Lee Enfield no1 Mk3 star Marking help please

Arcosdad

Arcosdad

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
76   0   0
Location
Comox Valley,Vancouver Island.
Hello all,

I just received a really nice sporter from one of our members here on the EE Shortened to 19 inch, nicely refinished blond wood, excellent bore and metal overall. Unfortunately the rear sight ears are missing which I really like for a "roughing it" rifle...what can you do. There are some nicely done inlaid repairs where it was.

A few questions as to the markings please:

1 See the pic of the wrist below. No manufacturer shown. But behind the safety is "SSA". I vaguely recall this was some sort of jobber system where a single armoury did not make the entire rifle?

2) On the barrel to the right of the proof marks is " '40 " with the flat arrow to the right. Is this a reissue date 1940 or ?? Did the early ShtLE get some sort of refurb at the beginning of WW2 and then sent back out or?

3) The bolt is not matching and its marked with an M. Any thoughts on this?

4) The barrel and receiver match serial numbers. 4 digit with E above. Does this E signify anything?

5) The sight is not matching and is the 2000 yard one with the knurled adjustment knob. It has a large screw attaching the rear of the sight to the base. Is this the windage adjustable model? Doesn't seem to have anywhere for the rear sight to move L or R.

Anything else I should know? Thanks for your help. This is why I like classic guns...always a bit of mystery.

A/D




 
A mismatching bold in an Enfield is not a good thing. It means 95% sure that the lugs on the bolt and the recoil shoulders have not been lapped into each other. Sometimes you luck out and it's "close enough", other times you break off the smaller liug if it's taking too much load, or sometimes crack the bolt right through. Wet or oily ammo or chamber makes this much more likely by impeding case adhesion to the chamber wall.

Looks like it's D&T'd for one of those Parker Hale scope bases that used to be everywhere.

I would move it on and find one with a matching, original bolt.
 
1) Standard Small Arms government factory which assembled parts from contractors c1917-18.
2) Rebarrelled in 1940 during overhaul
 
That would be a good idea and of course pull back on the bolt handle as you do so, or better yet push on the bolt face with a cleaning rod so the pressure is more or less equalized.

You could put the rod down the barrel, hold the rifle like your firing from the hip, put the end of the rod handle against a wall and lean into a bit while you work the bolt up and down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom