Help! What gun is this? |
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frakchered
Newbie Joined: January 13 2013 Location: Swansboro, NC Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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Posted: January 13 2013 at 12:18am |
Hey guys, new to the forum. My father inlaw has this gun. I am not sure about this gun, it is currently not in my possession or in the same state as me and it has been awhile since I have physically seen it. I am looking to get it from him for my starter collection to maybe replace some stuff and use a targeting rifle. Please any info provided is greatly
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Eggy
Senior Member Joined: October 29 2011 Location: North Yorkshire Status: Offline Points: 231 |
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Welcome to the board, you have a SMLE ( Short Magazine Lee Enfield ) made by the Birmingham Small Arms Co (BSA) in 1916 chambered in .303 British . Looks like a real old warrior . Some of the other guys will be along in a while to give you some more info
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Devout Yorkshireman
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Homer
Senior Member Joined: January 01 2013 Location: Brisbane Status: Offline Points: 664 |
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Can't tell too much from those photos but it does appear to have a coachwood forend. Aussie service perhaps?
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frakchered
Newbie Joined: January 13 2013 Location: Swansboro, NC Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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Thanks for the comments guys.
Eggy, I was able to get that much info from spending about and hour on google. Like I did say, I don't have the gun yet. I figured the lower half of the stock has to be a replacement of some kind since the top piece do not match. I also am not able to tell how much of the serials match up as I have only laid eyes on it once. Father inlaw is asking $300 for it, but from what I have seen poking around the internet it looks to be for of a $100 gun. Homer, do you know of any marks or ways to tell if it is an aussie gun? I will have to find out in my father inlaw knows any more about the gun. Either one of you or anyone else wanna chime in on what I should tell the father inlaw what I should pay for it? (Oh, I have a good relationship with him so it should be to hard to get him down on the price)
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frakchered
Newbie Joined: January 13 2013 Location: Swansboro, NC Status: Offline Points: 7 |
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http://www.303british.com/id49.html
Homer just wanted to add, i did find this about the wood. Being my gun is a 1916 it should have had Queensland Maple. You mention coachwood but it is stated that it was experimented with from 1917-1924. Course we all know being this info was from a forum, and I have no proof of what is and isn't. And as I have stated before, I cannot confirm how much of this rifle's serials match up, and it already looks like the lower, or maybe even the uppers have been replaced. No one will really be able to tell the history of this gun, but it would be amazing to know what it has been there, and it if any of the previous owners used it to defend there country, or another.
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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First off...its a RIFLE-not a "gun". I don't understand why you think it has an Aussie connection. (Did I miss something?)
Does the serial # on the BOLT match the one on the barrel? Lets start there Hoadie |
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Homer
Senior Member Joined: January 01 2013 Location: Brisbane Status: Offline Points: 664 |
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Hoadie I suggested it may have had Aussie service because it appears to have a coachwood forend. There are other possibilities of course.
Frakchered don't read too much into all the stuff about wood types, none of it applies here. Your rifle would have been originally stocked in walnut and now appears to have a coachwood forend which means it's been replaced at some time. Without any more details it's too hard to say when and by who. If it has been in Australian service it will have a D^D or something similar stamped on the action knox form and a second number that may appear as a serial number. That number may also be crossed out. |
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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to further elaborate the rifle was procuced in england , thus homers statement about originaly wearing walnut , his coment about coachwood was an observation of appearance without seeing the total details of the rifle , if in fact it is a coachwood stock peice that would have been a replacement installed in austrailia and would indicate ausie service ,
many rifles served inaustrailia and its a reasonable thing to sugest [ my 1915 BSA mkIII also served in austrailia] but his point about the markings would be something to look for in confirmation ,
one must always be careful not to draw too many conclusions on too little suporting data , but these were helpful folks giving you their honest observations without the benefit of actually handling the rifle ,
as to price , im not certain about the values in your location , but $300 for a complete mkIII* is not totaly out of line , it does appear to need some TLC , but if its not been butchered by bubba [and we can not see that] which would render it a $100 rifle , i think somewhere between in negotiations might be realistic but its worth the upper end not the lower of that spread if its all there ,
i supose it depends some on how you get along with your FIL
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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Matching #'s, bore condition, etc all play major parts
(I have 2 rifles of the same manufacture & date) Hoadie |
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5thBatt
Senior Member Joined: October 27 2008 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 324 |
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I doubt its a Coachwood forend as it's not cut for the cutoff.
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Homer
Senior Member Joined: January 01 2013 Location: Brisbane Status: Offline Points: 664 |
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Yes your right mate. Look harder next time.
Geez it looks like coachwood though doesn't it? |
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5thBatt
Senior Member Joined: October 27 2008 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 324 |
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Yep, would have to agree, first time i read your reply i was thinking the same.
The squashed up photos don't help any.
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Target
Senior Member Joined: June 05 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 355 |
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You have a wonderful rifle that needs a bit of cleaning.
The forearm does looks like coachwood but the rest looks like the walnut on my No.1 MkIII*. The Forearm is probably just a really light walnut replacement. Looks like a great rifle. Very cool and thanks for sharing. |
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A square 10
Special Member Donating Member Joined: December 12 2006 Location: MN , USA Status: Offline Points: 14452 |
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i had to go back and study the squashed up photo again to see what you saw homer , the cutoff releif cut would have been one of those "details" i was mentioning that the real experts like you and 5th ick up on , i was thinking a possible refinish that gave her that coachwood look ,
too bad we dont know if her forearm goes all the way to the muzzle huh ???? and some peaks at the sides and such would be fun , theres a l;ot more to learn here
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muffett.2008
Senior Member Joined: December 09 2011 Location: scone. nsw Status: Offline Points: 751 |
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Only if you want to get eyestrain from squinting at distorted pic's.
PLEASE RESIZE. |
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hoadie
Moderator Group Joined: March 16 2006 Location: Niagara/Canada Status: Offline Points: 9003 |
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Geez-the pics are ok for me
Hoadie |
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