1904 BSA Co. Sht L.E. Mk 1** - tell me a story

[vinver]

So's I goes to a gun show... lol. I passed this over once as just another ol sporter, on the second pass I decided to flip it over and see a price of $95 on it. Now it's got my attention, so I looked at the numbers and see it's not just another SMLE Mk III , but a Mk 1** . "What's your best price, sir?" and $85 bucks later out the door I go, like the lady in the IKEA commercial "Start the car!! Start the Car!!". Anyway, in my excitement I didn't take a super good look, but it turns out not too bad, bore is in fact very good, but headspacing is marginal and bolt doesn't match.
Appears to have been through Ishapore, rebuilt in ti15 (1916?) and also has FTR 1953 electro etched on it too.

Now, tell me a story, as a Mk 1** should it have a charger bridge? Volley sight? Mag cutoff? What front sight should it have (has same as all my other No 1's, but hinge pin is riveted type.)

 

[smellie]

Well, Friend, for one thing, it has that great big "IP" under the original factory markings: it is now a Rifle, Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield, Mark I 2 Stars INDIA PATTERN.

You will have to check the Indian List of Changes for additional data.

I do have a pair of SMLE I*** rifles, both modified to use the Bridge Charger Guide as yours. The 1904 LSA is an Army conversion, the 1907 Enfield is a Navy conversion but, otherwise, they appear(ed) the same as yours.

The idea behind the ** and *** rifles was to convert Mark I and Mark I* rifles to the later standard. In the case of my own rifles, the 1904 LSA was built as a I, the Enfield 1907 was built as a I*, then both advanced to Mark I*** status by being brought to the newer standards.

Conversion work on your rifle, from I to I**, was done at the Government Rifle Factory at Ishapore in 1915, as the markings.

What is your Barrel Date? That can tell us a fair bit.

Rifles from this period (the early Ross Rifle years) are more than a bit uncommon in Canada. For this reason, I have not examined as many as I would have liked to. New Zealand and Australia received regular deliveries of British rifles in this period, so, likely, we shall have to await participation from some of the folks Down There in order to solve this completely.

But that big "IP" tells you a lot.

Great find and one to treasure!

Nice-looking Charger full of Drill rounds, too!

Go buy a lottery ticket: you are on a roll!

 

[5THBATT]

Born as a Mk1 then converted to a Mk1** which i believe is a Naval conversion (will have to check books on that) then in 1916 was again converted to a MkIII by Ishapore & stamped IP for "Indian Pattern" as there is no official pattern for converting Mk1s to MkIIIs.
The charger bridge could have been added at either conversion (i think)

 

[TANK1867]

Vince, have I ever mentioned I hate you? I'll be getting some interesting stuff in early-mid December, let me know what you need for this restoration and I'll do my best to help you. Did I mention I hate you?

 

[vinver]

Vince, have I ever mentioned I hate you? I'll be getting some interesting stuff in early-mid December, let me know what you need for this restoration and I'll do my best to help you. Did I mention I hate you?

Funny thing, as soon as I saw the markings on it I thought "Man, Dave's gonna hate me for this " , . I would have gladly paid the seller his asking price of $95 but when he said $85 I thought hey, ten bucks to spend elsewhere; I picked up the drill rounds from another vendor for $10 , really lucked in on the Canadian stamp on the early pattern charger clip, and the drill rounds are all marked 1914 and 1915 . Ten bucks in my pocket doesn't last long at a guns show.

 

[vinver]

Stratton's book said that the conversions would have had the original markings scrubbed off the right side and re-marked so it's nice to see thy weren't. Would this likely have had the Mk III* forend , without magazine cutoff fitted?