Hi Guys,
I had a most unexpected find today, a near mint No1Mk1 barrel with sights and all! It's been in a rifle as it has a serial number, but it shows no signs of use and only a bit of minor exterior surface rust.
I was thrilled to land it.
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Hi Guys,
I had a most unexpected find today, a near mint No1Mk1 barrel with sights and all! It's been in a rifle as it has a serial number, but it shows no signs of use and only a bit of minor exterior surface rust.
I was thrilled to land it.
Very nice. Someone had grand plans for an action and removed it.
I'd have to dig my I*** out to be sure but that ramp on the sight base looks like it may not have been modified for Mk VII ammunition. Nice find!
Ridolpho
I'd like to have seen the whole rifle before modification. Those rifles were beautifully made and blued. Crafted not just assembled, they resembled artwork...beautiful details..
:bash: Mk1... no such thing as a No1 mk1 :banghead:
Seriously, great score! The rear sight has never been modified for MkVII ball, the hump in the ramp is the give away. It would not be correct for a rifle modded to Mk1***. I think the hole in the top of the sight cap is the staking screw which was fitted to stop the sight being fine adjusted. Look out for centre punch marks in the bottom of the cap to lock the windage screw. Not sure when the sights were alterred, but I don't think it should have been done without changing the ramp angle for MkVII... (does the number under the sight leaf match the barrel serial?) Have to dig the books out to be sure.
Another member here showed me a Mk1 barrel a number of years ago but I think it did not have a serial on it. I wonder if it's the same tube?
please tell us the story of how/where you found it.
Superb find and from a sleeper that never want through the VII mods, the next challenge, find a suitable No1 Mk1 action and bolt, or a worn out wall hanger with some fight left in it and start a re-build!
"lost" its action back in the 1950's/1960's more than likely, when it was just another cheap old warhorse waiting to be sporterised, probably had a Lithgow heavy barrel fitted and it's woodwork cut about..
At least someone had the presence of mind to preserve it and squirrel it away.
That screw stops the sight from elevating right off!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Son
The offer I made a few years ago still stands.... I will pay ten grand for a No1 Mk1 rifle.... all I need is a pic of the markings that denote the model..... LoC A1635; 1926. :cheers:Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclark303
Interesting how the sight ramp is set on and not sleeved on.
Interestingly enough I have one, well mostly anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Son
I have a 1904 No1 Mk1* however, it was FTR in 1953, coated in Suncorite and was re-barreled with a BSA marked piece, and it's been sportered long before I had it. However it is a very fine shooting rifle and is the smoothest LE I own. The serial is a 5 digit in the 65 or 66,000 range from memory.
That is Sons point, there is no rifle marked No1 MkI. Its ShtLe1.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sentryduty
My ConD 11* may have Attachment 74225Attachment 74226Attachment 74227Attachment 74228Attachment 74229Attachment 74230 been a Mark 1 action body left over and I had talked to the late Skip Stratton about this and it was listed in his book on page 31. The front sight is for the barleycorn foresight and the rear sight is also for the Mark Vl cartridge, barrel is without the HV or SC stamp
Right, missed that little bit of specifics.Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
Attachment 74281
I wish one of those would fall into my hands, My NZ 1904 Sht LE 1 build will have to get a SMLE barrel. Ive heard of a few Sht LE I barrels being found in OZ, is there a date on the barrel?
Since we're on topic, i'm in search of a butt and a sporterised rear section of forend. The nosecap came in after this photo was taken.
But most "NO. 1 Mk III or III*"s also are not marked "No. 1". As I understand it, post '26 that simply became their official designation. So what would you officially call my 1915 SMLE MkI**IP if in service past '26 (which it probably was)? No. 1 MkI**IP?Quote:
Originally Posted by mike1967
Ridolpho
Love that term "official designation"Quote:
Originally Posted by Ridolpho
From the LoC entry A1635, May 1926..... The first column shows the new designation, the second column shows the previous designation, the third is remarks and previous LoC references.
Top few became obsolete...
Next few were "Omitted from vocabulary" (hence no new designation in the first column) but retained in store etc....
Then a couple were "Omitted from vocabulary", and retained for specific on conversions
Last is the new designations and what equipment they applied to.....
Attachment 74360
As this is the British List of Changes, it would not apply to your IP rifle... the purpose of which was to upgrade a Mk1 or Mk1* to MkIII specifications at Ishapore anyway. If it were in British service in 1926 I wonder which category it would have came into? As it wasn't made a MkIII, it probably would have been omitted from vocabulary too....
am i reading that document correctly? were there p14 .22 trainers or are they referring to lee enfield no2 .22 trainers (of the 1914 pattern)?
edit: on rereading it looks like they are talking about lee enfield .22's. I was getting excited there.