4thGordons Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 Mark - 172 pounds is the price of your rifle (currently the exchange rate is about 1.97us dollars to the pound) if you are looking for a period scope and period mounts I should think you are probably going to pay more than you paid for your rifle for each. A slightly cheaper alternative (which I personnaly like) would be a target/match sight (non-optical) - these can be had for far less, do not require permanent modification of the rifle etc) and have a nice "period" feel - Parker Hale made (makes?) several vesions If you want to use a scope for shooting there a a number of mounts available in the US which require no permanent modification to the rifle (which obvioulsy you would not want to do) a google search should find you several vendors Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark.E Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 thanks, what do the target/match sights look like, i was thinking about starting to shoot in matches or tourney or whatever you would like to call them, do you know of any around KY and how much it would cost to join? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gew98 Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 thanks, what do the target/match sights look like, i was thinking about starting to shoot in matches or tourney or whatever you would like to call them, do you know of any around KY and how much it would cost to join? Mark ; Whereabout in KY are you ?. I personally am not aware of any shooting matches for milsurp rifles , but do know of some fellows in Ky/Tn/Oh that talk of having done and do such. http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=44 Here is a good link to peruse, actually the whole website is excellent. I too have a soft spot for SMLE's , and of course Patt'14's as well. Original sniping kit to include scopes for the SMLE is rather scarce and VERY expensive when found. I recall an englishman from the days of the KCN newsletter whom collected british snipers and their kit as well as german sniping gear and rifles too. I am sure he's still active in the hobby as he had a large and excellent collection. He did take original SMLE scopes , and had moutns made for them to restore some SMLE's to spot on copies of period original SMLE snipers , though not done so to fool anybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 thanks, what do the target/match sights look like, Here is one mounted on a Pattern 14. SMLE No1 versions are similar. They often use the locking lever (safety) screw holes for mounting. Give you lots of options regarding "peephole", and micrometer windage/elevation adjustment etc Sorry but I can't help with the shooting opportunities. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark.E Posted 4 February , 2007 Share Posted 4 February , 2007 Im in Louisville, otherwise known as Horse Racing Capitol of the world. How old are the people you know, beacue, im only 15...maybe a bit younger but I still love my SMLE the same ammount you all do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 11 February , 2007 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2007 I'm at least double that. But man my trigger finger is itchy tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 20 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2008 OK I still haven't bought a rifle. Coming back to thinking about it though. Anyone bought one recently or know a good place to buy one? What's the market value of these things now? I've got a guy in my town who'll sell me one for around £220... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 20 January , 2008 Share Posted 20 January , 2008 OK I still haven't bought a rifle. Coming back to thinking about it though. Anyone bought one recently or know a good place to buy one? What's the market value of these things now? I've got a guy in my town who'll sell me one for around £220... I'd guess the going price for a good shooter should be £200 to £300. But do remember these rifles are 90+ years old now and may now have very complicated histories - over the decades some have attracted the attentions of 'gunsmiths' of all varieties and skill levels... I have made my own mistakes - I bought a very handsome-looking piece with a new barrel, and found that whoever cut the chamber went too deep with the reamer so that reloading the cases is effectively impossible. Just about everything on the rifle was incorrectly set up, and I'm only just now beginning to pull the group-size into decent limits after years of occasional experimentation. So my own advice is to find one that shoots for you - insist on trying before you buy, and inspect the empties - and then pay what you have to to get it. Condition and shootability is so variable that you should only start thinking about price once you're sure of quality. