No1Mk3 SMLE full restoration - from scratch

[Vigilant]

Gday,
I recently found a No1MK3 SMLE which im currently getting registered and ill be restoring. I am not doing this for profit and well aware that this will take some time and in some eyes may not be worth the hassle. But ill be treating this as a hobby and hopefully bring this old work horse back to life.

Few things to note, i have never dealt with guns before until the last couple of weeks due to Australian gun laws, so treat me like newbie if you like
There are some pictures below but are not in great detail, ill post some more when i get the rifle back in my hands. Despite the pictures, the rust looks like surface rust when i wiped it clean, so there shouldn't be pitting when i strip the metal back with chemical.
The bolt is missing.
My biggest issue at the moment is that since i have not worked on rifles or any fire arm before is assessing what can and cant be used as well as which parts can be re sourced for example there looks to be pin missing just behind the trigger as you can see. The bore of the rifle pending on rust damage if any.
The fire arm store that currently holds the rifle while i get it registered seems to be very knowledgeable so I will use a lot of his advice but i figured reaching out to a community wont hurt.

ImageShack - Enfield

From what ive seen on markings, it appears to have been made in Lithgow 1926 then remade in the 1950s followed by a lot of gun smith scribing near the receiver.

Any thoughts on how i should tackle this project or words of wisdom are more than welcome.

- Cheers, Vigilant.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[browningautorifle]

Fitting a bolt is a task not for the inexperienced...there's threads here about it. The woodwork, I'd use a liquid strip and see what's happening and a glass bead blast of the metal to remove all that. How's the barrel? I expect the inside looks like the outside...

[muffett.2008]

Can't access the link.

[CINDERS]

I think you have a project that will probably cost you plenty and you may really want to ask yourself is it worth going down the trail;
As from what I can see in the pics it looks like someone just left it outside in the weather drying out the timber like the Sahara (Salvageable) but oh boy is there some rust there.
I doubt looking at the pics the bore will ever be recoverable but others on the site will give you more advice. The front band is on upside down, looks like where the front trigger guard screw goes through is chipped,, cannot say if the mag will come out or the floor plate move would say the back sight is non functional but I will say early Lithgows do have value this one may be one of those but be prepared to shell out some $'s. Depending how you go there are plenty of non genuine barrels out there for a reasonable price, but you need to have an experienced gunsmith fit up the bolt and barrel have fun they do grow on you these Lee Enfields of all types Good luck and keep the forum updated with what goes on

[Vigilant]

Thanks for the advice so far, ill post detailed pics with my proper camera to show more detail when i get the rifle back in a few weeks, as for the rust, it looks a lot worse in these current photos than it actually is, having said that the bore would no doubt have some degree of rust, but how much is too much?
Being surface rust would you still use a high pressure remover or would an acid bath do just as well?
The magazine would not budge, it seemed to be rusted in or the wood has changed characteristics, the spring and the plate inside the magazine still worked when i checked.
It was mentioned to use a chemical stripper for the wood instead of straight sanding is this due to the tannin's being so deep as to preserve the natural grain in the wood?

Try the below pics, they should work if you couldn't see them before.

https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/53...673/Bj8kdW.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...538/OmQhJZ.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...673/32iAtv.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...673/psP4s0.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...540/fgOuaZ.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...537/XQGMdK.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...901/siSSP9.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...537/lh5c5g.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...909/a8CjjX.jpg
https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/12...673/C7j1dL.jpg

[bigduke6]

For the rust removal would recommend electrolysis then bead blast and finish of your choice, there are a few bits I,ve done in the restorers corner using the process, one was a scope can the other a 1903 Bayonet.

The electrolysis is is a slow process but for something like you have, it will remove all rust etc and give an idea what or if its worth continuing...... cost next to nothing need a battery charger, plastic container, some soap powder and a piece of scrap steel.

[browningautorifle]

The liquid strip is the most gentle on the wood. The glass bead would be gentle but thorough on the rust. You might need to do some oil soaking of small parts like screws first. Just a dap will do. Wish I had that here, I could get 'er apart. Then it could be seen. The bayonet boss' bottom screw is holding the piling swivel in place so there's only the transverse screw remaining. You have a nasty lift in the upper handguard too...at the rear. I've also found for removing hard screws...work the screw driver into the slot and clean the rust out. Then with a properly fitted screw driver, rap the screw driver smartly like a punch and it breaks it free. You can usually turn them right out. If not, more oil soaking.

[bigduke6]

rap the screw driver smartly like a punch and it breaks it free

Poor mans impact drive Jim ?

[browningautorifle]

Poor mans impact drive

Very much so. I just tried it once and it worked well. Better than trying a screwdriver bit in the drill press when you're alone. That's OK if you have another set of hands.

[Seaspriter]

The electrolysis is is a slow process but for something like you have, it will remove all rust etc and give an idea what or if its worth continuing...... cost next to nothing need a battery charger, plastic container, some soap powder and a piece of scrap steel.

Having used just about every technique imaginable to remove rust (from guns, boats, & cars), in your case I'd use the electrolysis process -- it is about the only way you can eat away at parts that have become fused with rust. But you've got to remove the furniture first -- and this isn't going to be easy unless you are lucky.

Getting the wood off the gun is going to be a bear. Some of the screws are going to be very hard to remove -- including steel screws that contact wood (like butt plate and and those in sling swivel). You might consider just taking off the forend and handguard wood, because getting the butt off is going to be a big problem with all the rust. Then, make an electrolysis tank out of a piece of PVC Pipe, standing vertically. Put the gun barrel end down into the pipe tank, with liquid covering up to the butt receiver ring. Then let electro-chemistry do the hard work, eating the rust out of the cracks and crevices. After a day or two (or maybe more), you should be able to disassemble most of the metal parts with some rust-buster, a little heat to expand the metal, and some tender but tough work with impact screw drivers. I use a fine tip on my Dremel tool to clean out screw slots. You will probably bugger a few screws, which can be peened or just replaced. Parts are quite available, if you take the time to look.

Good luck. I would not advise you to use this gun as a shooter -- it's just a treasure. Thanks for caring to put in the time and effort.