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  1. #1
    Legacy Member AradoAR234's Avatar
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    Siamese SMLE advice

    Thought this forum would be the best place to ask advice before I do anything....

    I'm building a project out of a Lithgow sporter in very good condition, which I wanted to restore to full wood as close as possible. The main reason is that I want to make a number of accuracy enhancing modifications for my own interest, and I've got lots of info from various books and articles, with tips and tweaks long forgotten about. I'm not interested in buying the replica timber they sell in Australiaicon for ridiculous prices, and then having to source all the fittings on top of that. So the plan was to buy a shot out full wood with a mis matched bolt that had no collectable value and simply use it as a donor rifle. However.....

    A 1920 Siamese issue SMLE ( BSA ), came my way very inexpensively and appears to be perfect for what I need. The barrel is totally worn out and corroded and has a non matching bolt, but otherwise appears untouched and completely original, right down to the stacking swivel on the nose cap. I've read and been told these are quite uncommon now, and have began to have doubts about using it for my project. Should I just keep it for history's sake, and keep looking? Are they really that uncommon...any advice would be greatly appreciated
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    Legacy Member Anzac15's Avatar
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    I'd keep that one as-is.

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    Legacy Member AradoAR234's Avatar
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    I'm starting to think along the same lines Anzac...….if only they didn't want so much money for Lithgows' with worn out barrels and out of spec headspace.

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    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
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    Leave as is its one of 10,000 contracted to Siam along with the bayonets as well, but I would surely want the presentation one they gave to the King of Siam it was a cracker no other 303 have I seen tarted up as much as that one

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