WW1 SMLE No I Mk III by BSA & Co……….. ( F 949) SOLD
Created on October 14th 2021
Interesting British SMLE by BSA & Co for 1915
Of correct military specification, a Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Number One Mark Three service rifle for World War One. Fully stocked and instantly recognisable for its “stubby” front end, the Classic Allied service rifle that went to war against The Hun in 1915. Chambered in .303 British with a detachable ten-shot box magazine. The rifle being of pre’ 1916 changes it still sports many of the early features. Another inescapable often overlooked feature of the SMLE is the earlier they are the slimmer the woodwork tends to be. This instantly feels smaller in the hand than a WW II produced rifle. There are armoury repairs to the butt stock and hand guards which have held fast.
This rifle is a typical 44.1/4″ in overall length. The round covered barrel is 25.1/8″ long and the trigger Pull is 13.1/4″ to centre. Being an early rifle it has the rounded or “D” shaped cocking piece. The serial number is marked on the rear of the bolt arm and the RHS of the receiver ring and reads; X65161, therefore this rifle is regarded as matching. Although the nose-cap does show another number it is impossible to guess when that part was interchanged. Also a feature of an early SMLE is the magazine cut-off device mounted through the RHS of the action. This can be pushed across to limit the rifle to single shots or pulled out toward the right to allow rounds to feed from the magazine. This is in position and works as designed.
The RHS of the butt socket is marked as follows; ” Royal cypher / G.R. / B.S.A.& Co /1915 / SHT LE / III.” These markings speak for themselves really; this is a military rifle for the British Army built under contract by BSA & Co in the First World War. Not a privately purchased weapon for the Territorials or Rifle Volunteer regiments. The Royal Cypher and G.R being the main give-away. Other early parts include the rear sight set up. The protective guards about the ramp have dished external “ears” on either side of the sight, war expediency demanded that time was not spent milling these out and rifles that followed had solid flat panels. The sight itself is numbered to the rifle on the underside and is the early type with adjustment for windage. The aiming panel facing the user is cross hatched to reduce glare with a central line beneath the open “U” notch. The ramp itself is graduated from 200 to 2000 yards and fine adjustment can be obtained by rotation of the toothed wheel to the RHS of the slide. The mid-band securing the woodwork around the barrel is hinged at the top making it far easier to remove should it be required.
Twin sling swivels with a second world war canvass sling attached – brass fittings. To the rear LHS of the action is mounted the safety catch with a clear roman “III” showing outwards. Adjacent to that mounting are a plethora of Enfield inspection and acceptance stamps, too many to detail but interesting to see. About the safety, catch the woodwork has been let-in for a long distance aperture (a/f) Equally so the front dial has been somewhat unnecessarily removed, but traces remain. Stacking swivel absent. Distinctive nose cap with pinched ears and bayonet fittings for 1907 Pattern bayonet. Brass butt-plate with trap for cleaning equipment, containing a single brass Canadian War Department marked oil bottle. Interesting, as I found this rifle in Canada !
The action is smooth and mechanically fine. Interesting stamp located on the top flat of the barrel knox form; It appears to say ” OSTERR / JENJARMER E.” Arranged around a Germanic looking coat of arms – meaning unknown! The 5 groove LH twist bore is a little worn, but not beyond useable. The rifling is complete. No visible signs of pitting to the naked eye. This is where the differences emerge between shooters and collectors. This barrel appears to be original to the rifle. If you want a rifle with a pristine bore why, pray tell, would you be looking at a 1915 One Hundred and Six year old rifle ? If you are that worried about accuracy then chose one of the others. OR just enjoy the fact that the rifle you are exercising upon a range is an actual survivor of the most horrible conflict Europe has ever seen. This rifle has been there and come back, that is what it is! A surviving relic of The Great War. However, this relic has just passed CIP proof again and is ready to use.
Stock Number F 949
£ 1650. SOLD
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