Another SMLE

[CMichaud]

OK so all the chat re SMLE made me crack the vault open and pull out the hanger queen

I am not sure if it is a re-arsenal job or what but it is in very good condition.

Fore stock, receiver, rear sight, nose cap all match.

Bolt, safety lever and mag do not (not sure if the safety lever normally would?)

C broad arrow on knox and barrel

Butt is stamped L for Long and has either the EFD or LB logo stamp at the underside of the wrist. The disk is filled.

Had the number 42 in large font on the barrel so I wonder if this is when the rifle was refreshed?









More pics are here http://s583.photobucket.com/user/B-Stone/library/Guns/SMLE

 

[bearhunter]

Looks like the barrel has been replaced, noticed the shim. Nice rifle. Please tell me you aren't one of those that stores rifles and bolts separately.

 

[SA85M1]

Canadian marked....cool !

 

[buffdog]

Looks like the barrel has been replaced, noticed the shim. Nice rifle. Please tell me you aren't one of those that stores rifles and bolts separately.

The "42" is the year the barrel was replaced.

 

[woodchopper]

interesting...

when you take the wood off, is the barrel a LongBranch?

I have a similar barrel that was/is screwed on to a much older enfield receiver.

 

[CMichaud]

interesting...

when you take the wood off, is the barrel a LongBranch?.

 

[woodchopper]

as I suspected

interesting that Lb was producing MkIII profile barrels in the early 40's

But then again most of the Canadian troops were still being issued the MkIII for the first few years of the war.

I also think mine has the same markings including the 8

 

[5THBATT]

Interesting that they put a shim there, the No1 does not breach-up there!

 

[SA85M1]

The "8" marking makes it Long Branch ?..hmmm..have to check mine..

 

[woodchopper]

its not the 8 its the superimposed LB a little further down.

 

[cantom]

Definitely a LB made barrel. We've seen enough of them on SMLE's.

As for the washer...let's guess that the barrel had the wrong dimensions, perhaps since LB was not making SMLE's. So they had to add a breeching washer to get the barrel to time.

 

[HarryD]

That's the first SMLE I've seen with a breeching washer like this.

 

[CMichaud]

If the LB factory was mating a new barrel ( eg in 1942) with an old receiver (1916) wouldn't they always need some sort of washer or shim?

Found this interesting PDF on breeching up h t t p://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalstorage/peterlaidlerpostsleeenfieldforums/Breeching%20Up.pdf

 

[Pblatzz]

My Canadian No1MkIII* 1917 has the same marking on the barrel. LB and 42 year of production. The blue has the same hue and look of a reg Long Branch No 4 deep and rich bluing. I'll try to snap some picts of the under side of the barrel and rec.

Pete