'Andrew's SMLE with pics

[tokguy]

My brother in law ( not legally... it's complicated, lol) is a collector of sorts.
He contacted me via text today and he has acquired an 'Andrews' SMLE. He's not a real big gun guy so he sent me a few pictures. I'm tapping this out on a data phone, so please... no 'this thread is useless without pictures'... I know that it is quite hobbled. But I'm not going to attempt uploading imgur til I'm in front of a computer.
But I don't want him to get fed a line of B.S. and taken advantage of.
He's being told it's a small production, highly regarded rifle.
It seems varnished from the picture as well. BLO would be correct for an SMLE, no?

 

[tiriaq]

Might it by any chance be a SMLE set up for target shooting?

 

[Cornflake Leader]

Might it by any chance be a SMLE set up for target shooting?

^^This

There were some wicked talented folks who could do wonders with the LE. Some were quite prolific, some less so. Names like Fulton, Whitaker and even our own Epps come to mind.

 

[tokguy]

He only sent a couple of small snaps...he'll try to get an overall picture or two this evening.
Tough to discern much from the small windows of the piece he provided.
Not my pics guys...a little sketchy as far a quality lol

 

[55recce]

C.W. Andrews appears to be a London gun maker largely producing double barreled shotguns. May be they did some custom rifle work as well....


http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?226532-Lee-Speed-at-Cabela-s-(sort-of)

 

[kayceel]

Is it, in fact, an SMLE? Or a shortened MLM or MLE? Is the "Andrews" on the top of the receiver or on the knoxform? The one in my lockup has the " Andrews" on the top of the receiver, the wrist is stamped B.S.A. Co. only and it has the magazine cutoff and still retains the volley sights. The forestock has been sportered but the handguard retaining clip slots have not been filled. The magazine has the swivelling takedown feature and the rearsight is not the SMLE pattern but something earlier and the foresight appears to be MLM / MLE pattern. Muzzle is a flat crown on a considerably shortened barrel which is stamped "For Cordite Only" so probably MLE originally.

 

[johnrw]

Does it look similar to this one?

the wrist on this one is totally scrubbed.

 

[tokguy]

Does it look similar to this one?

the wrist on this one is totally scrubbed.

It still has a fair amount of markings, wrist, trigger guard etc.
I'm actually more intrigued by the 'Mule-ear' hammers on that S x S

 

[tiriaq]

Looks to be a Magazine Lee Enfield with the forend cut back. Andrews probably retailed it.

 

[tokguy]

Why keep the volley sight if it's sportered?

 

[kayceel]

As Tiriaq said, a sportered MLE, that is a little more complete than mine. But the one in my lockup only cost me $75.00 back in about 1995!

 

[tokguy]

That'd not be popular. B-I-L is an estate handler, he often gets a shot it this sot of thing... but guns are not is area of expertise.
So when they see this sort of thing, they naturally know it's "Worth big coin!" and snap it up.
Then I get to break the bad news to him, lol.

 

[englishman_ca]

Andrews

There are a few of these around.

The barrel is a replacement, E on the barrel denotes Enfield rifling.
EY denotes Emergency Only so the barrel was found worn with less than 80% life left.
O is to denote that it is an unlapped barrel.

This one was once an Naval service marked 1896 Enfield MLM Mk.II* rifle.
The curious thing is that this example has no British Proof House markings, which suggests to me that it has never been through the British Gun Trade. No import markings either.
That would debunk my theory that Andrews regulated this one for a customer after it was sold off as surplus.



???



There is nothing fancy with the bedding on this one. Doesn't look like Andrews did much regulating.