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  1. #11
    Advisory Panel Lee Enfield's Avatar
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    These are what the 10th?? unicorn guns that you've found in the last few years. .

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    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #12
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    Peter Laidler's Avatar
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    But back to the BSA Experimental machine carbines from page 1 of this thread. The cocking mechanism would have proved a bit of a handful in sandy - or even dusty - conditions, believe me. Much the same as the bolt of that other gun of the era that we seem to look at with rose tinted spectacles, the EM rifles. The REAL problem with the BSA EM SMG was its competition. You've got to be more than pretty-good to beat a Patchett........, you've got to be VERY good. And when the Patchett became a Mk3 or 4 Sterling (the L2A2 and the L2A3) you've got to be exceptionally good. Just my totally unbiased opinion of course!

    The updated TGOD is on its way..............

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  6. #13
    Advisory Panel stencollector's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Enfield View Post
    These are what the 10th?? unicorn guns that you've found in the last few years. .
    Naw, I don't get nuthin, remember?

    The collection of firearms at the museum is somewhat eclectic, ranging from Canadianicon military small arms to some of the usual war trophies (neutered AK47 and variants welded up, are recent ones) and civilian/military type firearms from just about anywhere. I guess the difference is to be able to spot the gems mixed in with the chafe. Looking through the Brens, they range from a couple of Britishicon examples, a couple partially restored re-welds, brens missing parts, and a few gems mixed in. I noticed that on the accession data base, we have a mk1 with prismatic sight on loan to a museum in Quebec. I am assuming it is a lensatic sight they are talking about, and have to wonder if they knew the sight was worth more than the gun when they loaned it out. The sight does not appear to have been accessioned on it's own, but rather listed as a component of the Bren.

  7. #14
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    There is kit sitting in museum basements that will never see the light of day but in many cases they have had to rewrite the book when it does surface.
    Many times the museum does not know what it is nor do they care. If there is no accession card it just pushed farther and farther into the cobwebs.
    This has happened on several cases and it is the same as getting a call to get a 'piece of junk out of the basement" to find out it is a rare and exotic item.
    They had to rewrite a chapter of the Maxim book over an item that came out of a local basement that was going to the dump unless it got picked up.
    It does happen and a lot more than you think.

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  9. #15
    Legacy Member AmEngRifles's Avatar
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    Ah, the intricacies of museum collections. I would hope that the loans are updated and confirmed, as that prismatic sight on loan stencollector should not be lost track of. Tell me the museum in Quebec and I may just make a trip to confirm it’s existence!

    Nice work on the 30.06. The mag appears very nearly like the 8mm, just lengthened to accommodate 30 rounds instead of 20??

  10. #16
    Advisory Panel stencollector's Avatar
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    I believe the mags are lengthened for 30 rounds, and also lengthened front to back for the longer 30-06 length.

    No need to drive all the way up there to check. The lensatic sights aren't that rare that you have to drive that far to see one. The artifacts manager has been away for a bit but when he gets back I'll ask him to confirm.

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    Legacy Member AmEngRifles's Avatar
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    DRIVE!?, Stencollector, I am in the South! I would definitely FLY! Just need to ID some good arms collections in Canadaicon that make it worth the trip. Been to The Royal Armouries in Leeds. WELL worth the trip, indeed.

  12. #18
    Legacy Member Kev G's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by stencollector View Post
    I spotted that same report in "the Bren Gun Saga".
    I'm a bit hesitant about quoting from either edition of the BGS as sadly they are too many errors in them hence the snippet of the original :-)
    The 2nd edition states there were only eight 30-06 Canadianicon Brens made but the UKicon had a least 8 for trials and testing (X30 serial number range) and asking about another 6 being gauged.

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  14. #19
    Advisory Panel stencollector's Avatar
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    I went and had another look at the two 30 cal Brens today, and found a few more markings than last time.

    30CAL A gun is not welded, and has a serial in the normal area of 010. The barrel with is is serialised as 010D, so my guess would be there were at least 4 barrels with this particular gun. The right side of the gun us clean...no date, no "Inglis" marking, no model number.
    I have that barrel on my desk, so will bring in some dummy rounds enxt week to see what fits....most likely a 30-06. I also tried a 303 mag in the gun, and it is a little too wide and a bit too short, so things are leaning well towards the 30-06.

    30CAL B has the slight weld inside to the piston, and unfortunately also has a slight blob of weld inside the chamber. It has serial in the usual spot of C2454 and a barrel number of 2545 (possible dyslexic stramping?). It also has a B stamped near the serial.

    I had a look for the bolts and magazines in the other vault, but no joy there. Hopefully they are hiding in a crate somewhere in the collections waiting to be found.

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  16. #20
    Advisory Panel stencollector's Avatar
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    And confirmed...the barrel is 30-06. Hopefully the magazines and bolts will surface one day. I almost wonder if the bolt is the standard 8mm bolt, as was later used for the 7.62 conversions.

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