BSA .303 Metford Sporter

REM3200

REM3200

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GunNutz
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Nova Scotia
Anybody familiar with these ?

It's a BSA on the Metford action with no other markings as to model.

Nice checkered stock with the brass initial plate on the bottom of stock.

Express style sights for, 100, 200 and 300 Yards and a ladder sight. barrel is marked in front of the sight " Proved & sighted for the Mark VII.303 high velocity cartridge"

I've found several similar on the internet but not the same.

Any info on history and present value would be appreciated.

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These were called "BSA High-Velocity Sporting Pattern Rifle"

They were availlable from BSA from about 1902 to the start of WWI
Check out informations on the Lee-Speed pattern for more infos.
Very nice catch.

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None. It's the .375 Flanged Nitro-Express a.k.a. .370 Flanged / .375-2 1/2" Flanged - similar - but not the same - to the .375 Winchester.
270 grains bullet @ 2000 fps
300 grains bullet @ 1900 fps

No real story... it was a "popular" hunting round in India, beyond others...
 
Guys they even made these in 35Win and 405 Winchester, all of them I have seen are in Austrailia!
I believe most of these Lee Speeds were made for African trade , the ones with the long range sights, I have a Westley Richards Lee Speed that was made for a hardware store 3 hours from my house in 303 Brit!
Lovely rifle you have there, please treasure it, and shoot it alot as I do!Dale Z in T-Bay!
 
Bsa

Slim-Jim said:
Looks the same as mine, except the magazine. I wonder what your front sight looks like?heres mine
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=409018

and heres one I found on an American forum that is the same with same front sight.
h ttp://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?175149-BSA-lee-speed-patent-in-.303
Click to expand...


Thank you everybody for the posting of the information and Slim - Jim for the links and discussion on his rifle. Few more pics

I nearly didn't buy this as at the time it was completly disassembled in a box. With the dust cover on the bolt and curved bolt I just took it for an older sporter but pleasantly surprized.

It truly is a exceptional rifle for balance and to the shoulder. Off to the range in the next couple weeks to try it out.

Just finishing fixing up the EAL that came home with it. Pics to follow of the EAL.

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Unfortunately, the value is what someone is willing to pay for it. This one seems to be a 100% original No. 1, with the correct 5 shot magazine. They are found for sale from 150.00 $ to over 1000.00 $.. usually go for the middle price for a very nice example, so about 500 to 600.00 $ - for a knowledgeable collector - but most people will be willing to pay 300 - 350.00 $ for them. The main problem is that most people think it's a simple L-E conversion, when they are definitively not. Also, because they are not rare here they do not carry the value they do in the USA. I'd say it's a sleeping value and you gain in keeping them for some time, until they are more (re)known to general public and get to their full potential.
 
Baribal said:
Unfortunately, the value is what someone is willing to pay for it. This one seems to be a 100% original No. 1, with the correct 5 shot magazine. They are found for sale from 150.00 $ to over 1000.00 $.. usually go for the middle price for a very nice example, so about 500 to 600.00 $ - for a knowledgeable collector - but most people will be willing to pay 300 - 350.00 $ for them. The main problem is that most people think it's a simple L-E conversion, when they are definitively not. Also, because they are not rare here they do not carry the value they do in the USA. I'd say it's a sleeping value and you gain in keeping them for some time, until they are more (re)known to general public and get to their full potential.
Click to expand...

Hi,

Needless to say I have a bit of an affliction for .303 Sporters and the BSA isn't for sale. Sold off most of my military guns and use the Sporters for shooting and the enjoyment. Thanks for all the help and info.

Just finished doing the stocks on the EAL on the right of the pic. Came from the original owner who took it upon himself to add the grip at some point in time. Also the 200 yd. sight has been filed off to a " V " but overall a very nice example that has seen very little use.

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Thanks for the pic of the front sight.....some were saying it wasn't original to the rifle, but now its the 3rd one I see with the same sights. Beautiful .303, don't sell it!

Jim :cheers:
 
If you guys want to get more educated about these factory sporters, go to www.nitroexpress.com, there is all you ever wanted to know about these fine made Lee/Speed/Metford sporters! And yes Chris my Lee Westley sporter was from a old hardeware chain in your town!

cheers Dale Z!
 
They are really nice rifles with a definite African connection. I see them frequently enough that I would say they aren't rare but definitely as Baribal said sleepers. Most folks think they are just sported LEs. The real trick seems to be getting one without butchered checkering.
 
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