Info on a BSA CLLE target rifle

Good Day All,
This is one of the rifles I brought back with me from the UK when I returned to the US earlier this year. It is a commercial BSA CLLE rifle with a Parker Hale No 9 rear target sight. There are no military or unit markings and the barrel is marked T. STENSBY & Co, MANCHESTER. I understand it could a territorial pattern but I'm not certain. Any help placing a date on this rifle would be greatly appreciated.:thup:

Best Always,
Michael

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Nice rifle. I've had a few just like that with 2 distinct sets of serial numbers which leads me to believe they may have seen Territorial or Home Guard use somewhere along the line. I guess one would need some serial number records to date the exact years of production.

FlightRN,

The company has not that long stopped trading, was a family run bussines, if you have a look at the link, at the bottom are the old ledgers may have some info in them regarding your rifle, even though its stopped trading they would of probably kept the old ledgers etc.

T. Stensby & Co - Introduction

Brian is right with the serial numbers. One was factory and one was territorial. I got a CLLE target rifle from the Fultons MANY years ago and also got a letter from Robin Fulton explaining the two serial numbers. Apparently the CLLE was one of his personal target rifles which he had decided to sell ....that has to be 40 years ago at least!!!!!! Now to find the letter to put with the rifle when it is sold after I pop off. A little providence never hurt any piece.

absolutely lovely rifle , have not come accross a CLLE in my searches that would satisfy yet , you did well

I think the two numbers are connected with the Sale Permit system, which required them to be sold only to British subjects, who had to sign an undertaking not to part with it to foreign parties. My thinking on this subject is still evolving. Neither the Territorial Force nor the Volunteers before them had to buy rifles (though the Volunteers had to buy almost everything else), somebody who did competitive shooting has bought this for his private use. Parts could still be had for them into the Twenties and few if any people shot the Short rifle, unless some particular match rule obliged them to.

Nice rifle.Love early target rifles.I have one just like it.Mine was sold by AJ parker
It also has 2 serial numbers.

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Originally Posted by A square 10

absolutely lovely rifle , have not come accross a CLLE in my searches that would satisfy yet , you did well

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Are you currently looking for a good CLLE? If so, I'm selling one of mine. You can contact me via PM if you'd like or right here, and I'll post some pictures and info about it. Fred G.