Lithgow 1918 No. 1 Mk. III*

[smellie]

I have Lithgow 1918 number A13631, no MD marking but D/!\D above 1 on the top flat of the Body, just aft of the Knox-form.

It had new forewood installed in May of 1944 but retains the original butt with 1931 and 1944 servicing dates.

It had been bashed about when I got it, what looked like parade-square bashing, but appeared unfired.

Took it out and shot it and it made wonderful 14-inch groups at 100, no matter what factory or home-load ammo was tried. Analysis showed that it was trying to shoot a pair of groups, each roughly 1 MOA, one about a foot above the other. Ripped her down, fixed The Damned Crack and trimmed back the Muzzle Reinforce to 1 inch, as told by a Canadian Bisley-team shooter, took it out again.

Back on target at 100, shooting my test load off the sandbags, called 2-round groups, first from a dead-cold barrel, second round 1 minute later or less (as it would be in hunting or sniping), came in at a repeatable half-inch or a hair under. Right now, the rifle is a "see-it-hit-it" and I have no complaints at all.

Those old guys REALLY knew how to build a rifle!
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---------- Post added at 07:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:32 PM ----------

BAYONET is the correct TYPE (Pattern 1907) for the rifle but it is British manufacture (Wilkinson Sword, August, 1918) rather than Australian (Lithgow).

If the two have been together for a long time, it might be good to keep them together, then possibly find a Lithgow bayonet to be "original".

Nice set!