Another restoration project: No1 MkIII 1915

[peval65]

Hello everyone.
I recently purchased a bad looking No1 MkIII, dark, greasy woods and irons.
I started its restoration.
As usual I need your support of knowledge for the best restoration job possible.
I would have many answers but I post here the pictures after the first cleaning job and wait for your comments about history and lacks of this rifle.
It seems matching numbers except for the bolt.
The big issue is the striker completely frozen to the cocking piece...
I have more pics....feel free to ask.

Thanks you so much in advance for any help.
Paolo

Information

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[bigduke6]

Doesn't need restoration.... just a clean and oil.

[Richard Hare]

Frozen cocking piece could Possibly mean someone had screwed a no 4 striker into it. Wrong thread makes them awful tight!

Just a good clean and it will look well as it is.
Grand rifle.

[Ridolpho]

As BigDuke and Richard say, just put it back together and enjoy it! As I went through the photos I was expecting to see the usual cut off forend- pleasant surprise to see it all there and matching. Give the forend a good soak in raw linseed oil but no sanding or steaming.

Ridolpho

[Sentryduty]

As BigDuke and Richard say, just put it back together and enjoy it! As I went through the photos I was expecting to see the usual cut off forend- pleasant surprise to see it all there and matching. Give the forend a good soak in raw linseed oil but no sanding or steaming.

Same and the same here. That is a desirable rifle as presented.

[RobD]

Best way to un-jam the stuck striker is the application of heat. Buy one of those $10 butane torches you can find online, that refill from a butane lighter fuel cannister. Laws of physics say the outer diameter (cocking piece) will expand more than the inner diameter (striker) and it will un-screw.

[Bear43]

Clean that ol' gal up and enjoy her as is. She is a beauty! I was expecting a cut off fore-end. Do you have handguards for her? Also, RobD is dead on with the heat. It does help.

[peval65]

I was expecting a cut off fore-end. Do you have handguards for her?

Here is a picture of the handguards
Attachment 71807

About the pattern of the rifle and according to my knowledge, I am asking myself:
looking the butt socket (see the markings picture) I can see the star lined out after the III.
Looking the rifle I see the correct fore-end, the cutoff device, the rear sight with windage, just the plate of the volley sight, no unit disc but not sure if taken away in arsenal (found vinilic glue around the wood disc)......is it a MkIII without some parts or a MkIII* somehow aborted??

[CINDERS]

Heat in moderation of course and the striker removal tool the pins are notoriously weak and go snap, like Peter L said they just used a slotted screw driver to suit to remove the F.P

Postscript;

Sorry Peter but I must have misunderstood what you said in another post so I cut and pasted it into this one;

Our striker tool was a just the pronged screwdriver bit

[mrclark303]

The makings of a very nice SMLE indeed, looking forward to the completed pictures.