De-sporterizing an Enfield

radarbeam

radarbeam

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I've found a good deal on a sporterized (read butchered) Lee Enfield No 1 Mark III.
Is there any ways to turn this great riffle back to it's original form? With some kind of wood kit? I just love the look of original Enfields yet despise the sportered ones.

Thanks
Radar
 
Depends on what has been done to it. If the barrel has been cut, don't bother. If any other parts have been cut off, don't bother either. Stock sets for a No. 1 can be expensive and difficult to come by too.
Before you spend any money, check the headspace. If that is bad, you'll need to fix it first. No. 1's do not have numbered bolt heads, so you'll need a handful of 'em(at $20 each from Marstar) to check with proper guages if the headspace is bad.
 
Why not? said:
IIRC, No 1 bolt heads are lettered to indicate length of the bolt head.

Ted
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Those letters aren't related to bolthead length.
SMLE boltheads were individually fitted when the rifles were finished. As Sunray has mentionned, selective trial is about the only way to get correct headspace in a SMLE, unless a brand new, never fitted bolthead could be obtained, and then adjusted.
Not unusual for an established gunsmith to have a sack of assorted boltheads.
Ex-service rifles can often be restored to their original configuration. The catch is not to invest more in the project than the rifle will be worth on completion. A restored rifle is going to be a bitser, and unless it is a real rarity, there is a limit to its value.
 
"...are lettered to indicate length of the bolt head..." Nope. There is nothing on a No. 1 bolt head that indicates its length.
 
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