Lee Metford dates?--Photos added

[boltaction]

Hi all:
I'll post pictures shortly, but I've picked up a Lee Metford Mk I*. It has all the correct features--finger grooved forewood, thumb cutout in the stock below the mag cutoff, bolt with screwed-on dust cover and shrouded bolt head (not matching to gun), 8 round mag, two piece front stacking swivel, and a ?steel buttplate. However, it has a Sparkbrook marked buttstock, and the receiver sports the Crown of Edward, ER, Enfield, 1903 I* on the socket. It has the stamps on the barrel to indicate a later change to Enfield profile rifling, which most of the Metfords had done, but I don't see anywhere that any were "redated" on the butt socket. Was the Long Lee Enfield not being produced exclusively by 1903? I didn't think that Metfords were produced that late? Or am I wrong? There is no sign of overstamping.......

Thx

Ed

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Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Rowdy]

I know the South Australian government had what was presumed to be an old stock clean up run of 1903 dated Mk.1* Metfords - any Australian ownership markings?

[Simon P]

I have a box of MKI* Metford actions with similar dates, probably using up the old stores.

[Lance]

Nice rifle!! I have a close cousin just 69 serial numbers away (7046E), mine as you can see was converted to a .22 Short Mk I and sent to Australia. If you ever part with it please keep me in mind!!

[boltaction]

No, there are no Australian ownership marks on it anywhere. Oddly enough, there aren't any stamps on the butt disk either. I'm curious about the Sparkbrook buttstock on this rifle. I have several Long Lee Enfields and a couple of Metford Mk II's, and they all have butts which match the rifle manufacturer--Enfield, Sparkbrook, etc. It's possible that this rifle had its buttstock replaced, but it would have been a long time ago; this set looks to have been together a long time, and aside from the bolt, the rifle is matching, even the rearsight. Did the South Australian government order use up existing parts such that a Sparkbrook butt would end up on an Enfield action, or does anyone know?

Lance, I will keep you in mind, but no plans on selling it. This is only the second of these Mk I*'s I've ever owned. I bought the first one in the 1980's from Wallis & Wallis auctions in England. It was in original configuration, matching as I recall, with the butt disk marked to the South Wales Borderers. There was a lot of pitting along stock line, and it had been neutered to .410 as per English regulations, but it was a Metford! I sold it when I was needing some funds for university etc, and really wish I hadn't. I didn't appreciate it as much at the time, and felt it was not as desirable d/t being .410, which is true, but still, this is only the second one of these I've seen offered for sale in the last 20 years. I would think they have to be around and shouldn't be that rare, but I guess maybe they just stay in collections and move between collectors without coming on the open market? There are a reasonable number of Mk II's around, at least in Canada, but come to think of it I haven't seen one of those up for a while either.

One thing I find about the internet is that the availability of items is much broader, and I think there may be a truer knowledge of what is really out there. There is a tremendous amount of information now widely available which used to be only known locally. For instance, I had no idea South Australia had obtained a late run of Metfords! Of course, the internet has also allowed complete idiots to spread their ignorance more widely than before, but everything comes at a price!

I have found that some things I thought were rare when I was collecting in the '80's are not as uncommon, and other items I thought were more common really aren't. Living in Saskatoon, before the internet I was dependent on local gun shows and things like the Canadian Access to Firearms newspaper, John Denner's catalogue, and word of mouth about various auctions to obtain things. I would have had no way of knowing what some fellow in BC or Newfoundland had for sale except for classifieds, and then photo requests had to be mailed. There was no way of knowing what might be coming up at a Switzer's auction or Rock Island or whatever unless I subscribed to the catalogues. Now it's all out there, and it's quite fascinating.

Cheers

Ed