Canadian Naval SMLE opinions?

[Lance]

Greetings All

I am just going through the girls before they are put away and this rifle has always been a question.

A 1917 SSA body paired at Enfield with a 1917 barrel which eventually ended in Canadian Naval Service which is marked on the body and butt stock. The rear sight has been changed and not remarked but what gets me is the engraved magazine with the serial number and the non-standard serial number on the nose-cap and fore-end. The fore-end and butt have been lightly sanded (more on the butt) but the fore-end serial number is still proud where the C/|\N butt stamp is faint.

So do you think it is a bubba restoration, a Naval rework, or a bit of both? I cannot find any similar pictures of a Canadian Naval SMLE for comparison and if bubba restamped the fore-end I would think he would of centered it better and put in closer to the nose-cap? Of additional interest is that the front hand guard has a rack number of "P23" and the butt appears to have "P5" leaning towards a service exchange.

Canadian Naval rifles are unusual, being an SSA makes it more interesting. For the sharp eye it appears that a BSA inspector was at Enfield during this rifles assembly.

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