Possible lend lease

[Bob K]

Picked this up the other day. Not pristine in any shape or form, but I'm pretty sure it is original. Other than the worn stock, the only thing that detracts is someone drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope mount. I will try to get pictures posted tomorrow. Breakdown as follows.
SA 312483
-2 SA bolt RE1 with BNP proof mark
Checkered elevation
Knurled windage
Flush nut
SA GHS stock with long channel "O" marked in channel?
SA 8-41 barrel marked upside down
British proof marks on left front side of barrel behind front sight
1-SA trigger guard
5-SA trigger hsg.
2 SA hammer
6 SA safety type 2 without tooloing hole
3 Sa uncut op rod
12 SA receiver with BNP proof
Type 4 short fork follower rod
Front sight seal
Single slot lock screw ( no finish)
Type 1B grooved rear handguard clip
TE 1 1/4
MW 0
Type 1 round firing pin
Round clip latch
Rear sight cover marked "B"
Blued extractor
Type 2 op rod catch in the white
Type 3? follower arm
Type 2 follower arm pin unmarked
Type 2A follower
Type 2B bullet guide
Type 1 gas cyl. lock
Type 2 variation 2 stock ferrule with hole
Type 3 handguard liner
Type 2 trigger
Type 1 hammer spring plunger

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.

[browningautorifle]

Sounds just about the same as mine. Mine's 328219, mine has the LL return markings too. The receiver CAN be sorted out. There's threads here about doing that very thing if you wish.

[Bob K]

Finally got some pics. Link to album: http://s186.photobucket.com/user/Irw...arand%20312483





---------- Post added at 04:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:29 PM ----------

More pics

[browningautorifle]

Looks good, I wouldn't say the wood is so hashed up. I wouldn't sand it again though. Steam will pop most of those dents out I think. There's a couple guys around here can fix those screw holes so they're gone...but then you'd have to re-finish the receiver...it has nitro proofs which puts it in a different group and some don't like them as much. Thing is, it's worth lots just because of the sum total of the old parts. I'd just keep it like that. Matter of fact, I have one...

[Bob K]

What do you guys think its worth? Should I have the receiver repaired?

---------- Post added at 04:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:48 PM ----------

Jim, if you look at the wood close enough, you can see a lot of sanding scratches going in all directions. Plus the color is light in some areas and dark in others. Looks pretty ugly to me.

---------- Post added at 04:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:51 PM ----------

There will be a whole bunch more pictures in my album in a little while. Uploading them as I type this.

[browningautorifle]

Like I say, if you do then it has to be re-finished. It might be better left alone. I see the scratches, but that cartouche is worth a fortune. It's half gone now and you can't afford to lose it. If it needs a liquid strip and buff with maybe scotch brite, that would be about all. It will blend scratches but not remove wood. If you use a walnut stain or oil it should blend it in colour. I'm not sure Tung or BLO will do it. Others here have more experience with those two. There's a couple here that do extensive wood repairs, they'll be along. Value depends on your area. They're different here in Canada as opposed to where you are(U.S.).

[WarPig1976]

Bob, What are you thinking on the stock.? Are you up to a complete refinish or do you only want to try and blend colors.?

Edit> don't know why I couldn't remove my pics! anyway, this rifle was a repair and complete refinish....

[Bob K]

Bob, What are you thinking on the stock.? Are you up to a complete refinish or do you only want to try and blend colors.?

I'm not sure yet. I think I'll see what the consensus thinks before I decide. I don't want to lose any more of the cartouche.

[WarPig1976]

I vote refinish, Way easier then trying to blend.

[EdG]

I would leave the rifle as is. It is sad and a shame that the receiver has been drilled and tapped for a scope which also leaves it scratched up a bit. Unfortunately, I have seen way too many Lend Lease rifles with this travesty. I myself have three I found on auction sites over the last few years.

One came with the scope installed, one with the mount only, and one had the holes plugged and the receiver "painted" to very nicely match the color and finish of the rest of the receiver. The fellow who made this repair is/was a hobbyist of miniature metal soldiers which require painting so he used his experience and knowledge from his hobby to achieve a very fine "repair". The plugged holes are still visible but they do not jump out at you. He painted only the entire flat vertical face of the receiver where the scope screw holes and clip latch are, not the entire receiver.
Personally, I would not try to fix the rifle. Admittedly that damage will decrease the value when it comes time to sell the rifle. Unfortunately, there are too many guys who would not hesitate to destroy this original rifle for its parts and congratulate themselves for doing so. Such a shame.

I acquired the first such drilled and tapped rifle in Nov. 2004 with the intention of cannibalizing the parts, but I cannot bring myself to do it. In thirty years of collecting rifles and acquiring many parts, I have "restored" only one rifle. That was this year on a 2.07M SA. Since then I have acquired an original 2.05M SA so I may just "unrestore" the 2.07M. I wanted a SA rifle or receiver with the annealing that touched the rear receiver legs. Now I have two.

From your pics, your rifle looks OK as compared to many original rifles I've seen, Lend Lease and others. The finish on the receiver is beautiful and to repark it would be a further insult to your rifle. I withhold any completely firm idea about the stock without being able to see it in person. From your pics though, I think I would leave it as is with its dents, dings, and gouges.