Question Regarding Volley or Long Range Sights on the No 1 Mk III

[ufo8mydog]

But i have helped you guys get a few N9s & a couple of No8s so you still owe me!

I will help settle what we owe you 5th Batt, by re importing your Lithgow rifles back to Australia

[Homer]

Yeah we'll send you all these beautiful N^Z marked No4's and you send us the daggy dinted maple lithgows.

[Bindi2]

I will help settle what we owe you 5th Batt, by re importing your Lithgow rifles back to Australia

Having lost some Auctions to 5th you are back down the queue somewhat.

[ufo8mydog]

Having lost some Auctions to 5th you are back down the queue somewhat.

May the man with the deepest pockets win

[Homer]

May the man with the deepest pockets win

I think you might have already lost

[ufo8mydog]

I think you might have already lost

Lost already how? lol

[5thBatt]

I think you might have already lost

Yeah! had a bit of a chuckle myself
Bet he still does the Aussie Haka when its his round thou

[Roy]

These are for Bluenoser, I inletted this rack (rat) grade stock which I got from Oz where they were breaking up rifles at a gunstore. Its on a 1908 BSA NZ marked which is in equally battered condition. it had been armoury rebarreled with a '40 MA barrel but the rear sight was mullered so I replaced it with a windage one so it still looks the part. The original stock was sported but still had the original sights on it which I reused except for the dial plate which had been partially filed when the stock was cut. The wood around where the dial goes was a bit spongy and crushed a little under even sharp chisels but im happy to have this pretty mongrel.

[Bluenoser]

Roy, Thanks for posting the photos. It is readily apparent the end result was well worth the effort.

This has developed into an informative and entertaining thread. Thanks to all who have chimed in. I have a renewed appreciation for Eastern Canada. I wouldn’t consider Mk IIIs scarce here, just not nearly as common as Mk III*. I picked up the C-broad arrow marked 1916 in question at a gun show this fall for less than $100.00, and had others to choose from. With regard to long-range sights, the posted dates ranged from 1907 to 1916. Most were 1915 and 1916, although it should be noted most of the 1916s were Lithgows. I am now confident BSA did produce long range sight equipped Mk IIIs in 1916 and will restore this one accordingly.

[Surpmil]

...I am now confident BSA did produce long range sight equipped Mk IIIs in 1916 and will restore this one accordingly.

I think there was a discussion of when the MkIII to MkIII* change-over occurred exactly and what features were dropped and when. IIRC quotes from original docs of the time suggested that certain features sometimes persisted on early MkIII* rifle as stocks of parts were used up by the manufacturers.

Someone much more knowledgeable than I about SMLEs may have already made that point here - I haven't read it all.