+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: New addition BSA identification

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Legacy Member Medalnet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Last On
    10-11-2021 @ 07:08 AM
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7
    Real Name
    Richard Nortje
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:03 AM

    New addition BSA identification

    I recently acquired my first BSA .303 on a local South African auction site. Although enthused to have this delightful addition to my small yet growing collection, establishing the origin and personality of the firearm is proving to be somewhat of a challenge. In an attempt to get some guidance I have posted a few pics in the hope that the forum could assist with their invaluable insight and knowledgeable guidance. Appreciated. Enjoy.
    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 303 Gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Last On
    Yesterday @ 11:20 PM
    Location
    Maine, United States
    Age
    34
    Posts
    181
    Real Name
    Joshua
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    01:03 AM
    Congratulations on the new rifle! A helpful first step would be photos of both sides of the buttsocket. The rifle looks likely to have started life as an MLM or MLE before being upgraded to CLLE configuration. The buttsocket photos will likely confirm or disabuse us of that notion. It was also shortened at some point, losing its front sight block, and seems to have had its rear sight removed as well

  4. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  5. #3
    Contributing Member NORTHOF60's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Last On
    01-11-2022 @ 12:20 PM
    Location
    Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
    Posts
    272
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    12:03 AM
    I think that the rifle started out as a BSA commercial rifle (it has the BSA trademark on the knox form) that was adopted by the Union of South Africa (broad arrow within a U).
    Last edited by NORTHOF60; 10-05-2020 at 09:59 AM.
    Some do, some don't; some will, some won't; I might ...

  6. #4
    Legacy Member Daan Kemp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Last On
    Today @ 12:12 AM
    Location
    Centurion RSA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    1,392
    Real Name
    Daan Kemp
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:03 AM
    Looks like one of the cadet drill rifles sold off in 1983, Is the chamber welded?

  7. #5
    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
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    05:03 AM
    Yes, it looks as though there is grinding over the chamber which made me wonder about welding. The other odd thing is the apparent total lack of any sights. That made me wonder in turn if it might have been converted into a 410 shotgun, although I can't see any 410 proofs, & the OP hasn't mentioned it.

  8. #6
    Legacy Member Medalnet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Last On
    10-11-2021 @ 07:08 AM
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7
    Real Name
    Richard Nortje
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:03 AM
    Thread Starter
    Afternoon gents......thank you for the responses.....yes the mechanism is welded. What I will do is get those suggested additional pics to see if the experts can guide me further....... if the firearm was sold off in the 80's would this still make it an old firearm and worth keeping? Am I correct in assuming that the date stamped on the firearm doesn't reflect the age of the rifle but rather the pattern that it was manufactured on?

  9. Thank You to Medalnet For This Useful Post:


  10. #7
    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
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    05:03 AM
    The more affluent dominions like South Africa could afford to order them directly from the commercial makers and so those don't have dates on. It's got the government viewer's mark and the double serial is probably to do with that.

  11. #8
    Legacy Member Daan Kemp's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Last On
    Today @ 12:12 AM
    Location
    Centurion RSA
    Age
    73
    Posts
    1,392
    Real Name
    Daan Kemp
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:03 AM
    If it has a welded bolt, hole in chamber, etc, it is one of the rifles used by the school cadets in South Africa for drill purposes. Sold off in the SADF in 1983 at R5 for a carbine and R15 for a rifle IIRC. I trust you got the SADF issue voucher from the seller as these deactivated items are subject to the FCA.

  12. #9
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    RobD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Last On
    12-14-2023 @ 03:21 AM
    Location
    UK / South Africa
    Posts
    942
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    06:03 AM
    Medalnet, the original rifle is a Britishicon infantry rifle of South African War [Boer war] vintage, starting life as probably around 1900.
    - The most interesting markings are those we haven't been shown yet - under the bolt handle - can you get a peep at them for us? May have a date and so on...
    - It was converted to take a loading charger [clip] in about 1910 - that's the "bridge" across the action
    - it was in the SA military use after 1910 - that's the arrowhead-in-U markings you can see.
    - around WW1 it was rebarrelled with a commercial BSA barrel - this was done on a large scale by the SA military. the BSA commercial marking is the little pyramid of stacked rifles on the flat [knox form] at the start of the barrel.
    - Then, probably after WW2, it was converted to cadet drill use. It's been shortened (the original barrel was 767 mm long)
    - It's been deactivated as well, probably recently.
    Thus it is interesting as a conversation piece or wall-hanger, but it'll never shoot again and it no longer looks as it did when it was built, but it does have history and it is one of many similar rifles. As Daan says, with the right paperwork it can be displayed as a non-functioning rifle in your den.

  13. #10
    Legacy Member Medalnet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2015
    Last On
    10-11-2021 @ 07:08 AM
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    7
    Real Name
    Richard Nortje
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    07:03 AM
    Thread Starter
    Thank you for all the feedback....very interesting. Let me revisit the exercise and try and get those other photos as suggested......appreciated.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. New Addition
    By 303 Gunner in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 23
    Last Post: 09-03-2020, 03:59 AM
  2. Another addition
    By CINDERS in forum Milsurps General Discussion Forum
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 07-01-2018, 05:22 PM
  3. Another addition
    By CINDERS in forum Vintage Military Gear
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-12-2018, 09:34 AM
  4. newest addition, what do you think??
    By phillydude in forum M1/M2 Carbine
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 12-30-2009, 12:23 PM
  5. New Addition
    By tlvaughn in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 10-03-2009, 06:12 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