BSA Long Lee (?) Trainer - designation?

[Promo]

What is the name of this BSA made .22 trainer? Is it a "Long Lee" .22 trainer? But it has a different bolt head than the "The "Long Lee" - Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle (M.L.E.) Rifle converted to .22-inch Rimfire" on the rifleman website?

And anyone an idea what the engraving below the BSA on the receiver ring means? Is it SSC or SSD?

Thanks!

Information

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[Son]

I will have to have a look at your pics on a full size screen when I get home, but at the moment it looks like an aftermarket conversion done on a commercial rifle. From what I can make out at the moment, it was never a military trainer...

Standing by for corrections, though....

[bigduke6]

Agree with Son, never seen an Early Military Trainer bolt with a recess and an ejector, the recess is normally on the barrel of an Enfield for the rim of the case, the later trainers i.e., The No4 variations No7 and No8 had the recess on the bolt head.

[Simon P]

I have had a couple of these with similar bolt heads, I think these were the Clabrough and Johnstone conversions

[Promo]

So the BSA mark on the receiver top is also a feature of the basic rifle, but does not mean that BSA converted the rifle to .22 caliber?

Any ideas what the markings on the receiver ring below BSA Co. mean? Could they then be the code of the converter to .22 caliber?

[boltaction]

That is a commercially produced Long Lee by BSA--was never military as evidenced by lack of military proofs, and the simple BSA Co on the butt socket as opposed to the usual date, crown, etc on the military rifles. The BSA pilarm logo on the receiver top indicates the same thing. BSA (and LSA) made commercial rifles to military pattern for purchase by officers or public wanting military pattern rifles. Many of these for instance would have been carried by officers during the Boer War. It has subsequently been converted to .22, rather nicely, and I suspect the SSC stands for something-starting-with-S Shooting Club maybe. I have also seen one of these patterns of bolt before--didn't know about the Clabrough connection but it would make sense as they were heavily involved in producing full size and miniature Martinis in .22 for shooting clubs. You didn't show the muzzle end but I would assume it is a sleeved barrel? Nice looking piece; bolt is mismatched but these often are. Should shoot well if the bore is decent. I see that there are military acceptance marks on the long range sight, suggesting it was replaced at some point.

Ed

[Promo]

Hi Ed,

after a really close inspection this definately not look like a sleeved barrel. It looks like a .22 barrel. At least nothing can be seen at the rifles muzzle. I took a picture of this, sorry for the quality but only had my mobile on hand.

Additionally I forgot to picture the rear sight. The left side is corectly engraved for .22 caliber, while on bottom of the right side there is still a "200" visible. I assume this was left from re-engraving the original rear sight inscription?

I additionally just removed the spring held "handguard". Below it I found .22 proof markings, so this should confirm it's not a sleeved barrel. The top of the barrel on the rear is marked "R.L.R", could this be the company who made the conversion?

[Son]

I saw the marking in the first set of pics but wasn't sure of the third letter on this little screen. I would think the RLR is a cartridge/ calibre mark for the barrel, as you say it looks to be made as a .22. It may stand for Rimfire Long Rifle. Remembering that there was several different .22 Rimfire case lengths.
I am thinking the markings on the receiver may be a miniature rifle club as mentioned above. This rifle, as nice as it is, may have been a club at some point. The engraving looks a little less than professional.
Very interesting piece, would like to know how well it shoots...

[Promo]

As a side note, I also bought a 1956 FTRd 1914 dating Enfield SMLE which is in as-FTRd condition. Love that one nearly as much as these three!

Since I am honest, I need to admit that I only bought these rifles for trading. My main interest is and are sniper rifles, and will use these three whenever someone has a sniper rifle and would be willing to trade it for anything of the previously mentioned guns. But for the moment I'm quite happy to have them and enjoy looking at those!

PS: just to have it said, this particular .22 rifle is also the same gun as pictured on the cover of the only German Enfield book, called "Im Dienste Ihrer Majestät" by Bernd Rolff.

[Buccaneer]

I have an identicle rifle serial number 1314 with the same bolt head, the barrel is solid not sleeved and serial numbered to rifle, the bolt has the correct number and appears to be original. The butt has probably been changed at some point as it carries the number 6684 on the underside along with "C&H WESTON BRIGHTON" who probably retailed the rifle from new.