18th Battalion Posted 13 April , 2011 Share Posted 13 April , 2011 Malc, I think £300-£400 is a reasonable price for a good example of a WW1 dated deactivated SMLE; there is a reasonable example on Gunstar at the moment for £290, Milweb is another site to look at. Chris' guide is a good reference for what to look for; rifles with all matching serial numbers are less common and more expensive, and I believe that pre-95 deacs are more desirable due to the less stringent deactivation requirements. If you see a good example on a dealers website for silly money, don't be afraid to make an offer up to 50% less than they are asking; they will probably say no, but you can try to negotiate a reasonable price from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixsermalc Posted 13 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 13 April , 2011 Many thanks for all the good advice i have seen a couple on dealers sights maybe i will chance a cheeky offer. If its Not bad form to do so (pm me if it is and ill edit this post) could i ask if anyone has one for sale could they pm me detailes Many thanks Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Its a shame about the advertising rules, it would be useful to be able to direct interested forum members in the UK to these decent WW1 dated deactivated examples that it is suggested can be obtained relatively cheaply. I havent seen a decent one for under 350 quid for some time, they usually range from 400 - 450. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbox Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Its a 1930s BSA Commercial supplied to the Southern Rhodesia Government (SRG) and issued to the British South Africa Police (BSAP). "2034" will be the Police rack number. It looks like it has been rebarrelled (mismatch in finish), and the buttplate is "small" because the rifle has been fitted with a replacement No4 beech butt. If someone buys this rifle, they'll need to make a scoop in the butt for the No1 safety, otherwise the safety will not work properly! (in fact it looks to me as if the rifle has been recently put together from a barrelled action - all of the wood, and the nosecap, appear to be new). In the 1930s, BSA normally produced a version of the military inter-war No1 MkIII standard - this was a rifle with cut-off and narrow front piling swivel, but without volley sights or windage adjustable sights. Some export contract appear to have been for MkIII* - specification, without cutoff or piling swivel, but with a windage sight. Many of the Iraqi government rifles are like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 It looks like it has been rebarrelled (mismatch in finish), and the buttplate is "small" because the rifle has been fitted with a replacement No4 beech butt. If someone buys this rifle, they'll need to make a scoop in the butt for the No1 safety, otherwise the safety will not work properly! (in fact it looks to me as if the rifle has been recently put together from a barrelled action - all of the wood, and the nosecap, appear to be new). In the 1930s, BSA normally produced a version of the military inter-war No1 MkIII standard - this was a rifle with cut-off and narrow front piling swivel, but without volley sights or windage adjustable sights. Some export contract appear to have been for MkIII* - specification, without cutoff or piling swivel, but with a windage sight. Many of the Iraqi government rifles are like this. Agree with all of this....I hadn't noticed the butt. Regarding the Iraq contract rifles: see attached to illustrate Thunderbox's point about format - although mine came with additional sling swivel and with the piling swivel. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixsermalc Posted 14 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Hi would an undated riffle with with all the early parts be an ok buy at the right price, as on the same website there is an early version withe early sights etc and from if i understand it correctly the hole for the cut off plate but no actual cut off plate. its stamped bas with the crown marks etc but no dates. Or do i go with my heart a pay abit more for the dated 1916 one with bayonett. Many thanks Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Again depends what you mean by "an OK buy" -- I understood that you wanted a Great War rifle for display? If so - this (again) is not it. A Great War Sht LE in military service would have had a crown/royal cypher/maker/date/model on the wrist. Anything without those is a commercially produced rifle for either private sale or a foreign contract and probably dating from the interwar period (although there are earlier version often marked Lee-Speed). These commercial rifles are considerably rarer in my experience, so I am surprised to see two in the same place. One explanation for this is rifles being assembled from parts on a stock of commercial receivers, or perhaps a stock purchased from the country to which they were exported. I have to say that the finish on the rifle you just posted looks a bit odd to me (great war vintage rifles would be blued,much later rifles sometimes blackened or painted over the blue) , again it looks like the wood is a replacement set, but the pictures might be to blame for some of this. It does have the slot for the cut-off but one is not installed, I cannot see if it has a windadge adjustable rear sight - but it does not have the volley sights. I would also check the trigger-guard on this one - it does not appear to have either the boss for the extra sling swivel nor the wire loop for the action cover. Again, from 3ft to a general observer - this would be indistinguishable from a mid-late war rifle...but it is not one, if that is what you want. To return to your question - "at the right price" this would obviously be an "ok buy" (I have a few Enfields but I do not have a commercial rifle).... but it might not be what you want! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixsermalc Posted 14 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Hi Chris thank you for the solid advice you are right and im going to waite for the right one ok ill have to pay more but i think both head abd heart would be satified. Thank you Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alex falbo Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 All the advice here is A-1. Wait and you might even get lucky enough to score an early War piece. Stick with Chris' guide and you'll be on course to spotting a War time rifle for your display. Be careful to watch for replacement parts. As has been stated, these rifles were produced in the millions and many saw service throughout Empire. My best wishes in your hunt and be sure to post when you find something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixsermalc Posted 14 April , 2011 Author Share Posted 14 April , 2011 Hi Well with Chris's advice i think i have found one that will tied me over, untill i can find a realy nice example early of an early date. Fingers crossed. Many thanks to everyone for all the great help and advice Malc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18th Battalion Posted 14 April , 2011 Share Posted 14 April , 2011 There are lots of SMLE's out there Malc, you just need to be patient and wait for the right one to come along. I bought my deactivated one in the 80's from a magazine ad, sight unseen, just described as a WW1 SMLE; it turned out to be a very original 1918 BSA MKIII* with all matching serial numbers. It was very grubby when I got it but had only minimal patches of corrosion, it was tacky to the touch so I think it had been coated with something and it had the appearence of having been stored for decades. I took it to bits and spent hours cleaning every part and even run a rod and brush down the barrel to clean the bore, even though it's a deac! Good hunting. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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