- Location
- Peace Lowlands, Alberta
Hey, gang, looking for some advice.
I have in my stable (only...) Three SMLEs, and only 2 full sets of furniture.
They are:
1. Sporterized 1917 SSA. Matching numbers.
2. 1918 Enfield, full wood, loaded with Aussie markings. Looks rebuilt, nothing matches, barrel is stamped "R" over the chamber. (I beleive means replacement?). (Headspace checked, and is A-OK)
3. 1953 Rebuild of a 1938 No 1 Mk III (non-star, no markings on reciever wrist below bolt handle, says "No1 Mk III" and "England" and "38" on the opposite side). Bright, shiny varnished wood, doesn't appear to be Ishapore, (there's no cross-bolt on the forestock). Receiver and Nosecap are painted black, and numbers match on bolt, reciever, nosecap, and stock.
I bought the 1953 re-build as a donor, for the SSA (pretty sweet deal on her...). I switched everything over (the SSA looks all pretty), and I was going to give the sporterized Re-build to my Old Man on the Farm, as a Coyote/Vagrant rifle. Now I'm thinking maybe I should have kept the numbers matching rifle intact.
How would YOU all approach this? Should I put everything back, and try to legitimatly de-sporterize the SSA with parts, or look for a shot out donor? Is it "worth" it? Or keep things the way they are now, and keep my place in the Old Man's Will?
Or maybe I'm just a moron...
I have in my stable (only...) Three SMLEs, and only 2 full sets of furniture.
They are:
1. Sporterized 1917 SSA. Matching numbers.
2. 1918 Enfield, full wood, loaded with Aussie markings. Looks rebuilt, nothing matches, barrel is stamped "R" over the chamber. (I beleive means replacement?). (Headspace checked, and is A-OK)
3. 1953 Rebuild of a 1938 No 1 Mk III (non-star, no markings on reciever wrist below bolt handle, says "No1 Mk III" and "England" and "38" on the opposite side). Bright, shiny varnished wood, doesn't appear to be Ishapore, (there's no cross-bolt on the forestock). Receiver and Nosecap are painted black, and numbers match on bolt, reciever, nosecap, and stock.
I bought the 1953 re-build as a donor, for the SSA (pretty sweet deal on her...). I switched everything over (the SSA looks all pretty), and I was going to give the sporterized Re-build to my Old Man on the Farm, as a Coyote/Vagrant rifle. Now I'm thinking maybe I should have kept the numbers matching rifle intact.
How would YOU all approach this? Should I put everything back, and try to legitimatly de-sporterize the SSA with parts, or look for a shot out donor? Is it "worth" it? Or keep things the way they are now, and keep my place in the Old Man's Will?
Or maybe I'm just a moron...
