RIC Carbine 1896

[rkh]

What would be a fair market value in Canada for a RIC Carbine 1896, the rifle is in very nice shape, complete with sling.

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[Badger]

Welcome to the site ...

Could be valuable if all complete etc...

Pics of rifle would help a lot...

If you don't know how to host them or upload them, email them to me at badger@milsurps.com and I'll add them in your post above for comment.

Regards,
Badger

[rkh]

Multiple pics combined by moderator for ease of viewing....

[Badger]

Here's a couple of examples from the Poulin Auction in Maine this last Saturday, March 8th.

I'm not sure what they actually sold for, but I'll see if I can find out....

1131. British Lee-Enfield Carbine Mark I Military Issue Bolt Action Repeating Service Carbine Royal Irish Constabulary Issue. Cal. 303. S# 1675. Overall condition is good plus. Bore is slightly frosting. Shows better than average use and retaining most finish. Receiver and dust cover show 95% original blue with high edge wear and slightly pluming. Dust cover shows some very fine scattered spotting. Barrel assembly shows better than 95% with the exception of the muzzle where the bayonet slides on and off, which has turned brown. Upper hand guard shows very little abuse and one slight crack about 1 1/2” long which doesn't detract and should be easily repairable. Lower hand guard shows modifications by an arsenal but are just faint line with very little light denting between the rear sight and the receiver where it appears that the rifle was laid on it’s side. Buttstock shows light and moderate scarring. Birmingham proof still very readable. Buttplate starting to patina. Trap contains a pull through. Bayonet fair with light scattered pitting and patina on handles. (was 01-476/01-1156 / BK / BS) Antique. Est. $ 500 - 700.

Attachment 1555

1132. British Lee-Enfield Carbine Mark I* Military Issue Bolt Action Repeating Service Carbine Converted to use by Royal Irish Constabulary with Bayonet. Cal. 303. S# 8741A. Overall condition is fair to good. Bore is slightly frosting. Has lots of blue. Receiver shows about 85-90% with high edge wear and turning plum. Barrel assembly also shows 85-90% blue except the muzzle where the bayonet goes on and off. Upper hand guard is in fair to good condition showing minor nicks throughout. There is an arsenal repair of a crack approx. 1 - 1 1/2” behind the front barrel band. Lower hand guard assembly shows modification to the front for the bayonet adapting and shows moderate with some slightly heavy scarring on the left hand side, while the right hand side shows only light. Buttstock shows good with mostly minor scarring and just a bit of moderate. Birmingham cartouche in the buttstock is very prominent. Bayonet shows good with very little light pitting and the wooden handles are in good condition. (was 01-475/01-1155 / BK / BS) Antique. Est. $ 500 - 800.

Attachment 1556

Regards,
Badger

[englishman_ca]

What would be a fair market value in Canada for a RIC Carbine 1896, the rifle is in very nice shape, complete with sling.

I'm no expert but I base my knowlege on my observations. I've been on this LEC carbine trip for a while now, I have five of the little buggers in different stages of restoration. So here is my tuppence worth.

The RIC carbines were conversions of LEC Mk.I* cavalry carbines.

The conversion consisted of modifying the carbine to accept the P1888 bayonet. To do this, the cavalry nosecap was removed along with the lower barrel band and the forearm was modified by shortening, splicing in wood and reshaping to accept the Rigby style nosecap. The nosecap had a bayonet bar for attaching a Pattern 1888 bayo. The muzzle of the LEC carbine barrel was too small at the muzzle to fit the bayonet's ring without a rattling big clearance gap, so the end of the barrel was bobbed off 1/4 inch and a bushing sweated on to increase the diameter.



A couple of things about your carbine makes me curious. Firstly you mention it is 1896 dated, which would mean it is likely a Mk.I, not a Mk.I* (Mk.I had a clearing rod, Mk.I* did not, they were obscoleted and deleted from manufacture in 1899). Quite possible that this 1896 one was found and thrown into the mix to be converted, but it seems too early, most that I have seen were based on 1900-1903 carbines. Your stock disc is marked Jan 1905, which is the date when it was put into service with the Irish PoPo, which would make it one of the last batches, so who knows?

Also the pic shows your barrel to extend past the sight ramp by about an inch and there is no bayonet bushing. This looks like an unmodified LEC barrel, not a converted RIC style.

So what could you have here is possibly an early unmodified LEC barreled action fitted into an RIC woodset.

Still a very nice condition carbine with some age to it. If it could only talk!

Value? Which would be worth more, an early LEC Mk.I or an RIC? I don't think you have either.

[srall@earthlink.net]

Hello,

I am looking for an RIC carbine, does anyone know of a enfield good dealer in the USA? I live here in the USA and am unsure if one could be obtained from Canada legally?

Thanks in advance

[gsimmons]

BDL,Ltd in SC

[srall@earthlink.net]

Thanks!