Anyone know this R.L.R. marking?

[Jc5]

I came across this interesting rifle in my daily Lee-Speed tracking:
Enfield Lee Patent Speed Rifle .22 Conversion : Antique Guns at GunBroker.com


It's an older Lee-Speed Patents target rifle that was later converted by AG Parker into a 22 Short Rifle. The knox form has the letters R.L.R.

Does anyone know what R.L.R. might mean?

Thanks!

P.S. If any of you Enfield collectors are going to attend the Antique Arms Show in Las Vegas next week, drop me a PM.

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[Thunderbox]

Nice rifle.


I think you'll only be able to make an inspired guess about the RLR marking; its nothing well known or obvious.

- the mark is not parallel with the AJP stamp, so they did not apply it;

- the mark is not neatly done, so it unlikely to be an owners initials (which are common on target rifles);

- its probably a club or organisation that had quite a few rifles, and hence was stamped up with no particular ceremony.

[Maxwell Smart]

Don't know for sure; perhaps - "Rim-fire Long Rifle" as a guess?

[Gil Boyd]

As it looks like a separate stamp mark it may be nothing to do with the rifles progress through PH or other manufacturers. It could be simply something like an identifier for the Royal London Regiment(s)
Just a suggestion which may be wide off the mark, but there are other Regiments which operated in Canada such as the Lambton Regiment (LR)which again could be closer to the mark and associated with teaching shooting to grammar schools and other training establishments. I know certainly that the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers who were renamed in its past spent a great deal of time in Canada too
Gil

[Surpmil]

Rimmed Long Rifle or Rimfire Long Rifle as Maxwell Smart suggests seems most likely. Size and location makes sense for that reference as well.

[Gil Boyd]

I am still convinced that the R.L.R is a personal or Regimental stamp and nothing to do with the calibre.
I have spoke to a contact who actually worked on the Lee Speeds and he concurs with me. It certainly was not a stamp placed by them, for what its worth.
Gil

[Peter Laidler]

Not happy about a regimental stamp. It LOOKS too regular to be stamped. Probably engraved. Who would be still alive that worked on Lee Speeds Gil?

[Gil Boyd]

Peter,
I have three names which I will PM you, one of the names is on the Parker Hale M85 story I sent you................. initials Bill.S
I meant in my earlier email............fixing them not making them, as it was normally a PH sight issue they came back as a whole , normally the soldered mount failures

[Thunderbox]

Rimmed Long Rifle or Rimfire Long Rifle as Maxwell Smart suggests seems most likely. Size and location makes sense for that reference as well.

I don't think that terminology has ever been used in UK?

In that era surely they would mostly have used ".22" RF".

[bigduke6]

The rifle in question is not quite right regarding the barrel, as a Lee speed (MLE) .22 conversion was just the same as a Rifle, long, .22-inch Mk1 or in this case a Mk11 (bolt safety) so the barrel has had a chop, and looks like its been turned down to accept a SMLE fore sight block and a sight protector fitted from a, Rifle RF Short. Mk11 and also a nose cap, as the Long Rifle retained the Bayonet lug.

A Nice rifle, but not quite correct in my eyes (I'm viewing on a small screen) the rear sight also looks like a conversion (A very good one), never seen a AJP TZ like that before.

Based on the above I would guess RLR maybe the Gunsmith who did the barrel and the rear sight (if I'm right regarding the sight)