I bet you don't have one of these...

[tbonesmith]

Hi Guys,

I was pleased to receive this little package today, yes I know a bog standard SMLE, .303 barrel, with no rear sight base, and the keyway cut for the foresight... But look at the markings... I am lead to believe that it's one of 4 or 6 made in about 2002 at Lithgow.

Unused, cold hammer forged, phosphated. It looks perfect. This one can stay in the safe for a while.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Very nice...

[Roger Payne]

Lovely T Bone. But it begs the question, why did Lithgow make such a tiny number & so recently? Did you manage to find out?

ATB

[tbonesmith]

Yes, they were made as samples/prototypes for a proposed run that ultimately proved to be prohibitive in terms of cost, and hence it never went ahead.

[Thunderbox]

Yes, they were made as samples/prototypes for a proposed run that ultimately proved to be prohibitive in terms of cost, and hence it never went ahead.

Would be interesting what the numbers and costs were at the time. I guess most of us now think that any factory run of No1/No4 barrels would be economically viable. If shooters are willing to pay Lothar Walther prices for No4 barrels, then a factory run has to be viable.

[bigduke6]

Would be interesting what the numbers and costs were at the time. I guess most of us now think that any factory run of No1/No4 barrels would be economically viable. If shooters are willing to pay Lothar Walther prices for No4 barrels, then a factory run has to be viable.

TB, To be fair to Walther the No4 barrels are not stocked items and I would guess someone sent them a drawing or original barrel to copy from, the barrel blank is not a bad price to the trade, even the charge for the profile is peanuts, the major cost is the chamber which is not far off the price of the blank.

Going off an old price list to get a one off made is around £300 + to the trade, if you take the chamber and thread out the equation and opt for a profiled blank around £180+, it costs me more in oil running my lathe than it costs them to do a profile, cutting a chamber and thread is an easy process, so costs can be reduced the other thing is the chance of a off the shelf one to fit (or to fit properly) is very slim, am sure Peter will mention that he had a bucket full to choose from when changing a barrel.

[Roger Payne]

Ahh! Was this proposed run to satisfy the civilian market or for some small country that still has some SMLE's? Just curious.

[tbonesmith]

Civilian.

[Homer]

If I advertised an unused, as new, WW2 dated No1 barrel on used guns tomorrow, would it sell?

How'd you get it Tbone? You must be well connected.

[tbonesmith]

If I advertised an unused, as new, WW2 dated No1 barrel on used guns tomorrow, would it sell?

How'd you get it Tbone? You must be well connected.

I bought it on usedguns. WW2 dated unused barrels have been selling for up to $450 lately.