SMLE Markings

Trivia time.

Can a few folk have a quick look at their SMLE rear sight beds, left hand side, please.

A 1943 vintage note I came across recently stated that rear sight beds on Mk111 and 111* SMLEs were to have a small, upper case "T" stamped on their left side, just above the locking pin.

This was to indicate that this pin entered from the LEFT side and was TAPERED.

This note dates to 1938, or earlier. My copy of the drawing has extensive damage along the bottom edges especially along the bottom, where one should find the title block / amendments information.

Anyone know when this locking pin was introduced?

And another thing:

I have never owned any early pattern SMLEs. So, has anyone ever closely examined an early SMLE butt. It appeared that there is supposed to be TWO additional lightening holes below the Stock bolt / pull-through hole. These are drilled at such an angle that they meet at a point below, and just behind alignment with the head of the stock bolt. It also seems that the weight of the pull-through resides in a generously-dimensioned, elliptically profiled hole above stock-bolt hole. This is quite different from the close-fitting job on proper Mk111* butts. I guess they were trying to trim ounces and keep the overall balance forward.

No photos of that area, sorry! Plenty of top views but nothing from the left side.

As far as the butt hollows go, there's definitely some variations. Weight differentials aren't all that noticable unless they're stripped down.

I have pics of the T somewhere, ages ago when asking about it's relevance. Will dig it up. Alsoi have a butt like described, but not sure if I have pics

This is a 1916 lithgow.Attachment 37590

Nope, this wasn't a T mark after all... chuck it back in the bin and keep looking I 'spose :madsmile:

Attachment 37591

I've got an early butt with the two lightening holes. If nobody comes up with one before then, I'll get some pics up this afternoon.

There's no mention of this in the pommy EMER's Bruce and Son. Was it a particularly Aust thing? I ask because something like this letter or a number stamped somewhere that indicated a completed modification would usually be mentioned in the technical data or unit repairs section or if later, in the modification section.

Will flick this question straight onto Bruce, Peter. I had asked about it some time ago, also had a "T" stamped on the underside of a Lithgow foreend forward of the front trigger guard screw, and no explanation for either. Sounds like this solves the sight marking... over to you, Bruce...

On a 1917 LSA. Not sure if it's original to the rifle or not.Attachment 37592

Excellent piece of info about the T stamp Bruce. I've got several rifles with this stamp and I've wondered about this for years. Don't have any photo's on hand but I can take some for you when time permits. From memory it is not present on any of my barrels dated up to 1924 but on all dated after this up until when you say, about 1938. That could be wrong, just going off memory here.

Thanks for the info, now could you please find the meaning of the question mark stamp on early lithgow actions.

I displayed this cutaway along with some very different Australian Lees at a show and one of the locals looked at it and commented to his buddy that I might have won if I had replaced that broken stock with a good one. I guess you can't please everyone.

Any way this is a good picture from a different perspective of the lighening holes drilled into the butt stock . An yes it is serial number 1 of the Australian cutaway series. The barrel is milled out for a distance to make it unfireable.

Ya wanna sell?:super:


Re: the question mark inverted, I recall this symbol being used by one of the iron foundries, could it be to show the barrels were made from their steel?

Peter, and others:

The drawing reference is: S.A.I.D. 1317F.

Does that help?

The same drawing also shows "alternate" machining of the rivets in the rear handguard.

It also shows the "anti-cracking" strips in the rear handguard as a feature; very odd.

You mean these?
Attachment 37608

Them's the ones......

Except, the one in your picture looks like it may actually be a repair for the crack extending through the insert. If the insert were there from the factory, the crack would not have extended through the repair strip.

My very scruffy general layout drawing for a later pattern SMLE shows the rear handguard with two "repair" strips, specified as being "walnut wood", fitted as a "normal" feature.