Help with a .22 Lee-Enfield, please.....

T

tacfoley

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Not for me, but for a fellow shooter here in UK who is not a member here. No pics either, I'm sorry to say, but here is his crie de coeur...

'Any British military history buffs (Lee Enfield question)?

I've managed to accidentally buy a .22LR SMLE, now I need a few parts and therefore need to know which year and version I have....

Its the single shot one (minus the dummy mag to catch the brass for now), I have a serial number of 50485 with a Z prefix

It has a no 1 on the underside of the bolt, proof marks are polished too faint to read.

On the side of the pistol grip I have a crown, G.R. then BSA Co, S (Illegible) 22, IV

The bolt, action and barrel numbers match which is great, the woodwork all needs replacing, some DIY scope butchery needs undoing and then a total refinish.

Can anyone turn the above into something useful?

Thanks in advance'



Thanks, Gentlemen, for any help forthcoming.

tac
 
It's probably a no2 Mk IV, and if so, if the barrel is full length, there's no apparent reason why this couldn't be brought back to original configuration. Aside from the bolt (and barrel of course), "normal" Smle no1 mk3 parts can be used.
 
If your friend is trying to restore that rifle to milspecs he may actually be destroying a collectible variant that was purpose built or modified for school match shooting. He really needs to get ahold of the Enfield Collectors in the UK. They will put him on the right track and may even be able to show him other examples that look just like the one he has.
 
Nossir, he is simply trying to bring it back to the .22 conversion format. Here in UK if you buy a .22 it has to STAY as a .22 - that is what is on your FAC/PAL.

Thanks for responding, though.

tac
 
There's a very good site called rifleman.org.uk I believe that has a section dedicated to 22 enfields, maybe head over there,
I don't believe bear hunter was talking about converting it back to 303 but saying that there are purpose built sporter like training rifles, on the above site they have a pic of an experimental type that has the stock cut midway through the front sight, lots of info there anyway
Cheers
 
tacfoley said:
Nossir, he is simply trying to bring it back to the .22 conversion format. Here in UK if you buy a .22 it has to STAY as a .22 - that is what is on your FAC/PAL.

Thanks for responding, though.

tac
Click to expand...

You took me wrong. Many purpose built 22 lee enfield variants were used by school shooting clubs/teams. Some of these rifles had stocks on them that looked to be cut down military stocks. Some even had blocks of wood glued into bottom of the mag wells so a mag couldn't be inserted. That would be a CORRECT variant. I didn't understand your query to mean putting a 22 LR chambered barrel back on.
 
Basically, he has a .22LR conversion to an SMLE that lacks the wood and as far as I can judge, the correct sights.

My own school had twenty or so No8 .22cal rifles for the use by the shooting teams, so I'm familiar with that particular model, and I've also played with an SMLE conversion with a rather odd 'magazine in a magazine' set up. This one, that the OP over in UK is talking about, is one of these that he is trying to get correct furniture and a backsight for.

tac
 
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