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Hey, if you don't want it, I do. Yes, I am serious.

Our friend Marrakai has a great collection, and I envy him. Lee-based sporters are an underappreciated item here in the US. I have been buying Lee variations since my first WWII era Lee Enfield was acquired for I think $10 as mail order surplus (with a genuine British Army sling and 40 rounds of surplus ammo) when I was 12. (I will avoid comments on the 'good old days' of pre-1963 surplus buying here.) Since then, the collection has gone on reaching back to the 1875 ancestor, the Vertical Breech Lee single shot trials rifle for the US Army in 45-70, the various Sharps/Lee/Remington Lee US Military and Cuban (!) bolt action versions all done here in the US and then British iterations, Military (Lee Metford, Lee Enfield, various carbine versions, then the beloved SMLE -- although the older 'Long Lee' is my preference-- to the various Lee Speed commercial variations. I doubt if I have as many as Marraki, as this looks like only a sample of his trove, but each of them is a pleasure to own and to shoot.

I have one which is chambered in the short 375 cartridge which you are considering, and it shoots quite happily on modern loads, which can and should be loaded mildly and will provide you with decent accuracy. Recoil is modest and the actions I have in this and some of the other loadings above the more traditional 303 function with modern powder without sticking, popped primers, or any other indication of overstressing the action.

By the way, you may also keep an eye out for commercial variations on the standard British Military patterns. Many well known commercial builders turned out near replicas of the then standard British military Lees for private or 'territorial' purchase. A Westley Richards built (and with their London address on the barrel) turned up a week ago through a source that sent it to me to consider. All of the markings and proofs (commercial) show a Westly built version of the CLLE Mk*1 of approximately 1900 vintage, no markings on the wrist straps (as correct for a commercial weapon) but with long range volley sights, etc and adopted with the correct WWI vintage side receiver mounting points for a telescopic sight. (No sight attached, dang it!)

The finish is commercial standard and yet another chapter in the virtually endless number of commercial Lee variants.

Sorry, up late working on a brief and got carried away with my joy at seeing more of these neat weapons. Dave

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Time Wounds All Heels

Edited by dnovo (05/04/08 07:37 PM)

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