1936 Lithgow.

[Homer]

You have a 1936 action that was assembled some time later in 1940, hence the MA38 cutoff, MA39 front sight and 2/40 barrel. Very normal for a mid 30's receiver. I'm inclined to agree with the previous contributors, don't be too concerned about restoring it as it would have been. Finding the correct maple stock would be an enormous challenge. Use the parts you have and make the best of it. Not many 1936 actions around so you can be pleased by that detail.

[henry r]

i'm still learning so take this with a grain of salt, but I think the stars on the barrel are inspection marks (like the row of stars on the rhs of the receiver). from what I can tell they kept using the star inspectors stamps on the actions at least till the end of ww2.

as far as swapping parts, the only two that I would "have" to swap are the nose cap and the cover/spring piece on the safety. when I think interwar Lithgow (even though it was assembled in ww2) I think quality, those two bits make me shudder.

the holes in the wings of the BA nose cap are a 50's thing. I think they look cool and would match them with an early milled rear sight protector if I was building a bitsa to my tastes, but on this rifle i'm not so sure. the finish on it is a bit too agricultural.

the J in a circle stamp rings a bell but I can't remember what it means. anyone?

[mahd776]

Well I finished putting the 1936 Lithgow together today. Like I have said it has had a rough life. Ended up replacing a few parts with Lithgow parts when I could find them. Some of them may not be 1940 period correct but are Australian parts. Others just used what I had. Have to do a range trip soon and she how it shoots.

[browningautorifle]

Good looking old rifle...

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Really LOUD garden chair!

And a nice start? to a collection of Lee Enfields.

[CINDERS]

Bruce that's a 3/4 time party chair when you have the beer goggles on you can find your seat easily!
Now all mahd needs is a 1935 Lithgow '07 bayonet & scabbard to finish it off very nice looking rifle.

[mahd776]

That chair is what I call Kawasaki green. Since I ride a Kawasaki Concours 14 it has been a favorite color. Added bonus is its always easy to find!

[mahd776]

Does this qualify for a meager start to a Enfield collection? Hoping to expand now that I seem to have enough M1 Garands for now. Should have bought more Enfields while prices were cheaper!

[Homer]

Should have bought more Enfields while prices were cheaper!

Yeah you and everybody else on this forum.

Of course it qualifies. Well done.

[CINDERS]

Ain't that the truth! Nice collection of 303's
Loved my Kwaka's 2 x 1976 green Z900's one was stolen the other a write off (woman went through a stop sign so I threw the bike away I ended up under her car.) and a ZIR MkI Silver tank should have kept them for the prices the 900's and 1000's are getting now 8K for an original 900 with standard pipes which always sounded awesome with the baffles out.