Request for Information JJCO SMLE parts rifle or Arsenal rebuild

Hello all,

I know some of the horror stories that surround JJCO rifles but with the market being pretty slim these days on nice serviceable smle's I wanted to get some feedback.

My own research so far tells me that things on the rifle definitely don't match. But the serial number which is C22xxx does correspond with the 41 dated receiver. Wood dosen't seem to match it seems to be of an older type as it has the shield in it. And it also seems a lighter colour than I would have expected, QLD maple perhaps? Dosen't necessarily mean its a problem if its an arsenal build and sold on. I also cant tell if its the lighting the seller took them in that makes the wood look odd. There are other markings in the wood but I cant tell what they are or what they mean.

The seller informed me that recoil blocks are present which JJ parts guns rarely have so that is a positive and its in pretty good shape overall. Definately not one of the "unfired" smles that is getting passed off as original I have seen floating around. I would really love someone with more experience on the JJCO and Lithgow rifles to maybe let me know if this is the real deal or a parts bin rifle.

Thanks in advance.

No great expert. but, the JJCo 'parts guns' generally had a A suffix to the 'invented' part number and were on 43 & 44 dated actions and fitted with 'new' wood.

To my eye your rifle looks Kosher.

You are correct that the Butt is from an earlier rifle, nothing unusual about that.

No real horror stories about Jovino. That company imported a lot of beautiful Australian rifles. I managed to pick up a Heavy barreled 1907 dated enfield Mk III, a 1922 Lithgow, and a 1953 (last 1000 batch) Lithgow. All JJCO import marked. The 1922 and 1953 are all matching. The 1907 is a mix of British and Australian parts. It certainly doesn't detract from the rifle in any way.

The "unissued" ones fitted with new wood were shady (and deceitful), but still are pretty rifles.

Yours is simply made up of differing parts. I don't see anything to worry about. At a local gun shop where I live, I've seen SMLE's with mixes of British, Australian and Indian parts. It's part of its history.

Enjoy it for what is: a well traveled veteran.

How about a full profile photo ?

Nose cap numbered ?

Cheers
..MJ..

The stamps on the Butt now don't mean any thing as they are the history of the original rifle it was fitted to. The Bayonet boss is not numbered to the rifle which is an indication of a certain time frame FTR which used used parts hence the mixture of timber. There maybe a stamp like R/45 or MA/55 on the Butt or receiver which is the FTR date.
The 5 MD is my home state. The HV means the rifle was converted from Mk6 ammo to Mk7. I cant read the numbers under the shield which will be the date of the original rifle.

Thank you for the replies, I am going to go take a closer look at it in person today and intend on picking it up providing there isnt an glaring problems with it.

Unfortunately that was all the photos I got from the seller but the nose cap is not numbered.

cbiscuit Have you made an offer or purchased the rifle ?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ysVJKEl-1.jpg

that’s nice

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pisco

that’s nice

---

E prefix complete MA rifle import.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MJ1

cbiscuit Have you made an offer or purchased the rifle ?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ysVJKEl-1.jpg

---

Why is the wood a lighter color? Was it finished or stained different? I like the lighter look.

I own a JJCO import rifle. One of the "put together rifles".

The look like nice as all the parts are brand new old stock. Mine was assembled in the Lithgow plant and has all the inspection stamps in the metal. What I think was "put together" was the stock to the rifle. It is the classic Slaz44 stock. They didn't put recoil plats in the coachwood but I did. It shoots very well and looks really nice, its just not an authentic "service rifle", like my others.

Attachment 108446
Attachment 108447Attachment 108448Attachment 108449Attachment 108450