Just picked up this 1942 Lithgow SMLE on the weekend

[LAFOShooter]

Hi all,

My first post. I am from Australia and I bought my first SMLE on a bit of a whim a few months ago. The quick back story is that a relative of my wife passed away a few years ago and his collection of SMLE's was disposed of (before i was with my wife). He was a fullbore shooter and these were is firearm of choice.

Fast forward last month, Garage clean out and this was found in an old PVC pipe, wrapped up in a oil soaked rag and grease packed into the bore. I was contacted as i had a licence and was asked what do they do with it. I went over to help the family out and i was presented with the dirty, grease covered rifle.

I was asked if i wanted it, not being one to just take it, i said name your price and they came back with $300 which is what the gun shop offered the other ones. I took it to my dealer while i waited for the paperwork to arrive, it took a few months to sort out.

I finally got it home on the weekend, gave it a good wipe down, cleaned out the bore and removed a lot of the crap that was on it. The bore is seriously shiny and has deep grooves! very impressed 65 year old rifle.

There are some issues with it, such as the trigger guard has serious surface rust and the magazine looks to had at some point.

This is where it becomes interesting for me anyway. The bolt, receiver, barrel and nose cap all have matching numbers. The magazine has no serial number that i can find.

Anyway i wanted to show off my new pride and joy! It was going to be a shooter, but have decided its going to be an occasional one.

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Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Homer]

Is it an FTR by any chance, MA 54 or 55?

[LAFOShooter]

Hey Homer,

Yes it does have FTR stamped above the serial number on the receiver. i cant see a MA 54 or 55.

where would the MA be located? I love this stuff lol.

Left hand side of the barrel and receicer has a heap of stamps, but i cannot make it out to much crap is still built up on it.

What can i user to clean the metal up a bit? not lose the patina but just to be able to read things.

[Homer]

Hey Homer,

Yes it does have FTR stamped above the serial number on the receiver. i cant see a MA 54 or 55.

where would the MA be located? I love this stuff lol.

Left hand side of the barrel and receicer has a heap of stamps, but i cannot make it out to much crap is still built up on it.

What can i user to clean the metal up a bit? not lose the patina but just to be able to read things.

The MA 54/55 would be lower left side of the butt socket, under the range sight plate. The A^F gives it away as being an FTR. Interesting the nosecap wings are not drilled out.

[henry r]

i'm fairly sure that un-numbered magazines were standard for Australian rifles.

is there a H stamped on the knox form?

I love the darkened timber, I would be happy to turn one up in a pvc pipe like it. its good that these finds can be registered again.

[CINDERS]

you can use stainless steel wool it must be stainless not steel then use RP-7 or WD40 spray the wool and metal and rub away it will remove the crud but not the bluing, the steel wool will remove the bluing this trick was shown to me by an Australian WWII armourer.

If you can get a list of the stamping's like MA, OA etc the guru's here can give you some of its history all matching bolt etc is a nice to have given the things these rifles went through. I see it has the target swivel screw for the front trigger guard not an issued thing easy to replace also does the stock have a area shaved off it near the safety as this is where a target sight mounting bracket would have sat.

Have a search in the threads for oiling up the stock and how to strip one down never take the butt off the rifle without first removing the front woods top & bottom as you will split the back of the bottom fore wood anyway its all there in threads. Do not hesitate to post a question if your unsure on how to do things in servicing the rifle to a certain level of course there are plenty of knowledgeable forumers here to assist you. Nice looking rifle.

So from the last pic what I can make out the MAVII stamp may indicate it has been sighted for MKVII ball ammo the MA = Lithgow Small Arms Factory (MA LSAF post 1926 on both rifles & bayonets), A^F = Australian Forces there should be other identifiers on the right wrist strap.

The oiler if it is Australian could have OA- Australian Orange Arsenal MA + as above or could have the A inside a seven pointed star which places it WWI vintage and a rather desirable oiler, also on the pull thru weight sometimes they are stamped as well I have one with a broad arrow stamp and was told it was a very early pull thru.
As Homer said refurbed Nov 1954

[LAFOShooter]

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Homer,

the nose caps are drilled out. I came with a nifty cover that hooks over the wings and the bayonet lugs. I will have another look on the left hand side.

henry R - we do get lucky sometimes!. I expected a derelict rifle and have been pleasantly surprised so far. Itching to get the farm and shoot it..

Cinders, a good eye it has a plate that is stamped "central no 4" and it also has part of the safety screwed into it. No the wood has not bee shaved, the old guy looks to have used spacers to lift it off the wood..

My wifes family are ohh guns a bad etc, so i didnt know about this relative. What i have found out since is that he was a full bore shooter and just loved his rifles. Every one of them was treated well. I just would love to know why this one was "put away" and so carefully too. No one can seem to answer this..

Ok i will get some cleaning product during the week and get cleaning up the metal.. The wood from what i have seen is in good nick, i cannot see any cracks or issues. the usual dents etc but nothing to worry about so far.

thanks everyone.. i appreciate it.

[Homer]

So it is. Hard to see on my phone.

Anyway, it's a nice one. Well done.

[LAFOShooter]

Hey homer,

Yes there is a MA 54. It was under the central no4 mount.

[LAFOShooter]

got a cloth and wiped up some gunk.

found all these markings on the left side of the receiver / barrel

If i am reading it correctly, it was re-barrelled in 1954 and was approved by a Lithgow inspector.

the rest looks like a seagull walked in wet cement..

Thankyou for all your feedback.. i do appreciate it!

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