Nicest SMLE out there?

Ardent

Ardent

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Northern BC, Coastal BC, or Africa. Depends on the
I'm kinda hoarding SMLE's for no particular reason, but know little of them. What's the nicest/best made of the bunch? I had a since sold british No.1 Mk.III I really miss, much nicer than my isha's, but the earlier isha's are nicer than the later like my 7.62... (build quality I mean, fit and finish). So, what's the creme de la creme of SMLE's? Wouldn't mind adding one to the stable....
 
I think you will find that the Aussie Lithgow SMLE and any Brit SMLE made before WW2 would have a nice fit and finish , some wartime Brit SMLE rifles had loose tolerances in the chamber, I had a " Dispersal Factory" made in 1941, head space was pretty loose, hard to setup a SMLE to correct headspace. Any SMLE rifle that was issued to the Navy or Airforce would not have the hard service life a SMLE would have suffered in a Infantry battalion, the SMLE rifle had a hard life in the early 1940's before the N0.4 came into service, many historic battles where the SMLE rifle was used ,ie: France 1940,North Africa, Greece,Crete, Dieppe, Singapore,Hong Kong
 
Ardent said:
I'm kinda hoarding SMLE's for no particular reason, but know little of them. What's the nicest/best made of the bunch? I had a since sold british No.1 Mk.III I really miss, much nicer than my isha's, but the earlier isha's are nicer than the later like my 7.62... (build quality I mean, fit and finish). So, what's the creme de la creme of SMLE's? Wouldn't mind adding one to the stable....
Click to expand...

BY FAR the nicest made SMLE would be a Sht.LE Mk1 (no star) made at RSAF Sparkbrook.

Good luck finding one though...
 
In my opinion pre-war rifles usually have a nicer finish and job than those produced in war time. I also sold two Lee-Enfield MkI rifles passed down to me of which I miss so much... :( These were really well made.
 
Sorry big pic

I am still really impressed with the fit and finish on my 1918 dated, BSA, No1Mk3*.

It is Canadian marked and the blue is as good as anything being done today.

I'll throw up the pic again, and sorry it's so big:redface:

canenfield.jpg
 
I was going to say mine is the best, but Koldt, damn that is pretty!!!! If you ever feel the need to part with it, I'llgive it a good home. Take it for walks, cuddle it, let it do its thing with tin cans now and again:)
 
My personal favorite is the '42 Dispersal (neither rode hard nor put away wet). I almost lived my dream and bought one last week here on CGN but by the time I was finished asking my questions the rifle was already sold (we're talking by minutes here)...:(

Lesson learned - impulse shop, worry about details later...;)
 
... My favorite, is a 1922 Lithgow, all matching numbers and with the magazine cut-off intact. (makes is it a pleasure to bench-rest, loading single shots! ) ... David K.
 
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