Braendlin Armoury Lee Speed..?

[Simon P]

I was sorting through some of the spare actions when i came across a Braendlin Armoury Marked Lee Speed action.

The receiver ring is marked Lee Speed and the right butt socket has the Braendlin Armoury mark.

There are no provision for receiver safety or long range volley sights, I wondered if any one else has come across a Braendlin Marked Lee Speed Enfield / Metford.

The image comparing the butt sockets, The left socket is the Braendlin marked one, the right one is a 1903 dated MkI* Enfield Action

Information

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[Amatikulu]

I have to confess my ignorance of the Braendlin Armoury, never having seen anything marked like that before. Can you tell me anything more about Braendlin?

[Bindi2]

Simon P you have thrown another maker into the ring that i had no idea made these actions. What else can you tell us or show us about them.

[Simon P]

I never expected to find this marking on an "Enfield" action.

Braendlin Armoury was part of the Birmingham Gun trade, they made various firearms including trade pattern military rifles such as the Martini Henry and the Braendlin-Albini rifle.

I beleive they were linked in some way to Tranter or shared the same premises, they were disolved around 1890 but had a presence under a different owner to around 1915.

[Surpmil]

The Braedlin is certainly interesting, but my knowledge of the early actions must be lacking because I have never seen such a square and massive looking butt socket before.

The way in which the left side of the mag cut off lug and the right side of the bolt head retaining spring slot are cut suggests that perhaps these were factory seconds that were going to be sold to some less important client in a remoter part of the world?

[Simon P]

The Braedlin is certainly interesting, but my knowledge of the early actions must be lacking because I have never seen such a square and massive looking butt socket before.

The square butt socket is from the other action which is specific to the Lee Metford MkI & MkI*, which is even more perculiar as it is a 1903 dated MkI* Metford action

[Surpmil]

The square butt socket is from the other action which is specific to the Lee Metford MkI & MkI*, which is even more perculiar as it is a 1903 dated MkI* Metford action

Thanks, yes I realized it was the other action.

Does the "Lee Speed Patents" stamp match exactly that usually seen on the butt sockets?

The way the rear trigger guard screw lugs are rounded down and smoothed into the socket is unique to this action or is that seen on some Metfords as well?

And that CP under a crown proof mark that is just below the LEE SPEED PATENTS stamp is post-WWII isn't it?

[Rowdy]

Commercial actions were usually more rounded off and better finished, especially in the buttsocket area.
The 1903 action is probably one of the "clean-up" run sold to the South Australian government in 1903.

[Simon P]

I have since found some more of these Metford actions, quite a few are dated 1903, but there are also a few dated 1901, 1900 & 1899, plus the usual earlier dates, all have the narrow magazine well. None are dated 1902. They are all in nearly new condition & in storage grease.

Just need to find a projeect to use these actions for.

[Lance]

Here is what my 1903 MLM MkI* action was made into since you are looking for idea's.