+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 35

Thread: South African No 1 Mk 3 barrels?

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Legacy Member Garandy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    03-24-2024 @ 03:58 PM
    Location
    Midwest, USA
    Posts
    148
    Real Name
    Andy
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    03:00 AM

    South African No 1 Mk 3 barrels?

    I don't own a No 1 Mk 3 type rifle, but I recently ran across a couple of South African No 1 Mk 3 barrels for sale from two different sources. One is unwrapped and being sold as NOS. The other is in a waxy material like cutting tools are dipped in after sharpening and is being sold as "excellent".

    I looked through my copy of The Lee-Enfield and only found one brief reference to South African made Enfield parts.

    I also did a search here with little luck.

    What is the story on these? When were they made? When were they originally imported to the US as surplus and sold?
    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.

  2. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    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. #2
    Contributing Member
    bigduke6's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 09:09 PM
    Location
    North West England,UK
    Posts
    3,279
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:00 AM
    They are used barrels that are from stripped rifles, they are normally complete with the rear sight block etc. A dealer in the UKicon bought many.........

  4. Thank You to bigduke6 For This Useful Post:


  5. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  6. #3
    Contributing Member mrclark303's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 01:25 PM
    Location
    The wild west of England
    Posts
    3,401
    Real Name
    Mr Clark
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    09:00 AM
    I believe they were originally made by the UKicon trade in WW2 as factory dispersal production.

    The S A marked Barrels have have allowed the creation of many new build SMLE's over the last 15 years

  7. #4
    Legacy Member Garandy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    03-24-2024 @ 03:58 PM
    Location
    Midwest, USA
    Posts
    148
    Real Name
    Andy
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    03:00 AM
    Thread Starter
    Quote Originally Posted by bigduke6 View Post
    They are used barrels that are from stripped rifles, they are normally complete with the rear sight block etc. A dealer in the UKicon bought many.........
    Interesting.

    The "NOS" barrel has the sight bases and inner band mounted. It also has a five or six digit (a digit may have been struck out) number stamped on the chamber end. Looks like it suffered a bit in storage too.

    The "excellent" barrel that is still partially covered with the waxy looking coating does not appear (pictures are not the best) to have a number stamped on the chamber end but it is wearing sight bases and the inner band as well.

  8. #5
    Legacy Member smerdon42's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 04:53 AM
    Location
    Natick Massachusetts USA
    Posts
    114
    Real Name
    Mark
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    04:00 AM
    Guys there is a company in Australiaicon that sells new barrels southern cross militarila also do wood as well not sure if they ship to the states . Cost is around $500 Aussie dollars .

  9. #6
    Legacy Member Mk VII's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Last On
    03-20-2024 @ 07:30 PM
    Location
    England
    Age
    62
    Posts
    1,406
    Real Name
    James West
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:00 AM
    The ban on arms sales to South Africa meant that the country developed its own arms industry including spare parts for existing arms.



    IIRC the inner band which comes already on it had a different-from-normal thread.

  10. #7
    Advisory Panel
    Roger Payne's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Last On
    03-20-2024 @ 06:05 AM
    Location
    Sutton Coldfield, UK.
    Posts
    3,429
    Real Name
    Roger Payne
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:00 AM
    There must be SA barrels from more than one source then. Many years ago Charnwood imported a load of them, all wax dipped, all with rear sight bases & all brand new (NOS) SA 1950's manufacture. When Charnwood ceased trading most or possibly even all of the barrels were bought by Terry Abrams. I managed to persuade Terry to let me have a few. I think he still has some, although last I heard he didn't have many left & so was reluctant to part with any more.

  11. The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to Roger Payne For This Useful Post:


  12. #8
    Contributing Member smle addict's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 02:48 PM
    Location
    CA, USA
    Posts
    482
    Real Name
    A. G.
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    01:00 AM
    Here's an older thread that touched on this a few years back, re: SA manufactured barrels.

    https://www.milsurps.com/showthread....597#post370597

  13. The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to smle addict For This Useful Post:


  14. #9
    Advisory Panel Brian Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 05:18 PM
    Location
    Edgefield, SC USA
    Posts
    4,038
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    04:00 AM
    All of the South African SMLE barrels I've had were plastic coated and in new condition. They are excellent. The RFI barrels Sarco has available are take offs but mostly "as new" and also excellent. I've lost count of how many I've breached up for folks over the past few years. No complaints.

  15. #10
    Moderator
    (Milsurp Forums)


    Amatikulu's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Last On
    12-30-2023 @ 05:23 PM
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    1,282
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    03:00 AM
    Just as a useless anecdote, at one time in South Africa the licensed part of the rifle was the barrel. Receivers were not registered.

  16. The Following 3 Members Say Thank You to Amatikulu For This Useful Post:


+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. South African No.4's ?
    By Rumpelhardt in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 05-14-2022, 05:25 PM
  2. South African .303 Value
    By ncozzo in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 05-11-2016, 09:21 PM
  3. South African .303 Value
    By ncozzo in forum Appraisals, Fakery, Dispute Resolution & Mediation Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 05-11-2016, 08:31 AM
  4. South African/DENAL 7,62mm BREn barrels..........need a measurement.
    By TactAdv in forum The Bren LMG (Light Machine Gun)
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 11-29-2015, 03:04 PM
  5. South African No. 4 Mk I
    By Pattern14 in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 09-21-2009, 12:36 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks