Hey /k/. I've got this rifle. SMLE Mk III. I'm looking to learn more about it. My grandmother gave it to me, she got it from her father, I don't know any farther than that. He didn't serve. All I know is that:
1. The stock was switched out for a monte carlo.
2. The #'s are matching.
3. I'm assuming by the crown stamps that it was used by a commonwealth country (likely Canada, that's where I'm from).
I know a lot about Lee enfields, I'm asking for specific info about this rifle that you may be able to determine based on the pictures i'm going to post. Also it has 8 holes in it that im assuming were all used for scopes, theres what looked like a 9th hole filled in around that area as well.
>>30493693
Pretty typical British No1MkIII*. Surplussed out and commercially proofed.
>>30493909
So can you tell from the stamps or anything if it was issued during a major conflict (Thinking a world war)? I know it replaced the Ross rifle in WW1 and if I'm correct it was still used by Canada during WW2. Also, do you know how much a magazine for it would cost in Canada?
>>30494090
Unless it has traceable unit marking there is no way to tell if was issued in a war.
Your's was never used by Canada. It only has British war department stamps.
>>30493693
Looks like a pretty bubbad enfield
>>30494107
Weird. I figured if it were used in the first world war it would only bear british markings regardless of which commonwealth country it were used by. I always assumed it was Canadian used. Thanks for the info though
>>30494190
Meaning? Not sure what that means but if you mean because of the stock, I think it would have looked nicer with the old stock but the Monte Carlo provides a better shot provided you know what you're doing. It's not much but it is a little edge up
>>30494250
Every commonwealth country using enfields marked them with there own war departments symbol.
For reference this is the one used by Canada (and a few very rare Austrailian rifles)
>>30494274
It means that its sporterized, they arent worth much when they are Sporterized/Bubba'd. Your is a pretty heavy sporter so its at the low end of value
>>30494320
Never knew that. I'm huge on modern military history (Mainly everything from WW1 to the end of the cold war), and I'm a huge gun guy even though I'm too broke to afford guns, but I don't know much on gun history. Why exactly did some Australian rifles bear this symbol?
>>30494349
I see. I'd love to own an original length SMLE with the original stock, but it's not like I'll be selling mine so I'm fine with it the way it is. Once I get a magazine for it I'll probably just use it for deer.
>>30494360
The first batch of rifles made on the machinery were marked with the C for Commander Clarkson, . The Brits told the Austrailians they would need there own symbol as C was already used by Canada.
Austrailia used a couple symbols including SA for South Austrailia. South Africa ended up using CG for Cape Government.
>>30494381
Your's is pretty far gone for a sporter, If you were wondering the value you are looking at $75-$100. But since its got things like ".303" and "18.5 Tons Per Square" makes me think its a post war factory sporter, which is cool but doesnt add any value. 303 is a great round and will be awesome for deer. Whats the bore like?
Holy fuck, why does Bubba always get the nice ones?
This rifle began life in the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield in 1914. This thing managed to survive the First World War, Second World War, only to be sold out of service and destroyed by some shithead who could've done just fine with a Savage 110
How has it been ruined? Let me count the ways
* Charger bridge removed
* Rear sight removed and replaced with an express (probably dovetail cut too)
* Drilled for a scope mount, poorly
* No magazine, if there is one it might have been cut down to 5 rounds
* Front sight doesn't look right
I'm not going to say its not restorable, but its not restorable.
Best you can do is make it into non-sucky sporter, but its never going to worth one left intact.
At least it wasn't an antique Long Lee, pic related
>>30494429
Fucking Australians snatching up everybody's letters right?
>>30494476
It's stamped 1918.
+ I didn't say it wasn't ruined. I'd love to have it the way it was. I'm pretty sure it was fucked up before my great grandfather got it because he wouldn't have done that shit and my grandmother didn't touch it. I believe my great uncle stole the magazine for drug money before the rifle made its way to me, I'm getting a new one soon. The rifle isn't in the best shape but it'll fucking shoot and it'll hit what i want it to hit so it'll be used for deer hunting. Were it in proper condition I'd keep it locked up and take care of it but it isn't, so I'll just do what I can to keep it in the best shape it can be in.
>>30494573
>I believe my great uncle stole the magazine for drug money before the rifle made its way to me,
lel
>>30494586
I mean the man's better now but he used to be pretty bad. He once stole a boat.
>>30494603
Everything about this thread makes me sad
>>30494476
To be fair there were really good gunsmiths who did nothing but do smoothing and accuarizing of Enfields and it's kind of history in it's own right as many have been around since the first world war.
>>30495801
I have one of those.
A CLLE that was surplussed out and sporterized by Andrew and Sons sometime before 1907.
It spent the last hundred or so years killing moose in NewFoundland/Labrador and is still quite accurate. It's no Parker Hale or Greener but is still a nice rifle.
>>30494603
It's piss easy to steal a boat, the problem is that you can hardly give the damn things away,
