So on March 16 two friends and I went to a local shop, and perused the rack. On it were 2 sported SMLE’s and a sported m/96 Swede. I looked at all three and put them back down, but latter the next week it started to nag at me. So today I went back and swung a deal for one of them. I was going to try for both SMLE’s but upon further examination the one need quite a bit of work, and a lot of spare parts.
What I got was a sportered No1MkIII (no star), that still has the cut off, and the windage adjustable rear sight. Now the forestock has a piece missing, but I got it to have as a restoration project, so it will be getting a full length one anyhow. All of the following pictures were taken prior to cleaning
Here she is.
(I know, someone has put the sight protector on backwards)
Upon further examination, which started at the gun shop and ended at home with the rifle disassembled pieces, I’ve taken to calling her my basket case. At the shop I noticed the big things, like the crack, and that none of the numbers match. The bolt, receiver, barrel, and rear sight all have different numbers. Good news is, the bore is in fairly good shape, there are a few little pits, about a dozen. Also before disassembly I checked the headspace and it checks out and the crown is good too.
Now we get deeper into things. The RH wrist has the GR below the crown and BSA Co below that. There is no date stamp, or SMLE MkIII stamp. On the top of the receiver “A.G. Parker & Co. Ltd Birmingham”, and on the knox form, “AGA Ball Burnished”. Out comes “The Lee Enfield” by Skennerton (©2008). The only reference that I could find for either of those was this: “AG Parker & Co Ltd, Birmingham -.22 Sht. Rifle Patt ‘14# - 1915 to 1918”. However, it is not a .22 as the knox form is also stamped Nitro Proved 303 and my 303 snap caps and headspace gauges fit.
I see that this is starting to get long, so I’ll continue with a bunch of pictures and captions, and finish with a paragraph or two.
The safety catch spring is missing, but the safety is safe at the gun shop (I forgot to pick it up)
I am not sure why the rear trigger guard screw is so long, a proper one is on the list.
This is the inner band screw and what I thought was the spring, but it turns out that it is a piece of wire wrapped around the screw. (Again on the list)
These are of two pieces of the stock broken off of the stock and stuck in the receiver.
And back on the stock.
The reinforce at the back of the stock in gone, but the more interesting thing is that the stock bolt does not have a squared end. I thought they are supposed to. I guess whomever bubba’d this thought that they knew more than Mr Lee and Mr Speed and ground that off
This is her disassembled as far as I want to go. Note the S.A.I.S manual to aid in some of the process, and the mallet the persuade some stubborn items. (I worked on the floor to avoid the inevitable dropped and rolled somewhere under the bench senario)
There is a whole manner of proof marks and such, rather than post them here is a link to my photobucket page. http://s1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb415/Cdn303/Basket%20Case/#!cpZZ2QQtppZZ20
My intensions are to gather the necessary pieces and give her some dignity back. Since there is no date I guess I could put her together to either the MkIII or the MkIII* specs. However, seeing as her maker operated during war one and since she has the cutoff and the windage adjustable rear sight, I think I am going to go the MkIII route. So I need to find a stock that has the volley sight cutouts and the volley sights themselves.
I'll be re-reading the chapter on SMLE's in the 'bible' and hopefully it will help explain the manufacture situation
I’ve been looking at online parts dealers and Numrich has reproduction volley sights at $21.15(rear) and $53(front) but they are sold out of volley inlayed forestocks. They do have most of the other bits though, as does LTC and Springfield Sporters (I have a way of getting stuff from them). Darn that was almost that easy. I would however, like to try and find original parts if I could and to use Canadian dealers first.
Between Tradex and Marstar I can get all of the small pieces that I need, but I am still coming up short with the volley inlayed stock and original volley sights. Help locating these would be appreciated.
What I got was a sportered No1MkIII (no star), that still has the cut off, and the windage adjustable rear sight. Now the forestock has a piece missing, but I got it to have as a restoration project, so it will be getting a full length one anyhow. All of the following pictures were taken prior to cleaning
Here she is.
(I know, someone has put the sight protector on backwards)
Upon further examination, which started at the gun shop and ended at home with the rifle disassembled pieces, I’ve taken to calling her my basket case. At the shop I noticed the big things, like the crack, and that none of the numbers match. The bolt, receiver, barrel, and rear sight all have different numbers. Good news is, the bore is in fairly good shape, there are a few little pits, about a dozen. Also before disassembly I checked the headspace and it checks out and the crown is good too.
Now we get deeper into things. The RH wrist has the GR below the crown and BSA Co below that. There is no date stamp, or SMLE MkIII stamp. On the top of the receiver “A.G. Parker & Co. Ltd Birmingham”, and on the knox form, “AGA Ball Burnished”. Out comes “The Lee Enfield” by Skennerton (©2008). The only reference that I could find for either of those was this: “AG Parker & Co Ltd, Birmingham -.22 Sht. Rifle Patt ‘14# - 1915 to 1918”. However, it is not a .22 as the knox form is also stamped Nitro Proved 303 and my 303 snap caps and headspace gauges fit.
I see that this is starting to get long, so I’ll continue with a bunch of pictures and captions, and finish with a paragraph or two.
The safety catch spring is missing, but the safety is safe at the gun shop (I forgot to pick it up)
I am not sure why the rear trigger guard screw is so long, a proper one is on the list.
This is the inner band screw and what I thought was the spring, but it turns out that it is a piece of wire wrapped around the screw. (Again on the list)
These are of two pieces of the stock broken off of the stock and stuck in the receiver.
And back on the stock.
The reinforce at the back of the stock in gone, but the more interesting thing is that the stock bolt does not have a squared end. I thought they are supposed to. I guess whomever bubba’d this thought that they knew more than Mr Lee and Mr Speed and ground that off
This is her disassembled as far as I want to go. Note the S.A.I.S manual to aid in some of the process, and the mallet the persuade some stubborn items. (I worked on the floor to avoid the inevitable dropped and rolled somewhere under the bench senario)
There is a whole manner of proof marks and such, rather than post them here is a link to my photobucket page. http://s1204.photobucket.com/albums/bb415/Cdn303/Basket%20Case/#!cpZZ2QQtppZZ20
My intensions are to gather the necessary pieces and give her some dignity back. Since there is no date I guess I could put her together to either the MkIII or the MkIII* specs. However, seeing as her maker operated during war one and since she has the cutoff and the windage adjustable rear sight, I think I am going to go the MkIII route. So I need to find a stock that has the volley sight cutouts and the volley sights themselves.
I'll be re-reading the chapter on SMLE's in the 'bible' and hopefully it will help explain the manufacture situation
I’ve been looking at online parts dealers and Numrich has reproduction volley sights at $21.15(rear) and $53(front) but they are sold out of volley inlayed forestocks. They do have most of the other bits though, as does LTC and Springfield Sporters (I have a way of getting stuff from them). Darn that was almost that easy. I would however, like to try and find original parts if I could and to use Canadian dealers first.
Between Tradex and Marstar I can get all of the small pieces that I need, but I am still coming up short with the volley inlayed stock and original volley sights. Help locating these would be appreciated.
