1936 BSA No1 MKIII* Iraqi Contract

[Roger Payne]

You might well be correct Alan, but my assumption, & it is only my assumption, but based on having had a few SMLE's in my hands over the years, is that the marking was applied to all barrels that conformed to that specification (ie, were for High Velocity ammunition & possesed of the Small Cone).......ie. including new manufacture......not just conversions. If that is the case, finding HV SC on a 1936 SMLE would be the norm. But again, I have only based this view on seeing a few & I could have seen an unrepresentative sample.

Capt14k, within the limits of my experience, I think your rifle is well loved but essentially as it should be.

Photo's - Later addendum. Alan, I bought a load of rusty relic 'back from the Middle East' BSA inter war rifles from one of the bigger UK dealers a few years ago. They are real restoration challenges, to say the least. Most are 1920's BSA MkIII*'s & late 1930's BSA MkIII's. I enclose a few photo's which show the HV SC as well as their vintage. They are all L prefix rifles with what appear to be their original barrels.

The consolation was that they were cheap......!

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[Alan de Enfield]

Photo's - Later addendum. Alan, I bought a load of rusty relic 'back from the Middle East' BSA inter war rifles from one of the bigger UK dealers a few years ago. They are real restoration challenges, to say the least. Most are 1920's BSA MkIII*'s & late 1930's BSA MkIII's. I enclose a few photo's which show the HV SC as well as their vintage. They are all L prefix rifles with what appear to be their original barrels.

The consolation was that they were cheap......!

Many thanks for that - every day is a school day.
I was always under the impression it was used to mark a modified barrel and sights.