Lee Metford MkII(?) "Alex Martin, Glasgow"

[Len]

I first saw this BSA commercial rifle a few weeks ago and today I met with the owner and purchased it. It was retailed by the firm of Alex Martin of Glasgow. It's in pretty good shape with a very nice bright bore. It just needs a thorough cleaning to remove the dust bunnies and old , hardened grease. An unusual feature missed the first time I saw it is a "US" cartouche on the underside of the wrist accompanied by a broad arrow. It came with a sling marked "J.B. Brooks & Co. Ltd./ 1941(0?) Here are some pics.

Regards,
Len

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Information

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[Brian B]

Beautiful rifle!!

Thx for sharing.

Brian B

[Rumpelhardt]

Is it just me or does any one else think the older the rifle type the more elegant the lines seem to be?

[Ridolpho]

Not just you Rumplehardt- these older ones are beauties. I constantly marvel at the fit of the forend and butt on my MLE I. Looks like someone very carefully fitted it by hand. Anyone know how significantly the assembly process changed from Lee-Metford to SMLE No. 1 MkIII?

Ridolpho

[Surpmil]

Is it just me or does any one else think the older the rifle type the more elegant the lines seem to be?

I don't know if older always meant more elegant, but that rifle was a product of the Victorian/Edwardian age. Everyone grew up surrounded by form and function combined in even mundane objects. No doubt it became second nature to them to design objects that did the same, anything else would have offended the senses of the vast majority. It's often said that designs that look well usually work well. Why is an interesting question!

[kjohn]

Gorgeous! I have a "sportered" 1893 Enfield II. done by "Alex Martin Glasgow 4347".

[Surpmil]

Is it just me or does any one else think the older the rifle type the more elegant the lines seem to be?

I would agree, back to about the mid 1700s. Beyond that some of them look rather freakish to our eyes. I'd say it was around that period that ergonomics (or we could say "functionality") began to be a serious factor in design, but aesthetics remained very important until well into the last century; one has only to look at a hardware or machinery catalogue from say 1914 to see that. Deco was a case of throwing the baby of aesthetics out with the bath water of WWI and all that went with "the past" in the popular mind post-WWI: "Goodbye to All That" as Graves summed up the feeling. I ain't no art historian, but it's my impression that is where "modern" (ie lacking all ornamentation or shaping beyond that required for functionality) began in industrial design...but no, that's not right, Bauhaus for example was well under way before WWI, which probably just greatly accelerated the process of change.

So, yes, I like them old guns too!

That Alex Martin is a beauty and from the engraving etc. probably their top end as well.

[Jc5]

The older models (pre-SMLE) definitely have an elegance to them.

On this one, is there a number stamped on the top-rear, flat part of the action (where the bolt slides in)? You need to lift the bolt handle to see.

Also would you be willing to fill out my commercial Lee survey? Please send me a PM and I'll email it to you.

Thanks!

[muffett.2008]

That's not a Yank mark, that means unservicable, you'd better send it down to me to dispose of properly.

[Promo]

Is this the same Alex Martin who also did the sniper conversions of the P.14 rifle?