SMLE MkIII "Tanker"

So I bought this 1917 BSA SMLE way back in high school, over 20 years ago. It was sporterized and I always wanted the full wood and all the embelishments, not to mention the long bayonet! But being young with no money and after I ran out of old surplus ammo, it became a safe queen. There is sat with my other guns, unused, until this year. My son just turned 13 and I decided it was time to get back into shooting, mostly just plinking out of town.

My interest in the enfield I started looking around for parts to convert it and came across some tanker conversions and thought they just looked neat. So I ordered about $32 in parts from Sarco, barrel band, nose piece, rear sight protector, swivel and assorted screws. I got some walnut I had laying around and started to make the front wood, front hand guard and an extension for the lower stock. I joined the lower stock extension under the sling swivel so it would be hidden.

I then used a hacksaw to cut the barrel down to about 17". Using my bench top belt sander I thinned the barrel end down to fit the front sight, that took quite a while. Sanded it smooth and pounded the front sight on. I don't plan on shooting it much so I will just go with a single pin through the front sight to hold it in place. I used some cold bluing on the barrel.

I used three different stains to get the new lighter and softer walnut so it would match the 100 year old English walnut. Added a few coats of tung oil for the finish.

I know I destroyed any collector value with this rifle, but I figure it was already sporterized and now it looks bad ass enough that I could certainly sell it for more than it was worth pre-chopped. But she is a keeper now and I am very happy with how it turned out. I may look to do a No4 next! The first pic is pre chop and the next ones are after.

i like it , i agree with the aspect of starting with a sported rifle that had been done many years ago , it turned out very nicely

Needs to have a photo taken with a bayonet mounted.

That looks really cool! much better than the sporter version. Very nice job on the wood. I like it

How does it shoot?

I am unsure about the "Tanker" name. As al the tankers I have know had handguns or SMG.

I am think it a Navy's WWII X-craft, mini-subs.

It's a snub nosed SMLE! Way cool!   Good job with the wood work.