New to me SMLE No 1, Mk III*...follow up with pix.

This is my follow up thread, now that the rifle arrived. My prior thread was started before the rifle was delivered. What I know….1916 BSA manufactured No.1 Mk III*. The same serial # (Y XXXX) appears on the rear of the bolt, the receiver, the barrel, the nose cap, on the bottom of the rear sight and stamped on the wood fore end of the stock. It is also stamped on the magazine rear, but there is another # (AXXXXX) that was lined out. I am thinking this appears to be a “numbers matching” item (except for the magazine, which obviously started its life on another rifle). It was exported to India at some point, and was imported to the U.S.A. by Century Arms International (CAI). I am pretty happy with all that.
The “ears” have been removed from both upper handguards, but otherwise appears complete. The rifle is covered in grease, and the wood appears dark. The bore looks good. It appears to function properly.
I have posted several of the photos pf the various proof marks and other numbers. Any assistance with my continued “decoding” would be appreciated.

Attachment 90254Attachment 90255Attachment 90256Attachment 90257Attachment 90258Attachment 90259Attachment 90260

Seems like you've got a good rifle there. CAI is actually Century Arms.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steve H. in N.Y.

Seems like you've got a good rifle there. CAI is actually Century Arms.

---

Thank you, I edited the original post to "Century".

Any rifle Century had anything to do with is suspect, but especially Lee-Enfields. Century is notorious for assembling both flavours of Lee-Enfield out of parts bins with zero QC. Not even ensuring the headspace is good and the rifle is safe to shoot. You must check the headspace before shooting it. Matching numbers means nothing either.
Downside to it being a No. 1 is that if the headspace is bad, you require a handful of bolt heads at $14.90US(Gunparts) each to try with proper headspace gauges(no bits of tape, feeler gauges, adjusting sizer dies or anything else) until you find one that works. No. 1 bolt heads are not numbered like No. 4 bolt heads are.
"...rifle is covered in grease..." Comes off with mineral spirits.

Looking at the worn state of the markings on the barrel ring, I recommend that you take the action out of the stock and check that there is nothing nasty underneath the "waterlline" that has been covered up by slathering the barrel in grease.

"Nasty" as in what? What should I look for when I disassemble this for a good cleaning?

That '69' stamp on the barrel... It sounds pretty late for a manufacture date. Would have been in the last few years that they were made, correct? If it is and it was replaced while serving, which the matching serial indicates (Unless someone thought to falsify some history), then this rifle had an extensive service career, from 1916 to at least 1969. Am I at all wrong to assume that?

wow, now there is some food for thought....53 year service life. If that is the case, imagine the stories this one could tell.
However, trying to decode it's history is exactly why I am here....I really want to understand what I have (and broaden my general knowledge).
Please keep the thoughts and observations coming....I appreciate it all.
Thanks,
Mike

The 69 is part of the inspectors stamp. The barrel date was on the rhs of the barrel on the reinforce.

As late as 1974, I was competitively shooting ISSUE, original Lithgow No1 Mk111* rifles with the RAAF Air Training Corps (Cadets). some of these dated back to WW1 and the Mk7 ammo varied from early 1960's POF (woeful) to pristine 1920s vintage Kynoch or, rarely, Footscray (both superb).

Well down the "food chain" I know, but the rifles and ammo were still in official "service" and actively used.

Soon after, the entire programme was scrapped and the goodies probably offloaded to North America; lucky you!

First photo; wouldn't the barrel date be the " '15 " mark?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 82Trooper

"Nasty" as in what? What should I look for when I disassemble this for a good cleaning?

---

Rust below the "waterline". A frequent fault that can be hidden by slobbering grease all over the rifle. Dismantle, clean, inspect. Reassemble if OK.

It has been over a month...but I wanted to post some photos. I got her disassembled, cleaned up and reassembled. Yes, it was packed full of grease and dirt, but she cleaned up nicely, I believe. I obtained a few accessories and have enjoyed the history lesson, as wrll. Overall I am very pleased with this little project.
Attachment 91649Attachment 91650Attachment 91651Attachment 91652Attachment 91647Attachment 91648

Good to see it cleaned up.

Bruce you should know by now the P.O.F Mk VII ammo is known as Possibility Of Firing and is about as good as an ash tray on a motor bike..........................................I know as I shot it as well hideous stuff.......

Century Arms imported a ton of SMLE's from India and there were many great rifles in the bunch. Not all of their surplus rifles are suspicious junk. It looks like you did good. Navy Arms/OWS had good Indian Mk.7 ball ammo available a while back. I'm not sure if they still have any but I'm told it's much better than POF and I just don't care for the PPU and S&B that is loaded to Mk.8z specs because the boat tail projectiles won't stabilize properly in barrels that have seen a steady diet of cordite over the course of their careers. Enjoy!