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    Legacy Member TheAlpineWolf's Avatar
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    Question 1915 Lithgow Gem (Need Advice)

    Hi Guys,

    Recently had the opportunity to pick up this beautiful 1915 Lithgowicon with all of its original trim.
    All matching apart from a mismatched bolt and has been factory re-barreled (I believe) in 49 with the action re-stamped with a serial number that matches the nose cap but no other parts. She has had a long life from what I can see and was eventually used as a range rifle as someone bored out the nose cap and tried to bed it with grey silicone (I know it sounds rough but I was able to remove all of the silicone!). This is where the questions come in!

    1) I think it would be best to replace the nose cap and I have an open eared Lithgow marked nose cap that would match and you can see in one of the pictures, opinions on this?

    2) It is missing its inner barrel retaining band and the front barrel tensioner. I want to replace both of these items but am terrified of taking of the front sight as I have never done it before! Any tips and or recommendations? I want to take it back to pre when it was made into a range rifle and have it as a shooter as the rifling is crisp!

    3) The top hand guard nose metal screws are missing, any clue where to get some of these or will I need to take them off another hand guard?

    Overall im extremely happy considering what I paid for it. Even have a 1915 Lithgow bayonet to go with it! Would love some opinions on the rifle and all comments are welcome, I'm far from an experienced collector and have just enough knowledge to get me in trouble!
    Best Regards,
    Sam.
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  3. #2
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
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    Nice lookin' old rifle, they sure stamped that number into the barrel ring to stay. Yes. the nosecap has been opened up so badly and it doesn't match anyway so what's the harm? Nice rifle.
    Regards, Jim

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    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
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    4 Military District (4MD) – South Australiaicon and Broken Hill, Torrowangee, and Silverton in New South Wales.
    Fairly rare survivor like I have said is the survival rate of the early rifles is directly related to how WWI was fought and their rate of attrition was a rifles life span was measured in mere weeks if not days whilst Lithgow had only really been producing the MKIII for 3 scant years starting production in 1912.

    To be honest if you have taken the bedding away what other mods have they done to it I'd give it a good clean and drink of RLO/Mineral Turps put it all back together and see how it runs before you get tinkering, my friend uses a 1915 Lithgow and cleans up allot of shoots.
    It can be seen on the bottom wood where the bedding compound was used it looks/appears like they relieved the very front near the front sight (Lighter shade) and opened up the channel where the muzzle would sit.
    Would be interesting to know if they have done this as the front area is pretty important with regards to the bedding there there is supposed to be an element of up lift, I am sure the persons who know these rifles inside out will assist you in this matter.
    Besides the modern projectiles have a whole different trajectory so the sight settings you'll have to figure out with range time just do the usual checks with the bedding & draws but if you replace the missing parts take the time to research the info on this site there is plenty here.
    Have fun, I used my 1916 Lithgow MkIII 5 MD for shoots but decided that it should be a safe queen as the others in the nest are allot younger so they can do the range time like I said the early Lithgows whilst not abundant are a good catch.
    Last edited by CINDERS; 08-31-2021 at 11:00 AM.

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    Legacy Member Piscoda14's Avatar
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    Not a big job to remove front sight need a pin punch and a brass drift but if it has a h barrel the 2 items you said are missing are the 1st to go I wouldn’t worry about them but it is your rifle

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    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
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    Actually from memory as Piscoda has mentioned the middle band will not fit the "H" barrel as my 1916 Lithgowicon has a "H" brl and is also missing the middle band you will also see or should see the rear sight band is usually split or removed all together then the rear sight block reattached.
    Mine has the bands removed and the block reattached.

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    Contributing Member muffett.2008's Avatar
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    As it has a H barrel, the missing front inner band and forend stud and spring are omitted.

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    Thread Starter
    Thanks for the replies everyone, lots of great information!
    So from what I have gathered, replace the nose cap with the new one I have and don't worry about the missing front inner band and fore end stud. So were these omissions done at a factory level? I believe this rifle went through a refurb at Lithgowicon but it is weird that it didn't get its volleys removed! Will not having these parts effect the accuracy of the rifle? (Or cause it to eat itself with recoil?)
    Best Regards,
    Sam.

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    Quote Originally Posted by TheAlpineWolf View Post
    it didn't get its volleys removed! Will not having these parts effect the accuracy of the rifle?
    Retaining them has no effect at all. And I doubt an inner band could be fitted because of the barrel size. Thus removal.
    Regards, Jim

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    Legacy Member TheAlpineWolf's Avatar
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    Thanks for the help everyone! I won't bother ordering the inner barrel band and tensioning spring and stud as it sounds like these parts would have been deleted when the new barrel was installed. Hopefully at some point I can get it out to the range and see how accurate this old war horse is with its new font nose cap!

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    Legacy Member mattyboy82's Avatar
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    That's a beautiful rifle you have! And a nice 4MD example too! Most of the 1915 Lithgows went to 2 MD and 3 MD. Most of the 1915 Lithgows that we see are from serial number 24XXX and upwards. If you can get one earlier then that's wonderful. From October 1915 onwards, Britainicon said that they would take over the issuing of rifles to the AIF so rifles from 24XXX upwards were issued to the Commonwealth Military Forces (CMF) and that's why we see it stamped on the butt. A routine order from 1913 outlines the markings for rifles allocated to CMF and distinctly states that rifles and equipment used for mobilisation was not to be marked as such. Most of the 1913 & 1914 Lithgows did end up going with the AIF to the Dardanelles and that's why we see them with a mix of other nationality markings.

    Is that an issue date of 3/16 on the butt? Seems to be typical that a significant allocation of rifles was done out of SAF in March 1916 to the MD consisting of later 1915 and early 1916 rifles - 30XXX and 39XXX.

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