Indian MK I** I.P. SMLE

[Claven2]

Posted on CGN's EE:
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum...d.php?t=251433

This rare rifle was converted from an 1904 enfield SMLE Mk I ** in India to SMLE MK III specs in 1915.Complete with cutoff and volley sights.Bolt is mis-matched.would rate as "good" condition overall.
$595.00 shipped.
Or will accept other collectable Enfields as trade.

I have been in contact with the seller. He describes the bore as "good". He also says no two serial numbers on the gun match.

The MkI** IP rifles are usually conversions of either an ShtLE MkI or a MLE MkI to the ShtLE MkIII specification, done in India, circa 1908 and later, up to about 1917 or so. Despite being done in India, these were done when India was heavily governed by Great Britain and the workmansip would be 100% equivalent to UK manufacture. Stock wood would be imported walnut, often modified from the original MkI wood.

A MkI** IP has been on my personal wish list many times and is one of the VERY FEW Lee Enfield models I have not possessed in person. Suffice it to say, this is a rare variant in Canada or anywhere else.

That being said, I have suspicions about this piece. There is no doubt that the action is a real MkI** IP. I would, however, expect to see a Type 2 milled rear sight protector on this gun, not a Type 3 stamped one. I would not expect to see a mismatched forestock and nosecap, though a mismatched bolt would be something I could deal with for the price.

My honest opinion is that this rare gun is a restored sporter. It is not frequent that SMLE's of any model were imported with mismatched furniture and hardware (except for bolts which the importers sometimes mixed up).

If it were subject to a rebuilt in India, or anywhere else in the commonwealth after conversion, I would expect it to be arsenal renumbered matching.

Is the price reasonable for a restored rifle? Probably. It would cost probably more than the asking price to track down a proper MkIII forestock with volley sights, all the hardware, and the rare barreled action to make up a representative example like this. If I were truly desperate for an example, I would buy it myself. That being said, I am a much less impulsive buyer these days and am more inclined to wait for substantially matching unrestored pieces. These are not as uncommon as, say, a correct Lee Enfield carbine. Also, many people will (wrongly) pass on this model because of some perceived (and very stupid) prejudice about it having spent time in India before or during WW1.

Your mileage may vary.

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