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 20 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2008 Thanks Mike, can I just ask a few questions seeing that you seem to know what you're talking about. I'm assuming you are not talking about a live firer. Obviously here in Northern Ireland I'll be arrested for having one and the peace process will be derailed. What am I looking for then when you say a gun that fires? A gun that fires with a click and that has a working bar to reload. Sorry I probably sound very neanderthal in my terms - but I know very little about this in reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 20 January , 2008 Share Posted 20 January , 2008 Thanks Mike, can I just ask a few questions seeing that you seem to know what you're talking about. I'm assuming you are not talking about a live firer. Obviously here in Northern Ireland I'll be arrested for having one and the peace process will be derailed. What am I looking for then when you say a gun that fires? A gun that fires with a click and that has a working bar to reload. Sorry I probably sound very neanderthal in my terms - but I know very little about this in reality. Ah, no - if it's me you mean then we're at cross purposes. Sorry, I was talking of a rifle to shoot live in the various military and military-derived classic rifle target disciplines. If you're patient, serious, have no convictions and have sufficient time to travel to suitable club shoots, you can still own and use one even in Britain today. There are replicas, if those are still allowed, that can't easily be distinguished from the real thing - I asked about one I saw in a local gunshop thinking it was real. I don't know what the deactivation rules are now, but I think you can have an operating bolt and a striker that snaps when you pull the trigger, so long as the firing pin can't reach a cap and the boltface is ground away at 45 - unless the rules are different in NI. I don't think I could bring myself to own one. Sorry for misunderstanding. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 21 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2008 No worries Mik. Not really into shooting but must be great fun firing your Lee-Enfield. Think that would tempt me... Just would I could bring some of the pals into the shop with me. I'm all up for it, then I go in and bottle. I don't know enough...am really afraid of getting ripped off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docchippy Posted 21 January , 2008 Share Posted 21 January , 2008 You could always go for 410 conversion. I have a 1914 LSA MKIII in 410. Naturally magazine sealed shut and single shot shotgun, but great to have a plink with. Hardly does anything to clays, 12.5g of shot in a light load doesn't do much, but does despatch rabbits. Mind such is the weight of the rifle and earphones on you can't feel the recoil or realise if it has fired! On topic, I need some parts. Parts have been mixed with parts from a No4 (threads changed in 1930s from Enfield standard to British Association) . Needs a No1 MkIII cocking piece (slab sided not the rounded early model),new main spring and striker ). Also as result of mismatched parts rotating safety catch is worn and hence not too safe. Anyone help? I have a copy of the definitve guide Skennerton's 2006 "The Lee Enfield" if any has queries. Doc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 21 January , 2008 Share Posted 21 January , 2008 Doc all the parts easily available in US. PM me and I can send you links. I will have a look through my "bits box" I think I have the cocking piece, maybe locking lever assembly also. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 21 January , 2008 Share Posted 21 January , 2008 If you want to shoot the SMLE then consider the Lee Enfield Rifle Association a Home Office Approved Rifle Club which owns 6 SMLE's for members to use. Matches and practices are fired on contempary targetry for the rifle. Great fun to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 22 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 22 January , 2008 Sounds great! Are you a member of this then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 25 January , 2008 Share Posted 25 January , 2008 I've just had my monthly catalogue from Armchair Auctions, which lists a MK4 c1940s converted to a sporting rifle and now deactivated, expected to reach £250-300. Bids close on January 31. Moonraker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 25 January , 2008 Share Posted 25 January , 2008 Blimey,thats steep! I bought a 4 for a mate & payed 140 quid 2 years ago. About the same time I got a 3 cutoff(both deac) for 250 which I thought was exorbitant at the time. Just before Xmas,I saw a dealer with a 3 no cutoff,nice toned wood but lots of dings who wanted 400 quid for it!!??!?! Wonder what mines worth now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 25 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2008 So is £220 for a deactivated rifle is not bad? They all seem to be in generally ok condition... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 25 January , 2008 Share Posted 25 January , 2008 Well Pete, depends... Lots of Indian ones doing the rounds & they should only be round the 100 quid mark but....sellers are asking 200 plus hoping no one will know the difference . If the ones you've seen seem ok to you after all you've read on here then you wont lose out. This new law wont go through & smle prices will carry on growing.I've already had an offer of 350 for mine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 25 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2008 Now how would I know an Indian if it was in my hand? And yes...I've read everything in this topic but do you know what...I'd still know more about a big loaf as they say here in Ireland D'Nord! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horace Bachelor Posted 26 January , 2008 Share Posted 26 January , 2008 Sounds great! Are you a member of this then? 303man is the secretary of LERA. This is he. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter__m Posted 26 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 26 January , 2008 303man is the secretary of LERA. This is he. Yep you can imagine a whole line of soliders doing that and the enemy thinking someone had an automatic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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