My first restoration, 1915 BSA transition No1 MkIII

I am just finishing up on my first attempt at a restoration of a bubba'd No1 MkIII. The rifle is a 1915 BSA that I found out falls into the correct serial number range for a transition rifle. It lacks the magazine cut off and it is stamped a III not a III*. Kinda interesting anyhow!

Before:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...7/rifle2-1.jpg

After:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1056-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1064-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1062-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1060-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1059-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1066-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1061-1.jpg


Louthepou helped me out lots on this one. I read Skennerton's lots while researching the rifle and each part I aquired, and asked lots of questions here and elsewhere. Thanks to everyone who helped me out with this project, it was a blast and can't wait to start on the next.

I'm not sure that you intend to shoot this nice looking rifle. If you do, I would suggest that you check out Roger Wadham's publication on Lee Enfield Accurizing (The Lee Enfield Rifle) as I completed a similar project about six months ago and was able to make the old girl shoot 1minute groups--with factory loads. I hope to do better with handloads. I bedded the forend with "Steelbed" using Wadham's guidelines. However, rather than using the old-fashioned cork/springs methods for the front handguard, I used heat tolerant silicone. This has the effect of damping barrel vibration but without any shifting/shrinkage/etc. Just remember to use a good release agent to make sure that you can get the handguard off the barrel as the Silicone makes an excellent glue!

Yes I definitely do plan on shooting her, thanks for the tips! I will have to find a copy and get reading.

That looks like a very happy No1! Congratulations on your first restore. By the sounds of things you've got the bug, and what a wonderful infection to have!
All the best.

Having done the restoration, I'd shoot it "as is" before "un-restoring" it by making accuracy modifications. Wouldn't be surprised if it shoots quite well just like you built it!

Does the book offer more detailed study of proper military bedding and set up? If it does I would be interested in that part of it for sure. I'd like to learn about the relationship between parts and what each point affects, standard set up of an issue rifle etc. I did read the armorer's manuals here and had some valuable advice given too me but I'm hungry to learn all I can

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Originally Posted by flying pig

Does the book offer more detailed study of proper military bedding and set up? If it does I would be interested in that part of it for sure. I'd like to learn about the relationship between parts and what each point affects, standard set up of an issue rifle etc. I did read the armorer's manuals here and had some valuable advice given too me but I'm hungry to learn all I can

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I think the book is more about range rifle setups.

Look for Peter Laidler's articles on stocking up.


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Does he have one on the No1 MkIII foreend? I read his article about the No4. I think I have a grasp on what to do just not the why, plus I'm always all ears for learning newtips and tricks. Trial is fun but error not so much

Same principle for both the No 1 and No 4.


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This is a coachwood foreend I used on this one. It had one copper recoil lug in it when it came to me and I built one the exact same thickness to match. I got the barrel to make even contact in the correct places then installed the lugs in the foreend and assembled it. Trouble I'm having is the muzzle bears up slightly on the nosecap. The foreend is tight to the front of the butt socket, but can be removed with enough hand pressure yet without beating on it. I adjusted the collar in the front trigger guard screw until it just causes the trigger guard to make positive and even contact with the wood. I think the reenforce may be sitting a touch lower than the bed between the receiver side of the inner band and the nosecap? I don't know enough to really diagnose it, just a guess at this point. What do you guys think?

Nice job. :clap:

Thanks for sharing the pics with us.

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Originally Posted by flying pig

What do you guys think?

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I think shoot it and see how it goes. You'll be mucking around for ever while you try to work it out.
Look at the posts on bedding a No4, No5, No1 etc, and Peter Laidlers articles there you'll find plenty of relevant pics and info on how to patch the draws, and the knox, and how you can influence the barrel pressure at the tip of the forend by adjusting the bedding at the rear. A forum member "Son" has some good posts that show photos of well stocked up No1s. It will take you a lot of tries to get it sorted, so you might want to go buy yourself a real heap of junk but complete rifle to work on first, because odds on, you'll stuff it up... repeatedly... No offence intended, but that's just how it goes.
Good luck with it, sounds like you're going down the rabbit hole!

Thanks Vincent.

Thanks for the advice Tbonesmith.

I had missed a bunch of info in the armorer's manual but I think I may have a start on figuring it out now. Like you say though I won't know till I shoot it, so I'm going to take it out tonight. And no offense taken, this stuff is an art and like anything else you can't learn everything overnight!

You did a nice job on your Lee-Enfield.

I have a British Lee-Enfield No1 MK3 1917 that I did some restoration work on. It's one of my best shooting rifles.
[IMG]http://i1271.photobucket.com/albums/...y/DSCN6553.jpg[/IMG]

Another SMLE saved from te abyss! Well done!

Most well done, as said another one recovered from the butcher.