It ventured out for a shoot but I was a tad tired after I fired a fair few rounds (90) out of the shooters I own and my 308 my mate then decided I needed to shoot his 300 Weatherby Mag as well so that topped it all off..........
She is nothing special (the rifle guys) nor ground breaking had a re barrel in 4'37 non original bolt and that's about it.
I have sourced a few bits all WWI Lithgow with the star A but it has a few quirky things;
1. Under the small top wood it has a W, just behind the rear sight block the usual H but under that out of view is SC
2.Under the safety catch it has a W in a circle.
3.The original Serial on the reinforce is not hatched out but retains the original serial with the replacement bolts serial underneath it, original serial on the butt.
4.In between the latter two one can see a question mark in a circle anyone guess that one P L ?
5.Of note on the butt is the 5MD CMF stamp, with the usual stuff.
6.The 07' bayonet is 5MD Lithgow 1916, scabbard is 5MD 1916 which I sourced separate to the weapon they alone cost 5 times the rifles initial price as they were both separate items in the condition I wanted them to be for the period. The sling is a Wright & Co 1916 it has the transitional mag which is Lithgow as well and the mag follower as well is WWI Lithgow.(See how often they come up for sale being Lithgow.)
7.The H must have been added when it was re-barrelled and this was inter war years so it may have been done for a gun club and then re acquired when WWII busted out though I do feel looking at the fore woods and butt that they are the original stocks the butt has 3 17 on it as well.......but.
8.I obtained a Lithgow Butt disc but not the original screw one day to obtain............ (Geez that sounds a bit suss!)
When I got it the previous owner had decided to VARNISH satin finish the stock as you do, lots of painstaking hours getting the stock back without losing the marks anymore than is already.
Previous owner but cannot really say had done a Bubba and sanded it also prior to finishing it completely as above.
I brought it for $100.ooAU bubba said it was all there yep right on it had no mag, no safety, no sling I have tried to keep it as close as the day it was produced.
And it has been a labour I have gone as far as I can it is 98% with period replacement gear and I have spent hours trolling sites.
It shoots okay on the range but I have shooters so I do not use it probably fired it 3 years ago but it comes out for a drink of the good gear on the stock.
And just to add insult to injury my wife has claimed it as hers........but has not fired this one as I make excuses not to get it out of the safe she uses my other 303's.
Thanks guys I have been saying I would drag the Lithy '16 out for a look but it is a pain in the butt to get to its safe with the other safe queens.
Sorry about the quality of the pics but I-phones are not that good or I am shaking thinking about Gentleman Jacks visiting tonight!
