Bedding/Accurizing Sportered SMLE - Suggestions Please

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nailcreek

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Saukville, WI
While I understand that the SMLE tends to shoot better with up pressure at the muzzle, I am curious as to what works for a sporter?

I've a sporter SMLE that I'm restocking with older Fajen wood, putting proper draws in as well as installing a new ebony on the fore-end tip. The Fajen butt stock has the comb taken down and the checkpiece carved a bit more period correct.

The rifle's had a ramp front sight installed, and the standard rear was removed when I purchased it. My plan is to install an express sight, effectively making it into a poor man's reasonable copy of a Lee Speed.

Has anyone have experience with bedding the receiver and knox form - and will that make a difference? Suggestions?

Thanks!
 
Without consulting books, I can say that before Parker Hale did them post-WWII, the vast majority of sporters assembled by the UK gun trade were built with barrels of "Long Lee Enfield" dimensions: about the same as the No4. I don't remember seeing a Lee Speed type sporter with an SMLE dimension barrel.

As you know there are tens of thousands of sporterized SMLEs that have been giving good service since snipers started cutting them down in WWI. For a few shots at a time they work fine. For rapid fire the barrel often needs the support of the forend to maintain accuracy.

With the exception the specially bedded and prepared range rifles, the "buggy whip" barrel of the SMLE was never that great for accuracy, which is why the Aussies built the "H" barrels with the "Long Lee Enfield" profile and the foresight and length of the SMLE barrel. Best of both worlds.

For a poor man's Lee Speed, I'd look for a sporterized "Long Lee" or at least the barrel for one and go from there, depending on whether you want the charger guide or not.

You can find quite a few right here that are pre-1898, so import should be easy.

Bedding the action, trigger guard and at least as far as the Nock's Form is essential for accuracy and reliable trigger pull. Lots of illustrations on the net about how to do that. I'd bed the barrel right to the end of the forestock. Free-floating was not part of the Lee Speed world.
 
Thanks, "RRCo". I've been looking for Long Lees (i.e. "Long Toms"), but without much luck. Unfortunately, I can't see the sales boards here as a US citizen - but I do understand that pre-1898 isn't difficult to import. If you have suggestions, I'm open.

The SMLE I'm working with is a 1916 BSA. The bore was filthy, but passes the "bullet test" nicely. The rest of the metal is in very good condition. It obviously has the charger guide, which was an added option when ordering a Lee Speed from BSA. After all is said and done, it should come relatively close to a No.2 or No.3 Lee Speed. I could settle for the stock butt stock, making it similar to a No.4 as another option.
 
nailcreek said:
Thanks, "RRCo". I've been looking for Long Lees (i.e. "Long Toms"), but without much luck. Unfortunately, I can't see the sales boards here as a US citizen - but I do understand that pre-1898 isn't difficult to import. If you have suggestions, I'm open.

The SMLE I'm working with is a 1916 BSA. The bore was filthy, but passes the "bullet test" nicely. The rest of the metal is in very good condition. It obviously has the charger guide, which was an added option when ordering a Lee Speed from BSA. After all is said and done, it should come relatively close to a No.2 or No.3 Lee Speed. I could settle for the stock butt stock, making it similar to a No.4 as another option.
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Have you requested access to the Equipment Exchange forums? They require a separate request to gain access. I think this is more likely your issue than being out of country.
 
From what I was told, it had to do with me being a US citizen ... apparently the EE exchange is only for Canadians due to potential issues of crossing the border with "bad things lacking the appropriate paperwork". I understand it however - the risk of someone doing something stupid is too great to risk the board.
 
nailcreek said:
From what I was told, it had to do with me being a US citizen ... apparently the EE exchange is only for Canadians due to potential issues of crossing the border with "bad things lacking the appropriate paperwork". I understand it however - the risk of someone doing something stupid is too great to risk the board.
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Well if that was the answer they gave you I can see their logic, not that I think you were intending to break any laws.
 
Of course not ... nothing is worth "Club Fed" ...

I've imported pre-1898 rifles before (Martinis), from Australia, and while it's additional paperwork, it's not that difficult. I'd like to find a sportered Long Tom, but am unsure where to look. I assume they come up for sale on occasion, but are there any sales boards or dealers that come across them?
 
nailcreek said:
Of course not ... nothing is worth "Club Fed" ...

I've imported pre-1898 rifles before (Martinis), from Australia, and while it's additional paperwork, it's not that difficult. I'd like to find a sportered Long Tom, but am unsure where to look. I assume they come up for sale on occasion, but are there any sales boards or dealers that come across them?
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There are a few pre-98 Lees on the EE now I think, the question is, will the seller want to go through the hoops to get it past the border.

If you check the more established dealers like Elwood Epps, Wolverine and Marstar, they may have something in the back they'd sell you.

For the Lee Speed look, what you really want is the remains of a Lee Enfield Carbine 1896-97 with the half bolt knob and forward-swept bolt handle; one too buggered up to ever be restored, that or the remains of a buggered up Lee Speed sporter! There was one of the latter for sale locally, I'll see if it's at the next gunshow. I think the seller wanted around $500., it was a bit rough and the wood had been altered, but it was a genuine sporter with the express sights.
 
Thanks ... I'd greatly appreciate it if you could let me know if something turns up for a reasonable price. It seems that it's a virtual miracle if they come up un-boogered-with. The one's I've seen have replacement shot out SMLE barrels, with wood that's also been worked over.
 
From Beaton Firearms in Australia - Facebook does have it's uses!

"They both like a little up pressure, but it's more important to regulate on the No.4. When they have full wood and bands you need to play around with this.

Regardless, your rifle is sporterised. Bed the rifle just around the front of the action, where the front action screw is. Don't bed the barrel initially - only do that if you can't get it to shoot. Check to make sure the recoil face in the back of the forestock contacts the action correctly and there is no movement. Make sure not to change the relationship between the floor plate and action or you will have feeding issues. Make sure the butt stock is tight and the screw square BEFORE working in the Foreend.

After this, if you can't get it to shoot, bed the first 1/2" of the Knox."
 
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