Sectionalised S.M.L.E.

[Terrylee]

An Interesting rifle which I recently acquired and restored: Originally a B.S.A. Mk.III. The sectioned UDF markings indicate that it was it was converted in South Africa.

The fact that the barrel is badly worn, bolt unnumbered and forend mismatched, suggests that it was either condemned prior to being converted into a training aid or perhaps assembled out of worn parts.

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Nice item, nice clear photograph.

Regards,

LF

[MikeyH]

That's a nice thing to have. A friend has one of the 'skeleton' cut away No 4's, which I think were made at Fazackerley and date from post WW2.

What date is your Mk.111?

Mike.

[Terrylee]

Mike,

The right side of the butt socket upon which the date was engraved has been machined away as part of the conversion process. However, being a Mk.III, it would probably have been manufactured no later than early WW I.

Terry

[4thGordons]

Very nice example.

I have seen several sectionalised actions for sale recently (originating from Australia) but they were not complete rifles like this.

I toyed with trying to make one of these out of a "Khyber Pass" SMLE I picked up (if nothing else it would guarantee that no one tried to fire it!) but I don't have the mechanical skills!

Chris

[5thBatt]

TerryLee, the MkIII was produced into 1941 so yours could have been made anytime between 1907 & 1941, i just recently sold my Lithgow factory sectionalized MkIII with cutoff that was made in 1935, will post some pics later.

[5thBatt]

You can see part of the MA on the butt socket which makes it 1926 or later & it has a feature than is exclusive to Lithgow & dates around 1934 to 1936 in having a rodded stock bolt keeper plate which was a short lived experimental recoil plate

it also had a barrel date of '35 which i do have a pic somewhere on file that i need to find

[Terrylee]

Hi, 5th Bat, A lovely piece that I could not have forced myself to sell!

I stick to my belief that my rifle was probably early WW I or before. According to my information B.S.A. changed over to the S.M.L.E. Mk.III* in September, 1915. During WW II, the Mk.III* was the version produced by that company. Indeed, over the period 1919 to 1939 both the Mk.III and III* were produced by B.S.A, but to a combined total of only about 100,000 from a total production, 1907 - 1944, exceeding 1,900,000. In all, some 400,000 were Mk.IIIs.

Since there is some interest in these pieces, I attach a photo of two early "short" examples - a M.L.E. and another S.M.L.E. Mk.III.

Edited 3 June , 2016 by Terrylee

[Lancashire Fusilier]

You can see part of the MA on the butt socket which makes it 1926 or later & it has a feature than is exclusive to Lithgow & dates around 1934 to 1936 in having a rodded stock bolt keeper plate which was a short lived experimental recoil plate

it also had a barrel date of '35 which i do have a pic somewhere on file that i need to find

5th Batt,

Another nice example.

Regards,

LF

[Lancashire Fusilier]

Since there is some interest in these pieces, I attach a photo of two early "short" examples - a M.L.E. and another S.M.L.E. Mk.III.

Terrylee,

This is the first time I have see the ' short ' versions, excellent examples, I particularly like the earlier M.L.E.

Regards,

LF

[Demo]

These are quite rare in Australia and really great items to have. I have a couple of the full length versions as well and often use them as they were intended. My nephew just got his first SMLE this week, a Lithgow and last night I was able to demonstrate to him, the internal workings and all the problems that can be associated with the SMLE.

Nice thread gents.

[Gunner Bailey]

Terrylee,

This is the first time I have see the ' short ' versions, excellent examples, I particularly like the earlier M.L.E.

Regards,

LF

Starting about 3 years ago a number have been on the UK market - probably about 100. Mostly No 4 but some SMLE. They are the only current deacts with an open barrel because the receiver is normally part cut away (in the ones that I have seen).

John