Lithgow SMLE Accuracy project

[AradoAR234]

Late last year I managed to pick up 3 Lee Enfield Rifles from a nearby dealer for a really good price. My initial thought was to have one as a parts rifle, one as a dedicated sporter, and the other as a Full wood "accuracy Project". Although I originally intended to buy just two of the, the dealer threw in another one for free, as he said he just couldn't sell it.

Easy to see why.....it was the most bubba'd Lithgow I have ever seen. In an attempt to "sporterise" this poor rifle, someone had used a hack saw and angle grinder on the bolt to duplicate a Mannlicher style and failed miserably, as well as a flush fitting 5 shot magazine tack welded to the trigger guard etc. Oddly enough, this misguided soul had fitted what appeared to be a handmade trigger of quite good proportions and style, fitted a solid quality bridge mount ( with a woefull, cloudy, bottom end 'scope ), with mismatched after market custom butt and forend. I thought it would be good for parts anyway, and it was free, so I grabbed it.

The main buy was a 1918 BSA full wood, shot out barrel and non matching bolt, but otherwise period correct, right down to the stacking swivel. This was to be the donor rifle for the other one, a like new condition 1943 Lithgow, R.A.A.F. issue that had also been sporterised. Take the timber and fittings off the BSA, put them on the '43 Lithgow, and then use all the tips and tricks I've picked up over the years, and make a really accurate Full wood, without ruining a collectible.

Although the BSA had no real value for a collectors piece, and was too dangerous to shoot, I still had some misgivings about its donor value. With no stamps or discerning marks or dates on the timber and fittings, I decided to reluctantly sell sell the whole Full wood and fittings to another collector who desperately wanted a WW1 BSA restoration. He was really happy with it, and the money was to be put toward finding another more suitable non-valuable set of woodwork.

I'm taking my time getting to the point, but just wanted anyone who wants to read this to understand I had a particular end goal in mind, and there was no great rush. So, about a month ago, I contacted another dealer who used to advertise "as new" repro stocks for Lithgows. As luck would have it, he had one complete, as new, set of full wood timber for a reasonable cost, so I grabbed it straight away. The priced was reduced due to some minor surface damage on one piece, but otherwise brand new unfitted, and much better suited to my purpose.

It should arrive this Friday, so I've stripped out the '43 Lithgow and cleaned off the cosmoline, and gave the sporter stock to a mate who needed one. The barrelled action is in remarkable condition, matching numbers, with the rifling practically 10/10 and shiny as a mirror. The headspace is perfect, just a fraction tight, with all of the blueing still on the bolt surface and magazine, and the locking lugs identical on their contact surfaces. It looks as though it has hardly ever been fired. I have a central No 4 Range sight which I'll fit to wring the most out of it at some stage down the track, but for now I'll use the standard sights. I'll do my best to post some pics of the project over the next week

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