Speed-Lee markings

[EnfieldNutt84]

Would you be willing to share info from your other findings? It sounds like you know alot more about these beautys than I do. Other intestesting thing about it, everyone that has shot this gun, has instantly fallen in love if it. The BSA on the receiver I mentioned is B.S.A .Co.

[Jc5]

The nose cap could be expected to have a "Rigby 88" stamp and the bolt head would have a number: 19145/90.

Are either of those present?

[Amatikulu]

I am speculating that the markings might be from the Balkans area but cannot make out the markings clearly enough to confirm this. Another alternative tying in Africa is Ethiopia which had a Christian King.

[EnfieldNutt84]

Good thoughts, its shaping up like a British made contract gun im thinking, with the UV im thinking Africa, the Cross Ethiopia isnt a bad idea. I think is a 0 before the SN, for instance 0^1575, the bolt handle is just 1575 and the is a hard to make out stamp on the bolt knob, ive noticed thru google image searches the officer's models had more markings, there may be other markings inside the nose cap but its pretty barron on the outside of it, the markings r on the wood which is visible thru the hollow cap. more like a band i guess.

[EnfieldNutt84]

Which Bayonet does the Lee-Speed use?

[Jc5]

A commercial Lee Enfield would use whatever bayonet that its closest service pattern relative would use. The trade pattern and officer model carbines used a bayonet mount similar to the ones on the Long Lee rifles, which would take the 1888 bayonet. Later commercial Lee Enfields based on the SMLE would take the later bayonets. However, yours doesn't seem to have a bayonet lug at all! Could you post a close-up photo of the nose cap?

BTW, the term "Lee Speed" is really just shorthand. There was never a commercial model called a "Lee Speed." The stamp is an acknowledgement of patents, not a model of rifle. We all call them "Lee Speeds" but that just means it's a commercial rifle that has the LSP stamp on it. Plenty of commercial rifles lack the LSP stamp, being produced after the patents had expired. Even Skennerton (in his book) uses the term "Lee Speed" to refer to rifles that lack the LSP stamp. Others will disagree with nomenclature, and that's OK.

I also spent some time looking up markings with no success. The script looks similar to Ethiopian characters, but no exact matches.

The rifle is definitely a commercial BSA, but it was likely a private purchase rather than part of a contract. I don't know of any large contracts for these carbines.

Is the serial number stamped on the top-rear flat part of the action, where the bolt slides in?

[EnfieldNutt84]

I have to get my camera in better shape to take some more pics, but i have a strong feeling this is a contract acquisition do to the stamp I forget where I read it but England did make some small contracts of these rifles. The SN is located in front of the sear on the receiver left side. Then only the bolt handle neck like unto the Number 4s. Definitely an Enigma this one, I appreciate all the help and insight from all, i think we're getting close to truth, tho i would put my money on a military contract to a third world ally to her first owner, she does have the out of service arrows on her so it looks like she was released for purchase after a war.

[Jc5]

Whoa...! Sold out of Service marks? I must have missed that in the previous posts! That certainly makes things interesting! As for contracts, I know of several commercial contracts, but those are for service pattern rifles, not carbines of this type.

We defnitely need more pictures. I have a feeling we can tell a lot when we see them. What can you do to get more pics?

For now, can you please verify what number appears in the location shown in the attached photo? Also, is the knox form of the MLE or SMLE pattern?

Thanks

.

[EnfieldNutt84]

She is 1575, I forgot to mention the out of service markings before I think, my apologies. her SN (1575) does not appear on the receiver wrist as i call it, it only resides on the bolt side of the receiver by the sear. I dont think it was rubbed off of the "wrist" as my Savage Stevens had some markings rubbed off, perhaps like unto the ships England built for other nations, the contract carbines were scaled a bit down as well as far as features?

[EnfieldNutt84]

Im not sure what you mean as far as knox form and and MLE form, my bet is i could interchange parts with a long lee in most circumstances but the knox term and the difference in the MLE as to it im not sure about. I know the layout reminds me of a No 4 with a cut off switch.