Classic Gunshow Story

[Son]

Went to a gunshow today... quite a few No1 rifles quality varying from crap to some nice, prices were pretty much over the top though. There were two No5's at one table... three No4 T's with tags between 6.4K and 6.7k on one table and another one in the chest (no scope can) for about 6.5K. There were four Lee Metford/ Lee Enfield/ Lee Speed cavalry carbines on one table.. condition wasn't too bad on the outside of them, prices varied from 1.4 to 1.8K.

The one that took the cake was an unusual looking piece... receiver was pre charger bridge, barrel was obviously a 30" cut down to 25", front sight roughly soldered on... sporter cut foreend and no handguards. The label (two actually) said "Rare model Short Tom" then either experimental, or pre production or prototype... something like that... I couldn't hang around.. the dealer tried to make eye contact so I hurried off before I was forced to offend him... Wish I took a picture now... didn't see a price on it...

Anyone else go to Panthers today?

just a quick addendum... there was two freshly made foreends on one table... they were tagged "aussie carbine" (IIRC) and were machine cut very roughly out of some sort of timber.. looked like packing crate pine, actually... very wide hard and soft grain stripes, would have been near impossible to finish at all. The big issue was... they were machine copied off a SMLE range pattern foreend, complete with the groove under the front half for the clearing rod! I wonder who did his market research for him?

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[browningautorifle]

The thing is, someone WILL buy these and then we'll see them here asking for verification. Deal of the day you know...

[mike1967]

Gday Son,

I was there, shame we didn't think of advertising if anyone was going, we could of had a beer at the Panthers. An even more classic story is the guy that had the one No4 T had two in the morning, he sold one and thinks he gave the wrong scope away with the gun !

The other No4 Ts and the various carbines was the stuff from Bob E that was unsold at the AAA Auctions. The dealer took it as a job lot, he had the same 8 or so guns on the table 3 months ago so really his prices are a little over the mark.

Cheers.

[Son]

Thanks for that! I thought that guys table was a bit too well stacked to be gathered over time.

The bloke with the T in a box told me the same thing... the buyer really should have checked that anyway... He also told me he bought a scope off an Aussie sniper.. pulled it out of his little case under the table and guess what.... It was a Field scope in dovetail mounts... he said he didn't think they used dovetail mounts on the Aussie snipers.... hope he didn't pay too much

I didn't think to ask who might be going either, only the third time I had been there in the last ten years. Might make it to the next one, just for the sake of it.


oh, one more I forgot... a pair of consecutively numbered No4 MkII's.. one still in the grease wrap, the other cleaned but unfired.... 5K!

and had a go at the SSAA air rifle range too... four shot group... read 'em and weep!

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[Bindi2]

Easy to see you spend to much time on the range and not enough in the shop. Reckon Ned might mutter something about the West carrying the East.
Can you please explain what is a SMLE range pattern forend. I know what a Long Lee range pattern forend looks like with and without the groove.

[Son]

Easy to see you spend to much time on the range and not enough in the shop. Reckon Ned might mutter something about the West carrying the East.
Can you please explain what is a SMLE range pattern forend. I know what a Long Lee range pattern forend looks like with and without the groove.

apology... I should have used the official designation (there was no official designation! They didn't exist inside the military system so they were not named.... ) but... Mr Skennerton used a very precise name in TLE, (P458) so I will defer to that... "Magazine Lee Enfield Shortened Rifle Club Pattern (Aust)"

Except for work, I have probably less than three hundred rounds at a range in the last 12 months.... (mind you, it's easy to get 3000 in a morning at work! jeez I love my job...)

[trooper554877]

apology... I should have used the official designation (there was no official designation! They didn't exist inside the military system so they were not named.... ) but... Mr Skennerton used a very precise name in TLE, (P458) so I will defer to that... "Magazine Lee Enfield Shortened Rifle Club Pattern (Aust)"

Except for work, I have probably less than three hundred rounds at a range in the last 12 months.... (mind you, it's easy to get 3000 in a morning at work! jeez I love my job...)

the sooner we succeed from the rest of the country the better!!!
the red headed, duck arsed ranga PM is now going to take an extra 400 million of the GST earned in WA to help bail out the OLDers. And here i was listening to Capt Bligh saying that QLD was the powerhouse behind the economy!!!

Don't forget who pays your wages SON. better get me and Bindi over there one day to check out where our dollars are being spent and maybe we can waste a few thousand again ourselves!! Mag 58, Mag 58, Mag 58!!!!

Cheers
Ned
Just a little proud West Aussie!!

[Bindi2]

I am with you Ned on the $400m. Have never fired a 58 but reckon i would have fun learning.
Sorry for the tongue in the cheek Son couldnt help myself. 300 or 3,000 it is still range time and you get paid to have that much fun. mumble mumble mumble where can i get a job like that?

[Son]

Ned and Bindi... it's about time someone other than us here in the engine room got to bail out those bloody northerners.... heads in the clouds the lot of them... when you guys have finished helping out there, how about chipping in with the mexicans too... just help pay for a fence will do!

BTW... yeah.... 15,000 7.62 before lunch, but i usually only get burnt fingers from the ordeal! Rather half a dozen .50's at 2km any day

[trooper554877]

Ned and Bindi... it's about time someone other than us here in the engine room got to bail out those bloody northerners.... heads in the clouds the lot of them... when you guys have finished helping out there, how about chipping in with the mexicans too... just help pay for a fence will do!

BTW... yeah.... 15,000 7.62 before lunch, but i usually only get burnt fingers from the ordeal! Rather half a dozen .50's at 2km any day

what where you doing? testing the cyclic rate??
Fence? big bloody brick wall mate !!!!
cheers Ned