Interesting find - Lee Speed 6 round mag ?

T

tatou

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Hi guys,
This little magazine found it's way to my home but i must admit it is a bit outside my area of knowledge.
I am more into Lee Enfield's so i know it's not from a military Carbine.
Am i right in assuming it is a Lee Speed magazine ?
What would be the time period it was used and what would be the value ?
I appreciate any help and feedback.
Thank you

 
Its a factory fish belly mag. So a commercial Lee speed mag and its the type 2 or 3 I believe. That riveted tab is when they changed the feed lips for the 174gr pointed bullet opposed to the 215gr round nose. That mag would be from around 1904 ( when the switch happened)

There is info In this thread about it.. post 9 to tells you the version of mag it is. The only difference is the ones in the thread are mill spec and yours is a commercial sporting. The dates are versions are the same though.

Pics of the follower, rear spine and of the other feed lips would help figure out what when it's from

https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1829107-A-few-variations-of-Lee-Enfield-Mags

High valve. Probably the second most valuable Lee Enfield/metford mag there is. Only second to the 8 round single stack.

I would buy it from you. Id love a real one for my sporting rifle build. I'd assume you can ask what you want though. They are very rare.
 
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The feedlips appear intact, but i could be wrong since i never seen one of these.
The rear bottom spline, sadly was grinded off by some as@#%? ... i'm assuming to make it fit in a No4 ..........
I'm well verse in the military mag versions and i have almost all of them, except the late 7.62 Indian and some .22 models.
But this one is a first for me.
Simon was THE man for such rarer parts... it's nice to see his knowledge is still out there.
Here's a few more pics






 
Time frame is the same as the mill spec mags.

This is just a commercial sporting rifle mag, they were either 10 or 6 similar to the long rifles or carbines. Depended on what the owner ordered or that model included

The more high end rifles has that dished bottom to them opposed to mill spec mags. it's been nick named the "fish belly" mag.

It would go well with a commerical carbine Lee speed.

( Lee speed is just stamped on the commercial rifles until like 1914 due to pattens, so Lee speed isn't really a name for the rifles or the parts, although it now seems to mean a commercial built Lee Enfield or Metford)


That sucks about the spine being ground. I'd still be interested in it if you want to sell it
 
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This magazine would date from around 1902 (original introduction of the Mk1 SMLE) to 1910 (introduction of MkVIIammo) & is for use with MkVI ammo not MkVII, it was the left feed lip that was modified for the MkVII ammo, in saying that, it could date later as commercial rifles & Carbines could be ordered to purchasers specifications
 
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Thanks for the help guys. Always fun to learn a bit more on these old Enfields.
After seeing a cool project being build, i decided to pass it along to that builder to complete his build.
 
I collect lee speeds. If anybody has any to sell, even parts, mags,stocks etc, I would be interested, especially any with gun retailers names on them.
Really trying to fine one in 8mm cal. I will pay a finders fee to anybody who can help me find one.
 
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