Found me another one!

Iron sights said:
Perfect lung shot on a white tail doe at 200 meters using the adustable distance rear sight (can some please tell me the proper term for these) on my smle no.I mkIII with some cheap 180 grain winchester ammo got me hooked right quick. My favorite gun to shoot and I just freaking love it how cool it is!
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If your rifle is a No.1 MK.III, then it's a tangent sight. If you're working with a No.4 MK.I, then it's an aperture/ladder sight.
 
I bought my first SMLE a couple of months ago, for my dad. It's a No.1 Mk.3 Lithgow all matching with bayonet and looks to have been issued in 2 wars. My dad is an Auzzie so he used one of these in cadets when he was a kid.

I kind of wish I had bought a few as wall hangers years ago because they have really nice lines and character.
 
Easiest to come across are the Wilkinsons', next easiest Sandersons'; Vickers are more than a bit scarce.

Ishapore are Indian, Lithgow are Australian. They would FIT the rifle but really should go on rifles from their own respective nations.

You are looking for the Pattern 1907 Mark I. Very earliest SMLEs (before the Mark III) used the Pattern of 1903 or the converted Pattern of 1888/1903.

From the introduction of the Mark III, the bayonet was the 1907 (also called the "Japanese Pattern") with the hooked quillion. Quillion hooks supposedly were ground off in 1912, making any original hooked-quillion bayonet of great scarcity and interest. I count myself extremely fortunate to have a hooked-quillion bayonet which is marked to the Rifle Brigade. It is in truly unGodly condition, but it is a real one.

More than likely, your rifle would have originally had one by Wilkinsons'.

Hope this helps.
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Ah, the bitter taste of disappointment. Turns out VG+ means little to no finish left on the receiver, bolt in the white, wood so permeated with grease that it's black, and a butplate as green as the Statue of Liberty. Oh well, back she goes.

I got to thinking (NEVER a good thing for the ol' wallet...); should I be after an SMLE, or is a Ross M10 more bang for the buck?
 
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I have a question that has likely been asked before. But in any case, can anyone tell me which is more accurate: A LE SMLE or a No 4?

Thanks
 
I think smellie has said that out to 600 yards the no4 and smle are about the same but to go out past the 600 yard mark the smle really shines. A canadian smle is on my must have list for my small collection but these damn cheap ruskies are killing my budget.
 
Patience really does pay off in the end. I found a replacement for that poor, neglected BSA: a (knock on wood!) VG condition 1918 Lithgow No.I MK III* with an uncut Lithgow bayonet! Should be here some time next week, will post pictures when she arrives.
 
bearhunter said:
No, I won't do it to you. You don't need or want another addiction.

One Smle leads to another Smle, then you need a gaggle of Lee Metfords, then a couple of Martinis in 303 and 577/450, just to check out the progression for yourself. From there on, there are the whole series of Marks and variations of other Lee Enfields.

One hundred rifles will give you a nice little representative collection to start out with.

Don't do it my friend. I promise you that you will enjoy every dime spent on them.
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Eggzactly what happened to me. First Lee enfields, then Martini's then Sniders.:D
 
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