SMLE Sniper - 'I think the photos say everything'

Apologies if this rifle has been discussed before on this forum, but I stumbled across this rifle in the early hours of this morning on UK website MJLMilitaria. I can't believe such things are put up for sale and especially with a price tag of £3,795.00.

The description of the rifle reads as follows:

"This is a near mint condition SMLE Sniper Rifle. Well what can I say!! WOW!

This is the best-looking SMLE I have ever seen with the largest military scope I have ever seen. 100% original and not messed about with. I don’t know how to describe it! I think the photos say everything. Complete with original WW1 leather sling. A real museum piece! Complete with deactivation certificate."

I wonder what brand / manufactuer of the scope is ?

It looks vaguely familiar. Have we seen it before, or something very like it? Suspect the cheekpiece might just be original 4T although heavily sanded. As for the rest, well............

I think its been around the houses a few times.

IIRC it came up at Holts a few years ago.

Yup, it just can't find a home. Fred the armourer at Bisley was trying to flog it at an arms fair maybe 2011-ish. He said it was made up for one of Lord Lovat's snipers as officer's private purchase. So that must be true, hey?

Personally, I'd consider the phrases "100% original and not messed about with" and "complete with deactivation certificate" to be mutually exclusive...

Shame about the over zealous tightening in the vice buried deep into the wood work. Looks a nice piece.

Aaaaaaggggghhh!!!!!!! Stop it, Stop it, Stop it. It hurts my eyes.:eek:

So now we know what Herr Major Koenig did in WWI! :D

Plainly someone missed their vocation as a weapons designer for the Star Wars films. :rolleyes:

I wonder who put the vise jaw marks in that nice early forend?

Why would you pay that for a non-shooter even as a collectible they have to go bang otherwise they are nothing but dust collectors of minimal use!

Could be a good Patt14 sling on it. or maybe a 40's Home Guard sling

I know the UK's firearms ownership laws are a lot tougher than even Australia's, but I do agree that surely anyone with nearly £4,000 quid available to buy an old rifle would also have the money to afford a firearms licence and its associated rigamarole, rather than buying a welded-up wallhanger?

It's that one that was for sale at fultons isn't it? Think it was discussed here: Ajack on an enfield?

One thing's for sure - you'd cause a stir on the range if you turned up with it - although not necessarily in a good way!

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

Why would you pay that for a non-shooter even as a collectible they have to go bang otherwise they are nothing but dust collectors of minimal use!

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A lot of people here will do just that. And, yes, the 'rigmarole' of getting a licence does indeed put them off.

They say your laws are tough (UK) but at least you are able to get stuff we cannot now that we have had the Sydney episode in the cafeteria well the greens will push really hard and if our laws are not tough enough in Western Australia they are probably going to get a damn side tougher.
We do not have the rite to bear arms nor concealed carry, semi auto's rifles/shotties or pump action shotguns are out unless a C-D, so I am going to invest in a gravel pit and plastic bottles (biodegradable of course) so on a sunny Sunday my wife and son we can all toddle off to the pit and throw coondies at the plastic bottles by hand because slingshots are outlawed as well.:banghead:
Except they are now called bait casters!!!!!!!!!!

Ah I missed the bit saying it's been deactivated - well I suppose it's the last chance saloon for that one. Someone would have to be even madder to pay that for it now it's been turned into an ornament than they would have been when it still shot.

Even the leather sling is in good condition. That's pretty amazing. Was the whole thing covered in cosmilene?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by CINDERS

They say your laws are tough (UK) but at least you are able to get stuff we cannot now that we have had the Sydney episode in the cafeteria well the greens will push really hard and if our laws are not tough enough in Western Australia they are probably going to get a damn side tougher.
We do not have the rite to bear arms nor concealed carry, semi auto's rifles/shotties or pump action shotguns are out unless a C-D, so I am going to invest in a gravel pit and plastic bottles (biodegradable of course) so on a sunny Sunday my wife and son we can all toddle off to the pit and throw coondies at the plastic bottles by hand because slingshots are outlawed as well.:banghead:
Except they are now called bait casters!!!!!!!!!!

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Wait, slingshots are banned in WA? I've heard nothing but horror stories about the state of the arms laws over on that side of the country, but I didn't realise that slingshots were on the verboten list as well. That's patently silly. Are there laws against owning pieces of fresh fruit there too?

Apologies if this is an off-topic question, but any idea why WA is so vehemently anti-gun? I didn't think the place was full of greenies or anything.

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Originally Posted by Colonel Enfield

Apologies if this is an off-topic question, but any idea why WA is so vehemently anti-gun? I didn't think the place was full of greenies or anything.

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Off topic and also ... everyone please remember to be cognizant our terms of service ..

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Thanks .. :cheers:

Regards,
Doug

I went to the Stoneleigh Militaria show yesterday..............& aside from picking up a reasonably priced Scout Regiment Scope, guess what I saw there.....in the flesh & still up at 3750 pounds! Scary........

Sorry Badger but sometimes it is so frustrating when one has a passion to be a custodian of a piece of history and the relentless pursuit of those that do not understand the passion by inept thought waves, laws and printed articles. And yes the T's have that magical word "Sniper" even makes a deac expensive sheeesh!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Roger Payne

I went to the Stoneleigh Militaria show yesterday..............& aside from picking up a reasonably priced Scout Regiment Scope, guess what I saw there.....in the flesh & still up at 3750 pounds! Scary........

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You should have haggled Roger. With the charm on max you might have beaten them down to £3600.

Not really my cup of tea.................obviously a piece of kit for the man who likes to have the biggest scope.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Badger

Off topic and also ... everyone please remember to be cognizant our terms of service ..

Thanks .. :cheers:

Regards,
Doug

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Thanks for the clarification and sorry for wandering off topic - I'll try to keep that in mind in future. :)

Roger, did you see the chap in the first hall at Stoneleigh with an abundance of commercial scout telescopes for about £100 a piece?

I've seen this rifle floating about various arms fairs before. Handled it and thought "oooookay..."





Paul.

Yes, sniper, he had one Scour Regt left when I got to him.