I can't believe this is mine - 1914 Lithgow SMLE Mk III

[RangeRover]

My apologies for those who may have seen this elsewhere, but this rifle is so far and away the best rifle I own that I can't help but show it off.

1914 Lithgow SMLE Mk III in what appears to my eyes to be in original 1914 trim. All visible numbers match and all parts viewed so far are still Lithgow-marked.







Rifle has a brass plate let into to left side of the buttstock, reading "Dardanelles 1916 A.N.Z.A.C." and some hand-etched letters saying "Aegean 1918". The latter words appear under a scar running across the top of the buttstock, and additional lettering appears to have been started on the right side of the buttstock.





There is also some old damage to the fore-end. There is no "story" with this rifle, but I can't help but wonder about the history of the buttstock scar and the fore-end damage.



And, as a bonus, the rifle came equipped with a 1913-dated M E Co. web sling.

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