Mystery SMLE barrel.. What have I got?

[Doogs]

I have acquired what appears to be an SMLE barrel chambered in .303. Other than that. I have no idea. Can anybody enlighten me as to what I've got here?

My guess is that it was somebody's match barrel at one time. It was packed full of grease when I got it, and the rifling is 6 groove, sharp, and shiny with no signs of pitting or erosion. The outside of the barrel is in good condition, except for a bit of surface rust.

Much appreciated

 

[Lee Enfield]

Your barrel is a C.Mk4 barrel which appears to have been installed on 1950 Long Branch serial no. 95L2861.

These 6 groove right hand twist barrels were manufactured between 1949 and 1958 at Canadian Arsenals Limited (commonly known as Long Branch).

During the same period of time, most barrels were MkI 5 groove left hand twist barrels, which was the standard no4 enfield barrel.

 

[Chrossphyre]

The X marking could be either a Lithgow proof mark or a Sold Out Of Service mark (indicating a military item sold to the public) - hard to tell as it's not very well struck. No serial, so it was probably never part of an assembled and accepted firearm. Not much to go on there.

 

[Doogs]

Thanks, guys! Very cool. Is it worth anything or is it junk?

 

[#4mk1(T)]

Your barrel is a C.Mk4 barrel which appears to have been installed on 1950 Long Branch serial no. 95L2861.

These 6 groove right hand twist barrels were manufactured between 1949 and 1958 at Canadian Arsenals Limited (commonly known as Long Branch).

During the same period of time, most barrels were MkI 5 groove left hand twist barrels, which was the standard no4 enfield barrel.

This! Not so much the second reply. The "6" on the bayonet lug is a dead giveaway. Makes one wonder if this isn't one of the bbls removed from a DCRA rifle when it stopped grouping well or was returned with the rifle when it was converted to 7.62 at CAL....

 

[Ganderite]

Arnie Parks was a very skilled and successful target rifle shooter back in the day when we used #4s.

Arnold Parks won the Governor General’s Prize in 1969 and 1975. He qualified for the Bisley Team ten times between 1964 and 1976. At Bisley, he won the Queen’s Prize in 1968.

You have one of his target barrels. Is it 303 or 308?

A shooter would have several barrels for a rifle.

See hall of Fame:

http://www.dcra.ca/fame.php

 

[Doogs]

Wow, it's really amazing what answers come up when you ask the right hive-mind. Thanks again everybody.

Ganderite, it is in .303. I confirmed by "chambering" one

 

[Ganderite]

It is the 303 barrel he took off when he converted his rifle to 308.

 

[Doogs]

Did you know him personally?

 

[Ganderite]

Yes, I knew Arnie. He was more a contemporary of my father, but I was shooting the Ottawa matches in the 60's when he won the Gov's.

 

[TheTooner]

The X marking could be either a Lithgow proof mark or a Sold Out Of Service mark (indicating a military item sold to the public) - hard to tell as it's not very well struck. No serial, so it was probably never part of an assembled and accepted firearm. Not much to go on there.

Not a Lithgow mark on this one because they only made SMLE this is a No.4's barrel.

 

[Pblatzz]

The X mark is a poorly stamped dcp proof.