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Hi Guys,
I was pleased to receive this little package today, yes I know a bog standard SMLE, .303 barrel, with no rear sight base, and the keyway cut for the foresight... But look at the markings... I am lead to believe that it's one of 4 or 6 made in about 2002 at Lithgow.
Unused, cold hammer forged, phosphated. It looks perfect. This one can stay in the safe for a while.
Very nice...
Lovely T Bone. But it begs the question, why did Lithgow make such a tiny number & so recently? Did you manage to find out?
ATB
Yes, they were made as samples/prototypes for a proposed run that ultimately proved to be prohibitive in terms of cost, and hence it never went ahead.
Ahh! Was this proposed run to satisfy the civilian market or for some small country that still has some SMLE's? Just curious.
Civilian.
Would be interesting what the numbers and costs were at the time. I guess most of us now think that any factory run of No1/No4 barrels would be economically viable. If shooters are willing to pay Lothar Walther prices for No4 barrels, then a factory run has to be viable.Quote:
Originally Posted by tbonesmith
If I advertised an unused, as new, WW2 dated No1 barrel on used guns tomorrow, would it sell?
How'd you get it Tbone? You must be well connected.
I bought it on usedguns. WW2 dated unused barrels have been selling for up to $450 lately.Quote:
Originally Posted by Homer
I have a new unused '42 dated barrel in the white. I should put pics here so you can tell me who made it...English made I think...
Sorry tbone, I meant to ask, if I advertised a new barrel for 500 would it sell? I don't think it would. It would be interesting to know how much it would cost the factory to manufacture these.Quote:
Originally Posted by tbonesmith
I bet you don't have one of these...
I bet you won't either if you do not keep a close watch. Funny how a seemingly simple rifle componet can be so interesting. Very nice!
I disagree, I think new manufactured No1 barrels would sell for more than $500 each if complete, finished and ready to fit. Maybe we'll see...Quote:
Originally Posted by Homer
TB, To be fair to Walther the No4 barrels are not stocked items and I would guess someone sent them a drawing or original barrel to copy from, the barrel blank is not a bad price to the trade, even the charge for the profile is peanuts, the major cost is the chamber which is not far off the price of the blank.Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunderbox
Going off an old price list to get a one off made is around £300 + to the trade, if you take the chamber and thread out the equation and opt for a profiled blank around £180+, it costs me more in oil running my lathe than it costs them to do a profile, cutting a chamber and thread is an easy process, so costs can be reduced the other thing is the chance of a off the shelf one to fit (or to fit properly) is very slim, am sure Peter will mention that he had a bucket full to choose from when changing a barrel.
With sights fitted mate is a different story and maybe a newly manufactured barrel might be more appealing. I advertised an as new parkerised barrel, dated 1950, no sights and still sealed in plastic for 450 and only got one call in many weeks. The fact is at the moment you can still buy rifles with perfect bores for 700 bucks and I suspect the factory would want upward of 700, especially if it were fitted up with sights. The sights would make it a fairly detailed and costly manufacturing process. Alternatively, buying one without sights would be a costly exercise for the consumer to then have them fitted. I'm not sure the demand would match up to the cost and maybe the factory figured this out already.Quote:
Originally Posted by tbonesmith
I'd love to know more.
So many nails hit on the head in so few lines.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Homer
hey, Homer... wonder if anyone could post the knox form pic over on flat earth... :yikes: could cause someone to blow a heartlidge!
(I know... evil evil evil evil evil evil me :madsmile: )
The knox form markings raise a point - is it legally necessary to proof fire a barrel in Australia?
Interesting. They didn't get as far as machining the 'flat' for the foresight block then?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxwell Smart
No requirement for proof.