133.R Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Hi I can get this rifle . I do not have more or better pictures. What is your opinion? I read 1900 as a year. The seller says 1916. Regards Sven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 There is quite a list of things to note about this rifle. First, it is a Rifle, Short, Magazine Lee Enfield Mark I***, not a No.1***.. (see below) The date cannot be 1900 as the SMLE Mark I was not introduced until September 1903, so the date will be a poorly stamped 1906 and it would probably have started as a Mark I* (introduced in March 1906). This had minor improvements over the Mark I including the butt trap for the pull-through, a new type of butt swivel, magazine and other details. The SMLE Mark III was introduced in January 1907 and in 1914 the earler Mark I and I* rifles were converted to approximate the Mark III for Land Service. The conversion involved fitting a blade foresight, a U notch higher backsight and adjustment to the sights to suit Mark VII ammunition. In 1915 the Royal Navy decided to convert their Mark I** SMLEa that were not fitted with the charger bridge to Mark I*** standard. Some Mark I*** have been noted with the charger bridge though. Have a look at the stamps on the barrel and elsewhere. It may be that there is a conversion date of 1916 which the seller is quoting. When the "Number" system for rifles was introduced in List of Changes Paragraph A1637 in 1926 the nomenclature of the SMLE Mark I*** was not included in the change to "Rifle No.1" but was shown as "Omitted from Vocabulary, but retained in store for possible future requirements". A nice rifle with an interesting conversion history, well worth getting. I hope it is live and not a de=act! Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patje70 Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 If the price is right and is hasn't been mismatched don't let it go and buy , I don't know the laws in Germany but in Belgium you are allowed to have a live one as long you don't have munition for it. Regards Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
133.R Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Unfortunately - deactivated .It would be cost 200€. Was this rifle worn in to the ww1 ? Regards Sven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Very much so. Conversion from earlier Marks to Mark I*** did not start until April 1914. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
133.R Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Very much so. Conversion from earlier Marks to Mark I*** did not start until April 1914. Regards TonyE Should i buy this rifle? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Should i buy this rifle? Regards Check the serial number on the rifle. I suspect it may well be a "CR" prefix. I cannot see from the pictures but I suspect it has a MkIII rear sight on it and has had the original rear handguard replaced with a MKIII variant (also the safety is a MkIII version). This is all "correct" for a batch of rifles supplied to Ireland which were conversions of this nature. I have a non deactivated version of the same rifle. For what it is worth I would grab it in a heartbeat at that price - even deactivated it has all the components (such as the charger head guide and the MkI forend) that are usually missing. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Absolutely buy it at that price! As Chris says, it has many parts that are desirable, even though it has lost its Mark I rearsight protectors which have been replaced by the Mark III type. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Absolutely buy it at that price! As Chris says, it has many parts that are desirable, even though it has lost its Mark I rearsight protectors which have been replaced by the Mark III type. Regards TonyE Tony - actually I think even this is correct for the Irish conversions. The CR serials all appear in this format. I'd grab it - but then I'm an addict. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Sorry Chris, I was not disagreeing with that statement as I am sure you are correct. I just meant that the more "desirable" Mark I protectors had gone from the point of view of components. Cheers TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex falbo Posted 2 April , 2011 Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Absolutely wonderful piece. I'd buy it also! Any markings on the stock disk? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
133.R Posted 2 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2011 Absolutely wonderful piece. I'd buy it also! Any markings on the stock disk? I dont know.These are all images that i got from the seller . I´ll make better images if i got the rifle. Regards Sven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
133.R Posted 10 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 10 April , 2011 Where can i get the correct rear guard for this rifle? Knows anybody a adresse in the world wide web? Regards Sven Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 10 April , 2011 Share Posted 10 April , 2011 Where can i get the correct rear guard for this rifle? Knows anybody a adresse in the world wide web? Regards Sven Sven Did you check the serial number/prefix ? I think that the current configuration of the rifle is "correct" for the batch of rifles this one came from. If I am rigfht - these rifles were supplied to Ireland and were officially modified into the configuration you have here - with MkIII rear sights/protectors and safety etc. I have seen half a dozen of these rifles in the past two years. You will find it very hard to find an original pattern rear guard with the integral site protectors. I have seen these sell for more than you paid for your whole rifle! The handguard and the bolt-head charger guide are scarce and lots of examples are missing them (so therefore lots of people want them!)and prices tend to be very highe if the seller knows what they have. It took me several years to find one and in the end I got one completely by luck but had to buy the whole rifle (a MkIII) it was incorrectly attached to. I may have the email address of someone who makes reproduction parts...again not cheap...I'll look and post it if I can find it. If it were me - I would leave it as it is. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now