1940 Lithgow SMLE No 1 Mk3 JJ Import Bitster Yes or No?

[Bindi2]

5th i have a 39 Mk3 without, a 40 Mk3 with original furniture, a 40 Mk3* replacement with. Now Homer has sunk me because i did not check the serial #s. The pins are missing from the early/mid 20s onwards.it would seem in my lot.

[5thBatt]

Here is B69002 1941 MkIII all matching original numbers, barrel date 7 '41


& B68727 matching other than bolt.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I hope that my limited photograpic skills have improved. I omitted the closeup of the triple JJNY marks as it was to painful for a closeup. Is this Coachwood or Aussie Maple? The wood is exceptionally smooth but no sanding marks visable.

[Brian Dick]

I'm guessing it's a legit '44 or '45 FTR. The rebuild markings would be on the right side of the butt but appear sanded out.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I'm guessing it's a legit '44 or '45 FTR. The rebuild markings would be on the right side of the butt but appear sanded out.

The stock must have been sanded at some point as is is very smooth and the remaining markings are faint at best. Shouldn't there be some FTR markings on the knox form?

[Homer]

Is it SLAZ47 on the underside of the forend? If it is its, good chance its been refurbed in 1947 in which case the butt would have R over MA over the month/year on the right hand side. These were mostly unserial numbered barrel, wood and nosecap. The cut-off would not have remained through any late/post war refurb.

On the other hand it could be completely built up and restored but who could say with any certainty.

[RobD]

Butt looks loose - gap between socket and butt looks too wide (your pic No. 2). Can you tighten up the butt stock bolt or is there another reason for the gap?

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Butt looks loose - gap between socket and butt looks too wide (your pic No. 2). Can you tighten up the butt stock bolt or is there another reason for the gap?

I noticed that gap as well. When work & hunting preperation permits that issue will be examined.

[mack]

About 25 years ago (give or take) when John Jovina items appeared on the surplus market, I understood that the company had imported like-new rifles as well as issued rifles in varying states of finish and refurb. I seem to remember the dealer who sold these locally (East Tennessee) had both unissued rifles as well as issued rifles on the shelves. I purchased two of the unissued rifles and, since I had several issued rifles dating from the 1960s, I never really looked over the issued rifles on sale. Perhaps this is one of the issued rifles.

[Peter Laidler]

Regarding the fit of the butt and the gap between the buitt and the butt socket, then there SHOULD be a gap. This is to prevent the butt socket picking up on that shoulder of the butt and splitting off a chunk of the wood. We used to say that there should be a distinct gap that as a handy reference, you could wiggle in the BACK of a hacksaw blade but not the toothed front edge of the blade.

Don't forget that the butt fits and it locked in place not by the front surface meeting up with the inside of the socket or the shouldered edge contacting the rim of the butt socket but via the tapered nore of the butt engaging the internal taper of the butt socket, locked by the bolt of course