(edited title) Museum's inventory: Sporterized Lee Enfield, a well done job!

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dauph197

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First, I just want to explain that I will keep this ''let's play...'' prefix in all my thread where I'll post many pictures of a single rifle. This may help you to come back to these when they will get older.

I need your help on this one... is this an original hunting rifle made by Lee Enfield? The condition is very nice, I would say yes and since I post here, I learned about that small magazine. So for me it is an original.

The ''E'' on the receiver confuses me. Someone wrote something about it but right now, my learning curve is a bit sharp... I lost some parts of it!

What do you think?

Thanks.

Martin

























 
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Not original, a Lee Carbine MKI modified into hunting rifle by qualified gunsmith. Commercial Lyman rearsight.
 
Nice old rifle. The magazine cut-off is a giveaway. Ex-military, most likely. Although I am not a fan of "sporterizing" any military rifles, I do appreciate seeing nicely done examples like this one.

Thanks for posting!
 
Here's a couple of photos of an original BSA factory sporting rifle built around the same time frame.

Lawn%20and%20Alder%20full%20profile.jpg


Lawn%20and%20Alder%20left%20wrist.jpg


Lawn%20and%20Alder%20wrist%20markings.jpg
 
as above not an original factory sporter.

I also think the wood is not the original stock for that rifle, ther appears to be a plug to fill in the volley sight, and LECs did not have volley sights and the but stock disk I beleive is in the wrong position for the carbine.

I think the butt stock might be from a No1 MkIII but I can't tell as I can't see the lenght of the top tang of the butt plate

the forestock is a bit more of a mystery, I don't see any inletting for the top hand guard of rear sight protector, so either they are very well done and match the wood grain or its not a repurposed No1 MkIII stock.
 
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The mark on the left side of the receiver and barrel is a "Sold out of Service" marking. It looks like two "Broad Arrow" markings point to point. The large "E" denotes an Enfield rifling. Lee Enfield Carbines of the period had the maker's name, date and model on the left side of the butt socket while the rifles had it on the right. Also original military ownership is indicated by the "Crown V.R." A tastefull sporting conversion done by a competent gunsmith. Looks like the proper five round magazine too.
 
Well, well, well... It appears that I did not apply what buffdog taught me few days ago... I should have known that with a magazine cut off the rifle was a converted military rifle. Too much work to do, a bit of laziness and too much excited!!

Slowly, I promise, I will improve myself.

Thank you to all of you with relevant comments.

Martin
 
Cutoff has nothing to do with being a ex military carbine, the commercial sporter shown in this thread also has a cutoff fitted.
Commercial sporters were made by both BSA & LSA (im not 100% sure if LSA made carbines but they did rifles) the military carbines were only made at Enfield.
The commercial carbine mags have a rounded bottom called iirc "fish belly" the military version has a angled yet straight bottom, the military mag also has a 6 round capacity, the commercial i'm not sure if 5 or 6 rounds.
 
Lee Enfield Cavalry carbine. Referencing David Edgecombe's book ' Defending the Dominion', I can deduce from,the serial number that this arm was one of 300 purchased by the Canadian Govt in fiscal year 1898/99.

This batch was drawn and shipped from British Army Stores a opposed to directly from the factory, hence the double arrow sold out of service markings.

It has been modified into a sporting gun.
 
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