Lee Enfield Cavalry (Lec I) carbine value?

StockHausen · Dec 2, 2015

Hi everyone, I've put my hands on a sporterized Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine LEC Mk. 1 in 303 british made in 1896. The barrel, receiver, leaf rear sight and bolt are all matching (1545) the buttstock has a disk with 5 D 46 written on it. I don't think the magazine is original, but it fits.. It has a mag cutoff on it. I was wondering what is the value on it, it might be for sale soon, I am still questioning myself on if I should sell it or keep it and restaure it..! Here are some pictures

kawicrash · Dec 2, 2015

$250-$300 maybe. No idea really...

Mike Webb · Dec 2, 2015

Probably around $200 for the rifle in my area. Restoration is tough as original wood is almost impossible to find for a reasonable price. They are a great woods rifle as is.

gaff · Dec 2, 2015

I paid $250. for one almost identical last month.

StockHausen · Dec 2, 2015

I saw a full wood but with a cut barrel on sale for 1200$ on psmilitaria today. I don't know!

englishman_ca · Dec 3, 2015

Nwmp

Ya, the carbine with the cut barrel has been on that web site for a while now, and likely will be for some time at that price. Collectors would have a problem with it in that it is a mixture of different pieces. The barrel is short because it was once a Royal Irish Constabulary carbine that has been reworked and put into a cavalry carbine wood set. Very authentic looking, yes. Collectable, no.

Your carbine however has some interesting history. By the serial number, it is one of the 2300 carbines purchased by Canada in 1896/97. I can see a ghost of the letter D on the side of the butt stock where it would have been Canadian marked with M&D to denote property of Militia and Defence.
The butt disk is marked to D Division, Royal North West Mounted Police. Rack number 46

The carbine is restorable and would be a straight forward project. All that is needed is to replace the fore arm, add a handguard with barrel band, band retainer and nose cap. Replace the mag and cut off.
That would be easy except that original replacement parts are virtually non existant. These carbines were not made in the large numbers as were the rifles. There were not a lot around to start with, never mind any around broken down for spares. The internet is your friend. I have six of these currently on the go. One has taken me ten years so far, but I am getting there!

Woodwork will need to be made. There is a chap in th south island of New Zealand making stocks by hand. He is not cheap, but he is good. Also, in the north island, another chap has invested in getting moulds made for investment casting of the nose caps. The last one I bought cost me $175.
Not a money making proposition to restore one, but most restorers are not out to make a buy/sell profit.

An alternative might be to modify a Sht.LE Mk.III fore stock. Our own Louthepou posted on this site when he reworked one to bring a cav carbine back to original configuration. It looked great.

But try taking the damn thing out and shoot it. They make one of the best bush guns you could ever want.

I have your gun's twin. I have used it every deer season.

RRCo. · Dec 3, 2015

Too bad the butt has been so heavily sanded.

The most important question for value is the condition of the bore; you didn't mention it.

woodchopper · Dec 3, 2015

I have a similar carbine equally sporterized and a second one that that someone put a long lee barrel on.

I have them kicking around in my restoration pile, no hurry to restore them, as pointed out, replacement parts are for the most part non-existant. Perhaps in the future I'll be able to 3D print the metal bits.

Mike Webb · Dec 3, 2015

I agree with what englishman says about the woods rifle thing. I have my grandfathers Lee Enfield carbine sporter. It is very similar with the exception of lyman peep sight., flat English style checkering and recoil pad. I don't think anyone ever designed a faster safety for a woods rifle than the one on these carbines and the Long Lee Enfield rifles.

RRCo. · Dec 4, 2015

And we should be shooting 215 grain round-nose slugs out of these rifles; that's what they were built for.

englishman_ca · Dec 4, 2015

Help!

1893 LMC Trials

1895 LMC Mk.I

1896 LEC MK.I

1896 LMC Mk.I

1898 LEC MK.I

Hi, my name is Simon. I am an Enfield addict!

englishman_ca · Dec 4, 2015

1899 LEC Mk.I*

These are SOME of my project carbines. These ones are all good shooters. There seems to be a theme with the styling, no?

I have full wood and original carbines too. But I still snag these much underappreciated little sporters.
My main interest in the study of these are the markings and serial numbers. I am getting pretty good at identifying a Canadian service carbine and telling as from which batch it was delivered. Unit numbers and an idea of where it MIGHT have seen service.

The big plan is to restore these, but after collecting and restoring for a number of years, my view has changed in that now I don't think that every sporter needs to be restored back to original spec. A sporter is a sporter and is a part of our shooting heritage. I don't need a nose cap and full wood to appreciate their history.

Which brings me to the question, does anybody have seven nose caps, barrel bands and band retainers that they would trade?

tatou · Dec 4, 2015

And i thought i needed help.....

woodchopper · Dec 4, 2015

I like these threads.... I can say I'm not the biggest enfield addict...

StockHausen · Dec 4, 2015

Thanks everyone for the very nice and helpful posts!!! Of course, I forgot to mention about the bore. It is in very good condition, just like the rest of this sporterized rifle!

That's an awesome collection you have here Simon

JTF# · Dec 4, 2015

i picked this one up this summer.
i think we have cause for someone to re-pop wood for these things. although i wouldn't put mine back. it has a super since peep sight on it.

englishman_ca · Dec 5, 2015

I built a wood duplicator. I am busy producing sawdust and scrap wood in my garage. I'll let you know how repop wood turns out.

The nose cap, barrel band and band retainer are the items that are unobtainium.

Corresponding with a chap in California who can 3D print in carbon steel. Same outfit that 3D printed a 1911 Colt pistol, they have put over 2000 rounds through it now.

This is where I am trying to take these project. This is last winter's effort.

StockHausen · Dec 5, 2015

They look amazing! I would love to restore mine like yours

louthepou · Dec 5, 2015

I have to say, since I rebuilt one of these old carbines for a fine CGN fellow, I've been wanting one for myself very badly! All these pre-No1Mk3 Lee rifles are amazing.

RRCo. · Dec 6, 2015

Some photos of government surveyors in northern BC using LE carbines, and a few more from the same book. Notice the Ross front sight covers grafted on.