Lee Enfield!

[evan9201]

Here is the former location of the volley sight on my WRS Pattern 14.

And the diagonal strips on the upper handguard.

and here is something to make people wince! - uncommon in the UK but very common in the US, a 1918 BSA (force matched - renumbered - bolt but otherwise matching) which has had the receiver drilled and a scope base mounted In this instance everything else was left untouched and as I was able to get it for about the price of a used stock set....

I am actually trying to decide what to do - I suspect I will hold this until I find another "sporterized" rifle which needs a stock set but is otherwise unchanged (ie not drilled and tapped etc)- and switch the furniture leaving me with a mil-spec rifle and a fully "sporterized" rifle which I can then sell. Alternatively I could remove the site base leaving this rifle together but with holes drilled in it.

Chris

I would just take the scope mount off and get the holes filled in by a gunsmith. you have a very nice looking SMLE there. The rifle is already bedded in the timber so switching the timber set would make the gun less accurate.

[Tinhat47]

I've been field stripping my 1918 BSA Mk. III* today (if you could call my bedroom floor 'the field') and I've discovered a few interesting points.

Removed the furniture ... no gunk or cosmoline in the action, thank goodness:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3538/331940...dd28ccf.jpg?v=0

The rear sight leaf may have been forced matched to the rest of the weapon. There's the marking "CS 043" or "C8 043" on the underside of the leaf that is partially struck out. I'm not sure if this was a serial number or not:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3631/332026...7a7b0a1.jpg?v=0

The bolt head has "U" stamped on it, which my SMLE book tells me signifies "difference in specification" which explains why the bolt, although number matched with the rest of the weapon, has the button cocking piece instead of the square one.

The buttstock, which I knew was a replacement due to the difference in color than the rest of the furniture, the excellent repair job on the right where the stock meets the wrist, and the ID disc. In the part of the stock that fits under the wrist, there's an EFD marking for RSAF Enfield. I'm guess this rules out an arsenal repair since it's not a BSA buttstock. There's also a big 'R" stamped on it. Can't find anything about this sort of marking. Perhaps it means "replacement"?

I'm glad all the internal parts look in excellent condition. I'll get on giving the furniture a nice clean and perhaps the metal as well next week. I still need to bring it round to the gunsmith to have it professionally checked though.

[4thGordons]

The bolt head has "U" stamped on it, which my SMLE book tells me signifies "difference in specification" which explains why the bolt, although number matched with the rest of the weapon, has the button cocking piece instead of the square one.

I believe the U (also "M" sometimes) on the bolt head "Difference in specification" refers to the dimension of the bolt-head, not to anything else. (the head is separate and can be unscrewed from the bolt body)

Unlike No4 rifles where bolt heads came in different sizes (numbered) to allow for some headspace adjustment, this is not the case with No1 rifles (although measuring boltheads with micrometers will reveal quite significant variations). I think the use of the button cocking piece has already been discussed but there are numerous explanations - equally valid. A rifle assembled using the parts on hand (including cocking pieces produced earlier, re installation of a button piece as part of a military refinishing post war, post sale substitution etc.... As Tony E. pointed out earlier the changes allowed the substitution of parts but did not require it so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Everything else looks good but I still suggest getting it checked by a professional.

R on the barrel usually indicates replacement, (a script R on the barrel knox form indicates Rust has been found in the barrel - sometimes also indicated by an * punched to indicate location)

Are you certain it is not a B on the buttstock? Buttstocks came in 3 basic sizes normal (unmarked) Long (marked L and 1/2 an inch longer) and short (marked S and 1/2 and inch shorter) there was an even shorter variant introduced (mid war?) known as the Bantam (and so marked .

Chris

[Tinhat47]

Looks like an R:

[RangeRover]

Well, it took a year of hard-searching, but I got my Canadian-marked SMLE. An all-matching 1918 BSA Co. No. 1 Mk. III*. It's complete, but unfortunately was badly stored at some point, so there's some surface rust on some of the elements (while other bits are clogged with old Cosmoline - ?!?). Nothing critical, though, so I'm still thrilled. 1918-dated barrel, and even came with a Canadian-marked oiler in the butt trap!

I'm looking forward to trying it out once it warms up. And I've got another "Canadian" arm enroute. Details here hopefully soon.

[Guest nzenfield]

hi guys, id love to get your help and play this "what is my gun" compettition, can anyone tell me ? and tell em about any of the accesories, particularly if i should be keeping the sight/does it add to the gun ?

[4thGordons]

The rifle is a Short, Lee-Enfield, MkIII* (mark three star) later renamed the Rifle, No1 MkIII*

 

This appears to be a Peddled Scheme rifle (look at the boltway at the back on the right side and you should see either SSA or NRF stamped there

SSA = standard small arms, NRF = National Rifle Factory - actually the same (rather unsuccessful) attempt to challenge the state manufacturing monopoly of SMLEs

SSA/NRF rifles are significantly less common then other manufacturers and there is some dispute as to whether they actually made any complete rifles rather than parts which were assembled elsewhere (ie at Enfield Lock). You might find a mix of Enfield and SSA marked parts on the rifle (check the front of the trigger-guard near the mag you may find it stamped SSA also

 

The tell tale for this manufacturer is the rather more stylized crown than usual and the absence of manufacturer name on the wrist.

 

The sightin the box and the base plate  is not standard - and I believe is a later non-military add on for target shooting. I do not know much about these but they can be quite valuable (depending what it is) They were made by several different manufacturers and to several different designs in the UK and in Australia (and no doubt other places too). Others will probably know immediately what it is. If you intend to shoot the rifle then the sight is period and may be a good addition. It would not have been used as standard issue in the field

 

If you can find a maker's mark/logo on the sight that will help (perhaps Central or Parker Hale something like that?)

Chris

 

PS just noticed the rifle is missing the rear sight protector - this MIGHT indicate that it has been fitted with a heavy target barrel. If you carefully prise off the rear hand guard (it is held in place with spring clips - don't break the thin wooded fingers! - you may see a lot of stamping that will help tell this story.

Edited 21 March , 2017 by 4thGordons
annoying typo!

[Chris Burton]

Here is my LSA MkIII,  a bitsa I imagine 1918 P 9913 a late production MKIII as opposed to MKIII*  but without any of the MKIII extra bits..? sorry I cant work out how to rotate the Image!

Edited 6 May , 2021 by Chris Burton