BSA 1917 No.l Mk 111* target rifle

[whiterider]

A week ago I bought this SMLE target rifle off the guy who had owned it for the last 51 years. Together with it was 1200 rounds of Mk 7 ball ammo, MF (Australian manufacture) all dated 1958. Sealed in the 35 round boxes and shiny bright and new looking. Guy couldnt shoot any more because of advancing age and a shoulder injury.

Rifle was in the usual (For Australia) range rifle configuration. Light military barrel removed and a Heavy Lithgow barrel installed. No open rear sight but a plate and a 'Central' target sight fitted. Target sight appeared in brand new condition, rest of the rifle looked rough but bore was shiny with clear sharp rifling and no pits corrosion etc.

Anyway with the rifle came a range card, listing elevations for all the ranges. Included was a final receipt for the rifle and documents authorising his possession of the weapon as per the 1950's gun regs in Oz.

So with some of the original ammo I had a shoot at 500 yards...prone with shooting jacket, mat and sling. (as it would have been used in the heydays of those club rifles) First shot clipped the bottom of the target, came up about 4 minutes and got a mixture of 5's and 4s with one 3. (Our fullbore target system)

So yeah, I was stoked....a bit of deja vu for me...I started off club shooting with one of these about 50 years ago...wheel full circle. Thank you Ray Sharp..your treasured 303 is in good hands.

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[Edward Horton]

So if we add the first 25 years you went barefoot without any shoes to the 50 years ago when you had the first No.1 Mk3 you are older than………..dirt


How badly did the erosive corrosive carnivorous cordite treat your barrel (I want to report back to GunnerSam on this)

[whiterider]

So if we add the first 25 years you went barefoot without any shoes to the 50 years ago when you had the first No.1 Mk3 you are older than………..dirt


How badly did the erosive corrosive carnivorous cordite treat your barrel (I want to report back to GunnerSam on this)

ha ha ha ha the 20 or so rounds made no visible difference to the interior of the barrel..... :-) And thank god it wasnt a coachwood forend or I would be a mass of splinters right now....

huh....older than dirt??? all this from a guy who worked on Spads and SE 5's Nieuports and well you know.........

[goo]

good luck with it. i got a '17 Lithgow which i stuck a heavy barrel on. i'm not sure i ever shot non-corrosible ammo in it. bore is fine after about 10 years and maybe a thousand rounds.

[whiterider]

thanks Goo

How's your gliding going?? do you have all the certificates and badges and stuff they seem to like in glider flying clubs???

Bet its a huge change from the back seat of an F4......

BTW that rifle of yours looks great with the PH sight.

[goo]

thanks for asking w.r.
due for a bi annual flight review next month. i mostly just do a little acro and spins. just hanging in the sky never did much for me.
..
[http://farm1.static.flickr.com/138/3...19020.jpg?v=0]

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

So wnen are you going to install the bomb racks and the gun?

[goo]

gonna mount potato gun on my ice boat...
...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3466/...g?v=1233612889

[goo]

http://media.popularmechanics.com/im...-illo-0707.jpg