Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #54008 - 03/04/06 09:33 PM


303

To be honest with you I can't remember - I have only owned
1 (a WR) and that was a while ago.

500 Nitro

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 500Nitro]
      #54054 - 04/04/06 07:20 AM

it don't worry me i was just wondering

what calibers are they most common in i assume it is 303 and dose any one know when they stoped making them

Edited by 303 (04/04/06 07:43 PM)

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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #54151 - 05/04/06 01:54 PM

303,

They were available with 5 or 10 round mags and were chambered in a number of rimmed calibres including the 375 flanged and the 405 Winchester. Of course, a vast majority were 303s, and a good idea at that. I love the round and I can see that you do as well from your login name.

Cheers!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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303
.300 member


Reged: 15/03/05
Posts: 136
Loc: west retreat
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #54184 - 05/04/06 06:18 PM

i do indeed love the old 303 it can take on just about everything in this country it would be fun to own one in 405 win i reckon

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Taylor416
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Reged: 25/11/04
Posts: 161
Loc: Central West, New South Wales....
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 303]
      #56474 - 05/05/06 10:46 PM

A Lee Speed that I owned about 20 yrs ago was very nicely engraved and had a five shot mag that ran pretty well flush with the timber. It was in .303 and I shot a couple of hand fulls of water buffalo with it quite successfully. But then the .303 is more than capable!!


cheers

--------------------
Love to hunt!

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Carpetsahib
.333 member


Reged: 29/04/07
Posts: 435
Loc: Western NC
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #79087 - 21/05/07 10:06 AM

Quote:

Courtesy MacNaughton







Here is my version using a SMLE No. 1 MkIII. I recontoured the receiver and shortened the magazine. The stock pattern is from an old Westley Richards .318 Mauser that I once owned. The wood is curly maple from WNC. It is suigi finished and acid stained. The sight is a two leaf express.



Edited by CptCurl (03/12/08 11:18 PM)

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mehulkamdar
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Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
Loc: State of Ill-Annoy USA.
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: Carpetsahib]
      #79179 - 22/05/07 04:45 PM

Carpetsahib,

That is very nice work indeed! Far better to build one's own rifle than to pay someone to make it.

Hat's off to you for your talent and your taste.

Good hunting!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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Marrakai
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Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3612
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #79186 - 22/05/07 08:21 PM

Carpetsahib:
A technical question about your beautifully reworked SMLE if I may: Did the action squeeze together or open up slightly at the rear when you cut the clip-loading bridge off? I was always cautioned not to remove the bridge in my younger days of zealous 'hack-saw gunsmithing', for fear of the action closing slightly and binding the bolt. Any evidence of this in your case?

Very nice job, BTW. Congratulations. I get a lot of pleasure from seeing the old three-oh getting the attention and respect it so richly deserves!

Nice Lee Speed from MacNaughton too. Marvellous stuff!

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

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Carpetsahib
.333 member


Reged: 29/04/07
Posts: 435
Loc: Western NC
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: Marrakai]
      #79192 - 22/05/07 10:37 PM

Quote:

Carpetsahib:
A technical question about your beautifully reworked SMLE if I may: Did the action squeeze together or open up slightly at the rear when you cut the clip-loading bridge off? I was always cautioned not to remove the bridge in my younger days of zealous 'hack-saw gunsmithing', for fear of the action closing slightly and binding the bolt. Any evidence of this in your case?

Very nice job, BTW. Congratulations. I get a lot of pleasure from seeing the old three-oh getting the attention and respect it so richly deserves!

Nice Lee Speed from MacNaughton too. Marvellous stuff!

Thanks for those kind words. I really like the Lees and think they are underappreciated. I reworked a No.4 MkI Long Branch along the same lines as the No.1. Neither rifle had any bolt binding issues. A slicked up Lee is a marvelous instrument. And I love the old Westley Richards pattern. I use it for everything, from Mausers to Trapdoor Springfields.

The only problem I have with these rifles is that the Point of Impact varies with the weather. I think the solution may be to bind the forend to the barrel out near the tip with a barrel band or something of that sort. The next one I build will have either a barrel band or cross pin.

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Carpetsahib
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Reged: 29/04/07
Posts: 435
Loc: Western NC
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: Carpetsahib]
      #79713 - 01/06/07 06:29 AM

Here are a Marlin M336, No.4 MkI* and a Mauser M98 on the Westley Richards pattern.







Edited by CptCurl (03/12/08 11:19 PM)

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7mmSAKO
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Reged: 11/11/06
Posts: 41
Loc: Finland
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: mehulkamdar]
      #79984 - 05/06/07 06:15 PM

Holland & Holland offered in their 1910 catalog, Lee-Enfield Sporting Rifles in two calibers .303 and .315 (8 m/m).
What caliber was the .315 (8 m/m)?

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buckbrush
.300 member


Reged: 23/08/07
Posts: 120
Loc: Alberta
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: 7mmSAKO]
      #92457 - 23/12/07 07:53 AM

8-56 M.S.

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Old_rifle_nut
.300 member


Reged: 13/12/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: buckbrush]
      #95069 - 24/01/08 09:58 AM

Sorry, but I am afraid you are wrong. It was the 8 x 50R Mannlicher cartridge, same as in the original Mannlicher Model 1895 rifle / carbine.

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Old_rifle_nut
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Reged: 13/12/06
Posts: 100
Loc: Manitoba, Canada
Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: Old_rifle_nut]
      #95071 - 24/01/08 10:14 AM

Also forgot to mention, H & H only offered 2 of the 4 calibers available from BSA, who made essentially all of the Lee Speed / Enfield / Metford sporters. The others were 7x57R Mauser & .375 2 1/2" Flanged Nitro Express. There were a number of British "Gunmakers", a lot of whom were actually only retailers of Birmingham's manufactories' products, who offered these rifles for sale. As near as I have been able to determine through resarch, owning and / or "fondling" / shooting them, here is a list. I would, however, appreciate hearing from others who may have some to add to the list.

ARMY & NAVY Co-operative Society Ltd.
Henry Atkin
Frederick Beesley (inventor of the Purdey sidelock)
Bentley & Playfair
BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS Co. Ltd.
BSA & M. Co.
John Blanch & Son London
Thomas Bland & Sons
C. G. Bonehill
Charles Boswell
CHURCHILL (GUNMAKERS) Ltd.
Cogswell & Harrison Ltd.
COOMBES COMPANY Ltd.
W.W. Greener Ltd.
HOLLAND & HOLLAND, Limited
I. Hollis
Hollis, Bentley & Playfair
Holloway & Co.
Holloway & Naughton Ltd
W.J. JEFFERY & Co.
Charles Lancaster
Alexander Martin
Charles Osborne & Co. Ltd.
WILLIAM POWELL & SON
J. Rigby
J. Robertson (General Manager of Boss)
Victoria Small Arms Co.
WESTLEY RICHARDS & CO. LTD.
James Woodward
William Moore & Grey


I have owned about a dozen of the rifles by these makers & seen examples by most of the other makers. The H & H rifle I have seen was marked SHOT & REGULATED BY HOLLAND & HOLLAND 98 NEW BOND STREET LONDON

If there is any interest, I could upload some of the photos to share with the members.

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mehulkamdar
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/04
Posts: 3688
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Re: Lee Speed Sporter [Re: Old_rifle_nut]
      #95276 - 27/01/08 03:59 PM

Old_rifle_nut,

Of course we would love to see the pictures of your treasures. Please do post them whenever you find time.

Thanks in advance and good hunting!

--------------------
The Ark was made by amateurs. Experts built the Titanic.

Mehul Kamdar

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