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  1. #1
    Legacy Member Roy's Avatar
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    Resurected LSA 1896 MLE

    Following on from the post 'My next challenge'

    If i'd worked for a week straight i'd have been able to buy a better rifle but thats not the point, I've learnt a load about the MLE and have saved a bit of history.

    I cleaned up the front sight where someone had pummelled it about, someone in the past cut a slot and silver soldered a bit into the rear of blade so when you look though the sights the front sight is very bright. I even have a front sight hood which I got given 10+ years ago.
    I found a replacement bolt and safety in a box at the gunsmiths but when I came to assemble it the safety would not engage and I had to carefully, with a small curved oilstone relieve the safety scallop on the bolt, this took an hour, did each armoured have to do this to get a MLE safety to work? thats why we have serialised parts!
    In the MLE box at the gunsmiths I found a forend tip which I added to that forend graft since I could never get that nose cap fit as good as the stock duplicator at LSA. The barrel channel was cut and scraped buy hand, the machine which cut the tapered channel must have been quite interesting.
    I scraped the stock back a little to remove the old oil finish then used some walnut and red stain to even out the colour and blocked it with a piece of softwood to get the 100 year old smoothness. it'll get oiled everyday until, according to the sergeant armorers instructions 'a polished finish is achieved'
    A couple of bits are still outstanding, I still need a nose cap and piling swivel and I'm very open to horse trading to get them. Also i'd like to know if anyone still makes reproduction clearing rods.

    Roy
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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Roy View Post
    If i'd worked for a week straight i'd have been able to buy a better rifle but thats not the point, I've learnt a load about the MLE and have saved a bit of history.
    Maybe, but that wasn't the point. I did the same type of resurrection with a Kragicon recently and with the same sort of reasoning. Nice job bringing it back and hope you can find the small parts soon. Keep looking here and I'm sure someone will have them...
    Regards, Jim

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