- Location
- south stukely
if someone can give me some infos,i have a lee-enfield noIII siamese,wild tiger corps,made by bsa.i have no idea of year mfg all writings are thai except for bsa.
any infos?
any infos?
LF infos about mkIII wild tiger corps
- Thread starter tristanium
- Start date
These were manufactured in 1919/1920 as part of a batch contract of 10,000 rifles (also have seen 20,000 mentioned) made for Siam's (Thialand) wild tiger corps. These rifles regularly show up at gun shows in Canada or on internet gun websites and usually are lauded up as being ultra rare and so on. Though not common, I've yet to see one draw any real premium over any other in similar condition but then again it's whatever you can get someone to pay. The exeption may be if it has the original leather bayonet sheath (and of course the bayonet to go with it) 
which I've heard rotted quick in the damp climate and was soon replaced/refitted with metal versions. A friend of mine actually has a mint example and I hope to pick it up but there is no premium attached. A neat conversation piece of history but not much else. Hope yours is in top nic with all the trimmings.
Cheers
Jaguar
which I've heard rotted quick in the damp climate and was soon replaced/refitted with metal versions. A friend of mine actually has a mint example and I hope to pick it up but there is no premium attached. A neat conversation piece of history but not much else. Hope yours is in top nic with all the trimmings.Cheers
Jaguar
Kitty Cat rifle
I have one of those rifles too. It has a cat's head motif on the receiver band. The language is Siamese. Around the cat's face it says 'Mark Rama VI, BE2462' (Buddist Era 2462).
King Vajiravualh Rama VI was educated in England and had training in the British Army. He reigned Siame 1910-1925 and established his Wild Tiger Corps in 1911. Not suprisingly he bought British kit for his troops. He ordered 10000 rifles with slings and bayonets at a cost of 76,625 pounds.
The rifles are full military spec Mk.III* but have no martial markings. It should have BSA marked on left wrist and stacked rifles on barrel knox form, but that would be about the only engrish on it.
Mine has a matching P.07 bayonet with a pussycat head on the riccasso. The tropical climate was hell on the leather scabbards and it is common to see a sheet metal replacement for the leather. Mine has replacement grips made from local wood too.
Apparantly a bunch of these rifles were imported into North America in the sixties through the usual surplus channels and sold along with the other imports. Not really rare, but a nice find. Most have a beautiful dark walnut, and all the ones that I have seen have really good bores.
I have one of those rifles too. It has a cat's head motif on the receiver band. The language is Siamese. Around the cat's face it says 'Mark Rama VI, BE2462' (Buddist Era 2462).
King Vajiravualh Rama VI was educated in England and had training in the British Army. He reigned Siame 1910-1925 and established his Wild Tiger Corps in 1911. Not suprisingly he bought British kit for his troops. He ordered 10000 rifles with slings and bayonets at a cost of 76,625 pounds.
The rifles are full military spec Mk.III* but have no martial markings. It should have BSA marked on left wrist and stacked rifles on barrel knox form, but that would be about the only engrish on it.
Mine has a matching P.07 bayonet with a pussycat head on the riccasso. The tropical climate was hell on the leather scabbards and it is common to see a sheet metal replacement for the leather. Mine has replacement grips made from local wood too.
Apparantly a bunch of these rifles were imported into North America in the sixties through the usual surplus channels and sold along with the other imports. Not really rare, but a nice find. Most have a beautiful dark walnut, and all the ones that I have seen have really good bores.
