My new 1905 B.S.A. No 1 Mk I***

[artyldr01]

Well, here is my new baby! Quickly becoming my favorite. I keep trying to upload photos on other forums as well but am having trouble (resolution too big).

(Crown)
E.R.
B.S.A.Co
1905
ShtLE
I ** (maybe a third hard to tell)

Missing buttstock disk (removed before issue to the Irish?)
1st Variation Cocking piece
Properly has cut off slot but no cut off
Charging guide on bolt
3 different SNs: 1st = S 70814, 2nd = ER 2208, 3rd(final) = G1992
Rear sight buttons have bone on both sides but cracked

On left side butt socket is stamped A(D on its back or * can't tell)11
Volley sight present
Marked 111 or III

Proof Mark: Crown over ER over crossed flags over (unintelligeable but appears to be 2 characters) definitely not "P" or "N"

Magazine appears to be 2nd variation but markings are:
on rear is stamped with what looks like on overstrike 3 along with EFD over 28 and other marks
follower is marked 2 over an R(vertical arrow)F, over EFD F1
Under rear sight barrel marked HV for high velocity rounds
base of rear sight has a sunburst pattern

Bore looks very nice! Just realized the Safety doesn't function properly (weapon fires in any position) but still couldn't be happier!

Well, same problems. Can't get all the photos to post, but here are a few. I hope you like! Will try to get more pics uploaded.

Information

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[RCS]

Attachment 40272Attachment 40280Attachment 40281Attachment 40282My Enfield 1904 Mark 1 *** also has three serial numbers, the two being lined-out and the last on is G 839. It would appear that a number of the Mark 1*** rifles converted to grenade
launching had a new serial with a G pre-fix. But it also appears that some were converted back to an issue rifle. There is a faint sign of my rear handguard having the wire-wrap while
the fore-end is a correct later Mark 1 replacement without any sign of wire wrap.

I am unable to identify the markings on the stock disk

[artyldr01]

Here are some more low resolution photos. I have since found that the SN on the cocking piece is different than the bolt handle and receiver. Rear sight is original. Hoping I can somehow get the safety/trigger assembly repaired without having to un-do the wire wrapping. Will likely leave alone if that is the case.

[artyldr01]

Thanks for the feedback. Interesting disk. I would love to research what disk might have been on mine as well (unlikely though it may be). As I understand it isn't necessarily incorrect for mine to have the cut off slot but no cut off. These things are awesome!

[user1]

thanks for posting these mark 1s,they are to me the finest looking of all the SMLEs

[Father Ted]

thanks for posting these mark 1s,they are to me the finest looking of all the SMLEs

Agree. Very nice. I've never seen a grenade launcher with volley sights and windage still intact. Keeper.

[Son]

There shouldn't be any problem fixing the safety. Ordinary old SMLE MkIII will fit, in fact the safety lever on yours is already a MkIII. The only difference was the way they were marked.
Very nice rifle, mate! Congrats! Thanks for sharing the pics.

BTW, the MkI rifles were never "No1" anything... The No1 rifle tag wasn't brought in until 1926, long after all the Mk1 rifles had been returned to store. In fact, at the same time they were declared obsolete and as they couldn't be on converted to No1 rifle specs economically, they were ordered stripped for parts and scrapped.

[artyldr01]

There shouldn't be any problem fixing the safety. Ordinary old SMLE MkIII will fit, in fact the safety lever on yours is already a MkIII. The only difference was the way they were marked.
Very nice rifle, mate! Congrats! Thanks for sharing the pics.

BTW, the MkI rifles were never "No1" anything... The No1 rifle tag wasn't brought in until 1926, long after all the Mk1 rifles had been returned to store. In fact, at the same time they were declared obsolete and as they couldn't be on converted to No1 rifle specs economically, they were ordered stripped for parts and scrapped.

Excellent info Son, thank you. So the correct designation is just the ShtLE Mk I? I am pretty amazed at the history of this one. Correct me if I'm wrong but it seems that it likely served in the Great War with a British/Commonwealth unit. Then was transferred to the Irish National Army at the time of the Independence Treaty and subsequent hostilities. At that point or shortly thereafter converted to grenade firing capability and perhaps saw service in WW II? If this is feasible, likely, it is utterly astounding to me and has instantly become my favorite firearm. Mind boggling. And to think the thousands of people waiting in line and getting in my way were looking at modern items with no history whatsoever and paying significantly more.

As for the safety the problem is the rifle will fire with the switch in either position. I also notice much slop in the trigger. I suspect the issue is inside the trigger / safety linkage somewhere. I wasn't sure if that was accessible without unwrapping the wire and removing the forearm.

[Son]

The safety acts directly onto the cocking piece at the rear of the bolt. There are two parts in there, one is the lever you see.. it has a rod that it pivots on that has a flat side at the end which engages or disengages the cocking piece to hold it back off the trigger sear. That way, when the safety is engaged, the trigger can be pulled with no resistance other than the spring. The other part winds onto it from the back with a multi start thread. If it hasn't been started in the correct position, it might be holding the safety lever out far enough to stop it working. If you undo the screw that is in the bottom of the dumbell spring, the whole safety will come out in your hand. If somebody doesn't beat me to it, I'll dredge up some pics a little later.

Yes.. it has a lot of history, that one.... May not have made active service in WW2, but could well have been a home guard issue. Not sure if the GF converted MkI's were declared obsolete when the plain rifles were. Someone here will know....

[artyldr01]

Son, Thank you for the mechanical advise. Might have saved me a ton in labor! Even if no WW2 history it matters not. I am still all geeked up about this rifle. I have a pretty nice collection of weapons but this thing oozes the history!