Sporterized Enfield

roadwarrior

roadwarrior

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A friend of mine recently purchased a Lee Enfield S.M.L.E dating 1941. The markings tell me it was made in Lithgow, England. Numbers are matching for barrel and receiver, but not the bolt. It seems to have been sporterized professionally rather than bubba'd. It has a really nice monte carlo stock: with checkered pistol grip, fore end and also has a cheek rest. The butt plate is a black hard plastic and there is a "white strip" between it and the wood. You find the same feature under the pistol grip. The butt plate, scope mount and rings are made by Parker Hale England. It still has the original rear sight, but the front sight seems to have been replaced by a hood covered post. Do you guys think this nice set up was done by private order or on a larger scale by a company?

Thanks for any info.
 
Vimy Ridge said:
Lithgow = Australia

To the best of my knowledge Australia and India were the only places to continue manufacturing No. 1 SMLE's at such late a date.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I got mixed up cause it's stamped "England" somewhere... As for picks, I would be glad to oblige, but I need to purchase a digital camera. I'm still working with the disposable 35mm's :redface:
 
It sounds like one of the better sporters done up by Parker Hale. You might find "Sile" in the barrel channel. They made the stocks for PH.
 
I have the EXACT same rifle. It's a sporterized Lithgow (Australian) No. 1. The Aussies continued using the No. 1 through WWII. In the 1950s and '60s, the Parker Hale firm of England took these barrelled actions and made sporters out of them. Truckloads were sold in the Canadian market. The polish is actually pretty good, and the stock is very functional and practical (for my personal ergonomics, anyway).

This was the very first centerfire rifle I owned. My dad bought it used in 1981, and it was already ancient then.

After playing with it over the decades (including bedding the action), it's now quite a decent shooter. It doesn't do too badly with Hornady bullets, but it really loves Belgian surplus ammo (producing accuracy in the range of 1 m.o.a.). The distinction is that the Belgian stuff uses a .314 bullet, while the Hornady is .312.
 
Very cool, I found it for my friend who just started hunting. He was looking for a good all around rifle at a reasonnable price... I have to say I'm a little jealous since it's nicer than my bubba'd No.4 :p
 
Sounds a lot like my sporter which was made by Globe firearms which I'm sure is now deceased. Has a beautiful montecarlo stock and checkered. Many times when people hear of sporterized enfields they think of hand whittled hacksawed trash but there were some outfits that did a really nice job of sporterizing. I've taken a few deer with it over the years and it works fine - I'll hang on to it.
 
I love Parker Hale's! They have really good blueing and an exellent stock and are usually a heck of a deal. I would love to see some pics of everyones PH's?
Every hunting rifle should have a 10 round mag.
 
I have had a couple of the PH sporters and really like them.In fact I just picked up a nice one marked #4mk1*Longbranch, so being Canadian made means just a little bit more to me:) I am in the process of re finishing the stock and it looks like it has been re blued so I think it will be a beauty.
Does yours have the "rounded" or "dark wedge" style forestock?
 
"...stamped "England"..." Required by the U.S. if it had been imported there. Might have been just the same. Check the headspace.
 
xcaribooer said:
I have had a couple of the PH sporters and really like them.In fact I just picked up a nice one marked #4mk1*Longbranch, so being Canadian made means just a little bit more to me:) I am in the process of re finishing the stock and it looks like it has been re blued so I think it will be a beauty.
Does yours have the "rounded" or "dark wedge" style forestock?
Click to expand...

If the "dark wedge" your refering to is the rose wood type cap that certain stocks have, I would have to say that it is a "rounded stock".
 
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