What to look for in a No. 1 Mk III - ITS A COMMERCIAL B.S.A.

Grouse Man

Grouse Man

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I'm going to look at one of these tonight. What should I look for that will put it into one of the the crap / shooter / valuable collector categories?

If nothing else, I'm looking for an accurate milsurp to shoot. It won't be bubbaed or hunted. He's asking either 100 or 125.

Thanks to all.
 
My test is:
Pull the mag & put light upward force on the bottom of the bolt as it is pushed forward & closed.
If the bolthead runs into the receiver ring & won't close without more than moderate pressure, the action is overly worn.

For the price, anything with usable full wood is a bargain right now.

HTH
Regards
D
 
The stock set will be worth over $100 by itself if it's at all decent. I'd say buy, even if it's a sewer bore at that price.

If you only want to have a collector, look for matching serial numbers on:
-receiver
-bolt
-forestock
-rear sight
-nosecap
-barrel

Also make sure you don;t have the dreaded Ishy Screw inless you are looking to own an Indian service rifle.
 
Let me rephrase for comprehension,

"The action is overly worn if it takes more than moderate pressure to close the bolt while exerting light upward force on the bottom of the bolt thru the mag well. It means the bolt head is hitting the receiver ring."

Is it better if the bolt is matching? I think that bolts can be switched to correct headspace problems, no?

The guy says he's a collector, so I would assume he knows his rifles/values. I would expect he can tell me when it was made, where, etc.

Grouse Man
 
Grouse Man said:
Let me rephrase for comprehension,

"The action is overly worn if it takes more than moderate pressure to close the bolt while exerting light upward force on the bottom of the bolt thru the mag well. It means the bolt head is hitting the receiver ring."

Is it better if the bolt is matching? I think that bolts can be switched to correct headspace problems, no?

Grouse Man
Click to expand...

It's not a headspace problem I am refering to. I am refering to the fact that the left side of the receiver (bolt race if you will) becomes worn & allows the bolt to "tip" in the receiver enough that when you push it forward to seat the next cartridge the bolt-head runs into the top of the receiver ring.
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to connect those two sentences mentally. I did comprehend the problem you were trying to describe.

Okay, so as long as the wood has not been used as a bat for hammers or a fence post, it should be worth a month of PB&J for lunch. The numbers match, then it's a bargain. Thanks all.

I'll have to pick up some .303BR at the Military show this Sunday if I'm lucky.

Grouse Man
 
Well I took a look at it tonight. Sporterized. But it wasn't the typical No. 1 MkIII as I was expecting.

First of all, it only had 'sporterized' wood. Barrel appeared full length but he said the front sight was not original. Second, although there was part of the 'foot' style safety mechanism on the left side of the receiver, the real safety was on the tail end of the bolt, a lever on the right side of the striker piece. It had the sliding ramp sights, with the knurled knob on the right side. The receiver itself was very 'clean' without a bridge across the receiver (didn't appear to be milled away). The only marking on the metal band was B.S.A.Co, nothing else like No 1, Mk III, or any other cartouche, etc. The receiver was marked with one set of numbers; the barrel another. It said "For Cordite Only", but the barrel was also stamped Nitro Proofed. The front lower stock did have notches alongside the barrel channel where some sort of other hardward had protruded. It also had 3 unusual circular swivels(?) at the front, ahead of the magazine, and on the buttstock toe.

Bore looked fine, action itself appeared to be in good shape.

I don't know what the heck it is.

Grouse Man
 
So it's a commercial BSA . . . ?

No I haven't bought it and don't have pictures. It does have black electrical tape around the foreend and barrel (not an arsenal refurbish). It has that big brass buttplate on it.

It is about as light as a modern rifle, or at least it's well balanced. But I think I'll hold out for a full military Enfield. I already have a sportered Swede, so I don't need another deer rifle.

Unless of course, I find out something really valuable about that rifle elsewhere on the net . . .

Grouse Man
 
OK, with the only the BSA mark, it is a commercial rifle. If the stock has cuts where there were other fittings, its been cut down, and is not an original sporter. With the safety on the cocking piece, the bolt is from an earlier rifle than a Mk. III. Is it numbered to the receiver? Are there any lugs on the large guide rib on the bolt body, which would have secured a dust cover? The remains of a "safety" on the left of the butt socket are the remains of the long range sight. Is there a charger bridge? I suspect that what you are looking at is a sported commercial Long Lee, or an early short rifle.
 
I didn't find / look for numbers on the bolt, nor any signs of dust cover. Yeah, long range sight is gone, but has the ramp sight on the barrel. No charger bridge, didn't look like any obvious milling marks from removal.

Sounds like too much of a Frankenstein to consider for my needs, but could be a good moose gun for somebody.

Thanks all for great help and insights.

Grouse Man
 
BSA Comercial stamp
bsarwmk.jpg


and a fancier one (higher grade)

bsafancy.jpg


from what you have described you have an older No1 without the charger bridge and the safety on the rear of the bolt

Post a few pictures if you would
 
Re: So it's a commercial BSA . . . ?

Grouse Man said:
It does have black electrical tape around the foreend and barrel Grouse Man
Click to expand...

LOL thats the same one i looked at!!! when i saw it it had no magazine. might be worth buyimng and fixing up a bit.
 
It had a magazine, and this was a private sale, not a gun show dealer. I didn't take a camera with me. And that was the BSA commercial stamp, indeed.

It could be a very good shooter with that great long barrel. Who knows?

Grouse Man
 
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