$400.00 Deal or no deal on Lithgow?

[Sapper740]

Mine was the winning bid on this Lithgow No.1 MkIII. Many of you will fondly remember my previous post about this rifle and Chinese? markings. I can hear several of you s******ing from here. Oh well, I have a good self-deprecating sense of humor and was happy to provide some amusement. I think I did well on this rifle as the bolt, receiver, barrel and end cap match and the bore is in excellent condition. I assume Bubba has been at the furniture as it appears the wood has been sanded and stained. A small piece of the stock has been broken off under the Lithgow inspection stamps, possibly due to removing the buttstock first? Anyway, have a look at the pictures and please feel free to comment. I'd like to hear from the Lithgow cognescenti, especially as regards the color of the stock.

[Sapper740]

more pics

[husk]

I would have waited for a better rifle to appear and paid a bit more. Sorry, but not a deal to me.

[Sapper740]

I would have waited for a better rifle to appear and paid a bit more. Sorry, but not a deal to me.

I'm very interested in how you came to your opinion. Is it because of the stock that you think it was overpriced? To my mind having all the metal bits match and be in excellent condition is more important than the condition of the furniture.

[Roger Payne]

I think it depends on several factors; the condition of the rifle (the forend problem accepted), how much SMLE's are worth in your part of the world, whether you have the ability to effect a repair to the existing forend or to source & properly fit a replacement, etc. In the UK a tidy mechanically good SMLE is probably worth at least 700 GBP, perhaps more to the right person. I am lucky enough to have suitable woodwork to fit as a replacement, & which I have had for some time, so which does not owe me a fortune. As a result, to me, 400 USD equivalent in GBP would be a pretty fair price. Of course, that's looking at it from a commercial viewpoint of someone who lives in England & is a dealer. It also accepts that the rifle will go out 'no longer factory original'.........something that does not bother me excessively so long as any work is done to military spec & competently. And it would reflect to a degree in the sale price.....but it would still be a worthwhile project.

Just my off the cuff thoughts......& I appreciate an individual collector/shooter somewhere else in the world might arrive at a very different conclusion.

[husk]

As a collector, I just prefer to have unaltered/undamaged specimens. If you are happy with the price you paid, which you appear to be, that’s all that matters.

[Sapper740]

I think it depends on several factors; the condition of the rifle (the forend problem accepted), how much SMLE's are worth in your part of the world, whether you have the ability to effect a repair to the existing forend or to source & properly fit a replacement. In the UK a tidy mechanically good SMLE is probably worth at least 700 GBP, perhaps more to the right person. I am lucky enough to have suitable woodwork to fit as a replacement, & which I have had for some time, so which does not owe me a fortune. So, to me, 400 USD equivalent in GBP would be a pretty fair price. Of course, that's looking at it from a commercial viewpoint of someone who lives in England. It also accepts that the rifle will go out 'no longer factory new'.........something that does not bother me excessively so long as any work is done to military spec & competently. And it would reflect to a degree in the sale price.....but it would still be a worthwhile project.

Just my off the cuff thoughts......& I appreciate an individual collector/shooter somewhere else in the world might arrive at a very different conclusion.

Thank you for your comments. I buy two types of rifles: Collector's grade and Shooter's grade. When I buy a rifle to add to my collection it must be original and in excellent condition, when I buy shooters they need only to be in good condition. I'm blessed to have a decent disposable income and upon occasion might buy a rifle too soon i.e. pay what it's going to be worth in 10 years today but in the many years I've been shooting and collecting I watched far too many rifles sail well past a price that I thought was too high for the time only to be priced out of the market. My most glaring example of this is when I used to harrumph at all matching No.4 (T) in their transit cases for $750.00. $750.00! Are they crazy! LOL! Well we know what happened to their prices. So, now I no longer "harrumph', I buy. I was told I set the world record price paid for a near mint unpinned tight chamber Home Guard Ross MkIII but judging by the sporty bidding others thought it was worth it too. I paid more than I expected but less than I would have and was ecstatic to be the winning bidder. Paying $400 for a (metal-wise) excellent lithgow No.1 MkIII is in my opinion and in the area I live was a good buy. Anyway, enough of that.
According to Charles Stratton Lithgow started using Australian Coachwood in 1941 to which a 'dark stain' was applied, at least initially until just an oil finish was applied later. I'm wondering if this stock, at least its stain, is possibly original. I have a Lithgow No.1 MkIII* made in 1921 which I assume is made of lighter Queensland Maple but unfortunately someone applied a varnish finish to it. In any event. I'll be taking the 1941 Lithgow to the range next week and see how it shoots. I expect it to be a pretty good shooter.

[Aragorn243]

I think you will be hard pressed to find one for less than that these days. Anything less than $500 these days is a bargain unless it's a beat to crap rifle which this doesn't appear to be. Two years ago, this is about where they were, but things are going up fast. I decided last weekend that I wouldn't be going to the big gun shows anymore. I can't afford the prices or at least can't justify the prices. I'm even at the point that I'm willing to pay more for things but my paying more has been outclassed by inflation by another 20%. Bargains can still be had at the smaller shows and gun shops but when they are charging $15 just to get in the door, that's making me think twice. Used to be worth $7 just to go in and look around which is what it was last year. $15 makes me feel obligated to buy something and a $10 book doesn't do the trick.

[Roger Payne]

I'm sure you'll know this already, but before you take the rifle out & shoot it I'd have a good look at that forend - I only have the photo's to look at not the rifle, but it looks to me like the brass tie screw could be missing or broken.

[Sapper740]

I'm sure you'll know this already, but before you take the rifle out & shoot it I'd have a good look at that forend - I only have the photo's to look at not the rifle, but it looks to me like the brass tie screw could be missing or broken.

Than you for that timely advice. Yes, it is missing. I'll by necessity remove the furniture and have a good look at everything. I have a 1921 Lithgow No.1 MkIII* that is currently apart as I consider refinishing the wood since someone applied what appears to be a varathane clear gloss finish. The rifle looks like some tarted up Weatherby

---------- Post added at 02:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:49 PM ----------

If the draws are destroyed, patch it with oak and dowels as per Peter Laidler's articles posted on this forum. Forget the little copper plates which were a bit of a stopgap measure anyhow for the reasons stated above.

My Lithgow 1921 No.1 MkIII* is currently apart as I'm removing a gloss finish from the furniture. I checked the draws on it and the metal didn't look like copper so I checked with magnets and they held. Some sort of steel I assume.