South Australian Government 1904 No.1 Mk1 ShtLe with Lithgow H barrel

[Kiwi]

I've just purchased a 1904 No.1 Mk1 at auction on the basis of one photo and a brief description (rookie mistake) that has been had its woodwork significantly altered, with the view to restock it and bring it back to something that resembles what it would have looked like when it was issued. Now I have the rifle in my hands and can see what I have, and see that although the bolt and receiver match and the magazine is correct, the barrel however is not as issued. Its a non-serialled Lithgow H heavy contour SMLE barrel with a date of 12 '37 which I assume is December 1937. The receiver is stamped SA (for South Australia as far as my reference books tell me anyway?) and there are sold from service marks on the barrel and receiver. What I would like to know is is there any way of telling that the H barrel was done by an military armourer rather than at any point in the last 80+ years by a private individual. What has me thinking it may be an armourers work is that the receiver is stamped 38 (perhaps when the new barrel went on?) and there are two // marks on the barrel which I read in the Skennerton's 'The Broad Arrow' pg 9, that such marks may be the mark of an armourer (they don't look like the typical marks left by bubba when he uses a vice and pipe wrench to swap barrels in any event). On the other hand, the lack of serial number on the barrel is a worry as I would have expected there to be a serial number that matches the receiver. If anyone could shed some light on what I have and when the barrel was put on, I'd really appreicate it. If my reasoning is way off the mark please be gently with your comments on my 'clutching at straws 'reasoning.

If it turns out that the barrel replacement is an armourers work, then what would be the correct forewood to use in any refurbishment work - a No.1 Mk1 or a No.1 MkIII with the charger bridge inlet filled in (sorry if that sounds a little newbyish, but am unsure if the heavy contour barrel would make fitting in a no.1mk1 stock a real pain in the proverbial, let alone what issues I may have fitting no.1 mk1 handguards.

Information

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[Lee Enfield]

What is the existing forend stock? Properly it should have a shortened long lee stock.

The long lee barrel contour is heavier than a smle barrel. In fact an "H" barrel is a factory shortened Long Lee barrel.

The only extra inletting you should have would be for the rear sight bed.

You should also show the front site and handguards.

I would suggest that the barrel was breached to the action in Dec 1937.

Does the right side of thr butt stock or left side of the butt socket have amy markings?

[Kiwi]

In response to Lee Enfield's questions:
1. It came with quite a shortened MLE fore stock (judging from the location of rear hand guard spring clip inlets) and it has been further inletted for the rear sight bed of the current barrel.
2. No markings on the butt stock at all that I can see and the the brass ID is blank (checked both sides). Looks to be a No.1 Mk1 butt stock as it has the butt plate without provision for a oiler and the rear of the butt has longitudinal lightening holes drilled in it (only mark appears to be an 'I' stamped at the bottom rear of the butt stock).
3. No other markings on the butt socket except those I've shown previously.
4. No hand guards came with the rifle and the front sight appears to be a standard Lithgow front fight assembly with lithgow star on it.

[Son]

The Rifle, Short Magazine Lee Enfield MkI had it's own foreend, not a converted MLE foreend (Like the ConDII) That year model MkI rifle should have had single clip rear handguard. The way to tell if the foreend was original to the model or not, even if sportered to a degree, is the location of the inner band recess.... Even if original, it would have to have the inletting to fit that rear sight bed, and also be cut deeper in the channel to take the H profile barrel. It could have been a butchered MLE foreend... won't be able to tell without some pics.
I think the barrel was fitted up post service. For starters, the mixing of parts... the rear sight bed looks like it has a BSA mark... (I could be wrong) but it should not have had a MkI rear sight leaf installed on that barrel, on that bed. The sold out of service marks look to differ. and have been applied differently too, making me think the barrel and action were not together when they were sold out of service. If put in by an armourer at that time, the barrel should have been numbered... Is the rear sight numbered to the receiver?
If the butt is original, it will have a steel but plate, without a trap, and have a single screw, turn in rear swivel (square type) in it.

I am thinking because of the H barrel, and the fine elevation and windage adjustable rear sight, it may have been made up for a target rifle
If you were to attempt to restock it to full wood, you will need a MkIII foreend and handguards that have been inletted for the H barrel.

...my take on the information so far...

In the interests of getting it right, the Mk1 rifles were returned to store prior to May 1926 where they were kept against further need, but excluded from the changes to vocabulary. This meant they stayed as "MkI" rifles and were never given the "No1" prefix. LoC reference, A1635 B1

[Kiwi]

Thanks Son. What you've written makes sense and confirms what I think I have gone an bought - Looks like I've aquired yet another mix master. Plan to stock it up with a MkIII foreend that has already been inletted for an H barrel in any event and see how she shoots. The butt stock is a MkI for sure (steel butplate without trap and single screw how where swivel would be - swivel missing) and the rear sight bed is BSA marked. If nothing else, she's a good parts rifle so I i won't lose out on my investment (I've seen MkI mags sell recently formore that what I paid the whole rifle).

[Son]

The butt is a pretty rare beast too. All the rifles that were on converted to MkI*** were supposed to have an SMLE butt fitted as part of the mods

I agree... would stick a foreend on it, even a buggered old sporter and open the channel out so the barrel is fully floating and see how it shoots. If the bore is ok, you might be surprised. I would be interested to hear back what you do and how it works out.
Good luck with it!