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    SMLE Grenade Firing rifle questions

    Hi gents,

    Hoping for some insight. In another thread, I showed an SSA SMLE I bought that has great furniture, etc. but the barelled receiver was badly pitted. Today I happened upon an interesting sporterized SSA that is EY marked, sitting in an MkIII (sporterized, and not MkIII*) stock set, and with a grenade firing re-inforcing screw (not bolt). It has other issues I'll need to fix (like riveting a replacement charger guide back on - will likely rob the SSA one off my rusty action), but rust is not one of the issues with this new gun. I bought it on a whim thinking I may be able to swap it in for my badly rusted and mismatched SSA barelled action, using the other original parts of that SSA.

    Then I got to thinking - this "new" SSA barelled action (essentially) I have inbound is actually a fairly rare gun. It's Britishicon service, with a cleanly marked EY knox form. EY stamp on butt. Has original steel buttplate (typical of 1918 SSA/NRF rifles). An early type of grenade firing re-inforcing screw, etc. Clearly at some point it was set up as a GF rifle, but for British service (not Indian), typical of many EY rifles in Brit service.

    So if I restore this sporter using the parts off the other rifle, might be an idea to restore it as a proper grenade firing rifle of the period (circa 1918).

    So now the questions - the LOC approved cord and wire wrapped variants of the SMLE for grenade firing Dec. 9, 1918 originally for rifles to be used at Army Schools of Instruction according to Skennertonicon, but he also says wrapped EY rifles were used before that, without being in the formal LOC.

    We are all familiar with the WW2+ GF rifles from India, and the WW2 era Australianicon guns are done essentially the same way as each other, but they were all made up well after WW1. Here is my example of these later versions:



    But prior to ww2, it looks like the pattern may have differed. I've seen pics of rifles wrapped with either copper wire or whip cord up by the muzzle. I've seen both cord and wire wrapped guns that are wrapped by the muzzle and behind the rear sight. With and without tacks or staples to hold the ends of the wire firmly in place. With and without solder bands on the ends of the wire wrapping, etc.

    So my questions... I've not seen a re-inforcing bolt quite like is on this sporter. It looks early to me, and not very "hardware store bolt". Would this maybe from the 1918-ish era?

    And if I'm going for a circa 1918 look, what should I use? cord or wire? Soldered or not? tacks, staples, or nothing? just up by the muzzle, or also behind the rear sight?

    Anyone got pics/examples of a 1918-1930 era grenade firing SMLE they can share so I can gauge if embarking on this project is worth the effort?

    Some pics of the inbound rifle needing restoration:




    Союз нерушимый республик свободных Сплотила навеки Великая Русь. Да здравствует созданный волей народов Единый, могучий Советский Союз!

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

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