totally strange SMLE

S

smellie

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Okay, guys, here goes.
This thing walked into a gun shop where was working a numnber of years ago. I'm wondering if any others have surfaced.

SMLE Mark III*, built at National Rile Factory in 1918.

Rebarreled at Enfield, with a 1943 rebuild date. Supposedly, this was about a year AFTER they stopped working on these rifles.

Butt is a recycled butt from a 1910 Ross (I weep, verily!).

Finish is some sort of black paint over blackened steel.

Half of the fore-end is missing. The half that exists is a very nice aluminum casting, well-finished, finished with a coat of some sort of yellow anti-corrosion finish, the Army brown paint over the top. This fore-end takes in the body of the rifle and half the barrel.

Has anybody come across another?

BTW, all numbers match where they exist and the bore is very nice. The tale that came with it is that it was borrowed from the Army in 1946.
 
There have been more experiments on No. 1's than Carter has pills. I seem to recall seeing an experimental Al stock in some book at some time. Or it could be a super-bubba special.
"...about a year AFTER..." Nothing was hard and fast in war time England. Might have been done for some Anzac unit.
"...recycled butt from a 1910 Ross..." Recycled is being polite. The Ross had a one piece stock.
 
I believe the CARTER mentioned it the company that made CARTER'S LITTLE LIVER PILLS, and when the food and drug people found out it didn't do anything for your liver they were renamed CARTER'S LITTLE PILLS, they may still be available at the pharmacy but I have no idea what they were supposed to do.
 
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