stevew Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Being meaning to post some piccies of my pride and joy, at last I have got around to it - it is a rebuild 1917 SMLE, with new barrel and furniture - fires superbly Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Very nice. Did you do the re-build or was it one of the ones rebuilt at lithgow in WW2? Has it been re-blacked as well? Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Very nice. Did you do the re-build or was it one of the ones rebuilt at lithgow in WW2? Has it been re-blacked as well? Regards TonyE Very nice looking. Looks to me as though it has been re-blacked. If I had to guess (before we get the answer) I would say this is not WWII Australian furniture as this often has a much redder appearance (although it could be the light in the pic) I believe they used a different species of wood, "coachwood" is what I have in my mind but I may well be mistaken.... {EDIT: did a quick check - Queensland Maple - stained dark was first substitute, Coachwood later} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 I drilled with several different types of 303 and fired them as a cadet and in TA. It seems strange to see them regarded with such appreciation. At the time, very few sports shooters would have taken one for nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Very nice Steve. was the old 'furniture' really bad? Does the new wood fit right as i have seen quite a few rifles with new wood not looking quite right when the brass butt pad is fitted. Mind you, i only have a couple of Deacs to compare, did fire it in the cadets, only the SLR with the military. Looks very nice, am envious, wish i had one but dont think i would be allowed to have one. This brings me to another point, if i wanted to own a working SMLE, would i have to belong to a rifle club and have it stored away from home? This question applies to the UK. I already have a shotgun cert, wasnt a sniper but in the past as a lowly signalman, managed to out shoot the entire Queens Battalion to which i was attached, much to the chagrin of the CO. Andy A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Re your query about owning a working SMLE: Yes you would need to belong to a club and shoot regularly, but you could keep it at home provided you had a police approved gun safe. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 Thanks Tony will certainly consider doing as you said. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 26 May , 2008 Share Posted 26 May , 2008 managed to out shoot the entire Queens Battalion to which i was attached, much to the chagrin of the CO. Andy A Managing to outshoot a Btn.of Queens does not gain my kudos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 27 May , 2008 Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Dave, having had my eyes 'fixed' since then, i can see even better now. So watch out or you might get 'sniped'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted 27 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Andy, Join your local gun club, it's great fun. before October last year I had never picked up a working rifle (only had my deac). Right the history of my gun. I obviously wanted a WW1 example, I was looking at the dealers and how much they wanted, it varies from £250 upwards. To be honest I don't really know what I am looking at. I could spend £500 and buy a load of rubbish. Everyone at my local club recommended a local chap who rebuilds as a hobby, I gave him a call saying what I wanted. He has (apparently) 100s of trigger assemblies, for which mine is a 1917. He also got hold of a supply of new barrels sometime ago. The furniture is virtually all new, the forestock and buttstock are definetly new and I would guess that the rear and front hand guard are used but in excellent condition, all the furniture is walnut, the furniture fits together superbly, far better than my deac which does look like a 90 year old rifle. Technically there was no old furniture, as the trigger assembly came out of box full of them. some people may query the authenticity of what I have got, but I want it for shooting and not looking at (I have my deac to look at). It's genuine enough as far as I'm concerned - 1917 BSA No.1 MkIII* SMLE Just as an aside the guy who did the rebuild also did the rifles that were used in The Trench (documentary and not the film) - so he told me. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 27 May , 2008 Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Would that be Jim Franklin by any chance? I presume by "trigger assemblies" you mean the receiver? A trigger assembly is just that, a trigger and a sear. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 27 May , 2008 Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Steve, the rifle looks really good, a sound investment i feel and ime sure you are proud to own and fire it, i know i would be. One more thing, when you started to fire it, did it take much, ie, many rounds to zero it? Do you feel it is as accurate as you would like/expect it to be? I ask this as i may consider such a rebuild one day as i feel i should consider a local gun club. I am a carer for my mum and i am allowed a small grant every year, i wonder if my local council would consider a SMLE as something worthwhile? Could ask i suppose. Andy A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted 27 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Would that be Jim Franklin by any chance? I presume by "trigger assemblies" you mean the receiver? A trigger assembly is just that, a trigger and a sear. Regards TonyE Tony, Yes, I suppose I do mean the receiver, I'm not yet up on all the terminology, but I can see from a picture that it is the receiver Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevew Posted 27 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 May , 2008 Steve, the rifle looks really good, a sound investment i feel and ime sure you are proud to own and fire it, i know i would be. One more thing, when you started to fire it, did it take much, ie, many rounds to zero it? Do you feel it is as accurate as you would like/expect it to be? I ask this as i may consider such a rebuild one day as i feel i should consider a local gun club. I am a carer for my mum and i am allowed a small grant every year, i wonder if my local council would consider a SMLE as something worthwhile? Could ask i suppose. Andy A Andy, I need to zero it properly, at the moment I'm just really excited to have it and fire it, the sites aren't too far out. I'll be down the range tomorrow with a large target to aim at, so I should see how far out it is more than with my first efforts. Of course the real problem is the clown holding the gun I do recommend a visit to your local gun club, it has opened up a whole new interest for me - I only wanted a smelly, I now have 3 different rifles! steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
59165 Posted 1 June , 2008 Share Posted 1 June , 2008 Dave, having had my eyes 'fixed' since then, i can see even better now. So watch out or you might get 'sniped'. You should have rang, I would have done it a lot cheaper mate! Just need a day or two to find the right pliers is all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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