Thinking of picking up a MkIII SMLE sporter.

[mlehtovaara]

It is in really good shape, and going for $200.

Just a couple questions:

1) Is this a fair price? It is in very good condition no dings scratches, that I could see. Wood might get a sanding and stain.

2) I have been reading it is difficult to put a scope on this thing. What are my options?

3) Would it be possible to find a decent shape wood set for it, and for what kind of money?

4) What kind of accuracy should I expect outta this gun? Would be used for deer or moose up close, and can't imagine I could do any better than 200m with irons anyways.

 

[Ganderite]

The #1 makes a very nice sporter. I have a nice scoped one.

But $200 is almost double the usual price.

 

[unicorn gravedigger]

Ganderite, is there an advantage to racking rifles muzzle down as I see in your picture?

 

[mlehtovaara]

The #1 makes a very nice sporter. I have a nice scoped one.

But $200 is almost double the usual price.

It is probably the best condition I have ever seen an enfield.

I will see if I can talk it down.

So where do I get bases, or a base, to get my action drilled and tapped?

Everything online I can find is the ####ty "no drill and tap".

This thing is already been sportered, so why not drill and tap.

 

[D-BOMB]

If its that nice why not restore it to military config and then find another $100 sporter thats been drilled and tapped already?

 

[louthepou]

If the action and barrel are intact, don't dril and tap, it can be restored back to original. Plenty of drilled, tapped and scoped SMLE around, wait for one. You'll save money, or time, or both!
Lou

 

[collector67]

I paid $125 for a 1917 BSA sporter with a minty bore, and for about another $80-100 I restored it back to "era original". LE Sporters are VERY common, and I wouldn't pay more than I did unless it was a commercially produced version. (ie: Santa Fe, or Parker Hale).

 

[plinker 777]

Ganderite, is there an advantage to racking rifles muzzle down as I see in your picture?

most likely oiled on the "heavy" side for long term storage. Muzzle down means gravity will pull excess down the barrel instead of being absorbed into the stock at the wrists ( if you've ever seen black or staining where the buttstock meets the wrist that's what causes it....that's what I've been told anywho )

 

[unicorn gravedigger]

Thanks Plinker, I knew there would be some interesting reason, I've never seen that before.

 

[ATOM]

I'll swim upsteam and say it's a fair price. If you hang around gun shows and the EE, you could well find better prices, but the available supply seems to come in waves - lots this week, none next week.

There are certainly no-drill mounts for the No.4. I have seen photos of ones for the SMLE but have never talked to anybody who used them. If you are prepared to alter what could be a nice collector piece, there are certainly mounts that require drilling and tapping - any gunsmith can do this for you.

Accuracy depends on the rifle. It should certainly be OK for hunting deer or moose. You should however have a gunsmith check the headspace or else buy a go/no-go gauge and check it yourself; some do have excess headspace that can lead to problems.

 

[John Sukey]

Headspace, If a gunsmith checks it he should use military headspace gages. Commercial ones, (SAMMI) can fail an otherwise serviceable rifle.

 

[H Wally]

I would use the no gunsmithing mounts - they've worked well on any enfield I've seen them on. Plus then you can refurb it and still have a scope if you want.

I don't tend to touch No1 Mk3 enfield sporters unless they're $125 or less. Lots can still be had for less than $100 if you go to gunshows in a populated area. No4 enfields seem to achieve a slightly higher price than no1's.

 

[Ganderite]

Rifles should be stored muzzle down. If stored muzzle up, the solvent, oil in the bore migrates through the chamber into the action. From there it can get under the action and ruin the wood in the bedding area. In a commercial hunting rifle it can get into the trigger and gum it up so it won't work in cold weather.

I store rifles muzzle down, on a folded cleaning patch. You would be surprized how much crap eventually soaks the patch. Better on the patch than in or under the action. My non-current use rifles are stored with Krown rust-proofing oil in the bore and wiped on the metal. It gets re-applied every 5 th year.

Muzzle down is especially important if you are leaving solvent in the bore overnight, for cleaning.