My first lee enfield, 1914

[Nek]

Hello,

My brother gave me this lee enfield and since I do not know much about them, I was wondering if it's worth getting or trying to restore? Or should I simply make it a gun truck as that is what I wanted to do with it in the first place.

Here is a few pics:

Thanks

 

[kjohn]

Good old truck gun. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the model, nor with the cartridge. In its original dress, it would be a great piece of history. It still is a grand old rifle, but it has been sportered, and can carry on for another 97 years!

 

[buffdog]

It's a truck gun!

It would cost a large amount of money to restore this rifle. The front and rear sight are missing, the charger guide bridge seems to be missing, and someone appears to have ground the left side receiver wall to mount the scope base.

It will be all right for hunting or a truck gun, but there are better ones for reasonable prices that are more restoreable.

On the other hand, someone has taken a fine, scarce, Long Branch rebarreled, Canadian marked SMLE and reduced its value to approximately 1/4 of what it would be like if original. Also, your magazine is sticking out way too far, and may be a Number 4 Lee Enfield rifle magazine, not proper for the No. 1 Mark III SMLE rifle.
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[Mike Webb]

I think No.4 mags have the grooves on the side going all the way to the bottom of the mag, these stop about 1/4 inch short. Should be the correct mag, maybe not driven home all the way.

 

[buffdog]

Lee enfield magazine differences

I think No.4 mags have the grooves on the side going all the way to the bottom of the mag, these stop about 1/4 inch short. Should be the correct mag, maybe not driven home all the way.

I think you are going South, when you should be headed North.

The correct magazine for the Lee Enfield Number 4 Rifle does not have grooves all the way to the bottom of the magazine.

The correct magazine for the SMLE Number 1 Rifle does.

A better identifier is the rib on the back of the magazine where the magazine release catches to hold it in place. The Lee Enfield Number 4 Rifle magazine has a protruding rib that extends only about half way down the back of the magazine on the outside of the magazine case.

The correct Number 1 Rifle magazine has a rib that extends fully down the back side of the case, and slightly (about 1/4 inch) across the bottom. About 1/2 inch up from the bottom there is a thin steel piece attached to the magazine with a rivet.
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The magazine for the Lee Enfield Number 4 rifle is on the left. The correct magazine for the Number 1 SMLE is on the right.
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[smellie]

Verily, I weep.

 

[collector67]

Free is always good-I'd mount a scope on that Beezer and use it for deer hunting.