Gunshow find

[smle addict]

I drove up to Sparks, Nevada for the "Big Reno Gun Show." I have always heard this was a good show to attend, but had never made the 550 mile trip until yesterday. It was well worth the effort.

I managed to find a "Rifle, Long, .22 inch RF Mk I*" This rifle was commercially produced by BSA & Co. No markings other than the BSA Co script on the right side of the butt socket. All matching except the bolt. Bolt is correct for this model. Rear sight graduated for 22RF.

This rifle came out of an Eastern Oregon estate sale, and it's stock is extremely dry. The seller also had an immaculate RIC carbine, a NZ carbine, and a Long Lee shortened for club/range use.

Paid $1175 (862 GBP). Not cheap, but not priced into the stratosphere like the Colts, Winchesters, magazines and ammunition.

enjoy the pics.

Information

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[Alan de Enfield]

Very nice, I'd have paid that.

[Roger Payne]

When you think that a clean WW1 dated SMLE (& I don't mean complete with volley sights & all the trimmings) can fetch 750 GBP, it makes this rifle quite reasonable by UK standards.

[watty12]

Nice looking rifle

[mrclark303]

I drove up to Sparks, Nevada for the "Big Reno Gun Show." I have always heard this was a good show to attend, but had never made the 550 mile trip until yesterday. It was well worth the effort.

I managed to find a "Rifle, Long, .22 inch RF Mk I*" This rifle was commercially produced by BSA & Co. No markings other than the BSA Co script on the right side of the butt socket. All matching except the bolt. Bolt is correct for this model. Rear sight graduated for 22RF.

This rifle came out of an Eastern Oregon estate sale, and it's stock is extremely dry. The seller also had an immaculate RIC carbine, a NZ carbine, and a Long Lee shortened for club/range use.

Paid $1175 (862 GBP). Not cheap, but not priced into the stratosphere like the Colts, Winchesters, magazines and ammunition.

enjoy the pics.

Lovely looking rifle, a little RLO and the wood will spring back to life....

Excellent catch.....

Regarding the Parker liners fitted to these rifles.

Did they smooth bore the Enfield to a given tolerance, to fit one size of liner, or did they adjust the liner to fit the worn bore and fix it in place?

[smle addict]

I just spent the last couple of hours reading through various LE books, and all I could find was this excerpt:

"... conversion generally consists of boring out the barrels and fitting and soldering a tube in the barrels; the tube being bored, rifled and chambered in .22 inch RF no. 1..."

On a different note, I did repair the handguard yesterday. I cut a very fine lap joint, and used a very thin dowel to pin it from the inside. All wood is still soaking in the raw linseed oil. Three coats, and its still absorbing it all up. Donor wood came from a sporterized smle forend.

Pics of the handguard repair.

[mrclark303]

Great job, she looks lovely.....

[RobD]

Would it originally have had a long Lee Enfield butt?

[baltimoreed]

Nicely done repair.

[smle addict]

Hi RobD,

I have noticed many commercial long lee pattern rifles of commercial manufacture often have the SMLE style buttplate and sling swivel/base. I have two other long lee's in 303. Both are commercial BSA guns, and they both have these SMLE traits. I have no idea why this is, other than perhaps cost expediency. On this last photo, you can see the stock does not have a cutout for the SMLE safety.

I also have a commercial LE carbine that has the long tang buttplate found on the MLM's and MLE's (a trait not seen on military issued LE carbines). And, the buttstock is serialized to the carbine (on the wood hidden under the butt-socket), so I know it's original to the carbine.

Any guesses out there in forumland?