SMLE Lithgow

[JSH]

I wasn't looking for one but it found me. Poor old girl has had the wood butchered on it a fair bit, but metal has not been bubba'd. Ken was on me several years ago when I got wound up in the milsurps because I didn't have an SMLE of some type, issue solved.
Bore is a bit dark but rifling looks good. Have not slugged it yet. Anyone got a good site with reference info. Stock is stamped Australia on the bottom of the wrist.
Got the thing for cheap when considering how much Remington ammo I got with it. Wish I had some brass rather than the ammo, that shouldn't be to hard to fix.
Looked at some stocks as I am not fond of this one. The Boyd's looks like a pretty good deal. Also looked at some of the synthetics. Considered going all the way back to a military dress but when I tried that on the 1903 it was a pita looking for hardware.
Jeff

[1johnlb]

The Enfields are pretty plentiful, and not hard to find. If you wanted to go back to original military dress, it would be economically sound to buy it that way. Parts cost more, especially when you start adding shipping. Check head space before sinking any money in it, the no1' s are a pita to adjust . If you shoot it and it kicks like a mule, and tears up the brass: head space.

[Multigunner]

Check the prices on Australian stock sets at Springfield Sporters.
They also carry used Indian stock sets and wood pulled from DP rifles from various sources.
Nose caps are about the most expensive fitting needed to restore a bubba'ed SMLE. I was lucky that the original numbered nose cap came with the sporter I restored. Since I didn't have to buy anything other than the fore end and rear handguard I ordered unissued NOS wood for those. Kind of nice having a SMLE with no dents and gouges in the wood.

Nothing wrong with keeping your rifle as a sporter for that matter. I think I'd go for a proper semi finished walnut stock if I were building a sporter unless a very wet climate was a concern.

[303Guy]

I have an idea that Lithgow's are the Rolls Royce of SMLE's. The heat treatment of the locking lug recesses is what makes me think this and i think the general quality is good. I have no idea on the bore specs of Lithgows. It would be interesting to know.

[skeet1]

JSH,
You minght want to try BRP Corp. They have stocks and parts. I think I would call them and ask them if they have the exact parts you want. http://www.brpguns.com/smle-no-1-mk-...agazine-parts/

Ken

[Brithunter]

Strange thing but I have never seen a Lee Enfield that was out of spec head space wise and yes I do have a set of Oakie gauges. Bought the set of three made to British specs and not SAMMI ........................................ why do SAMMI insist on altering everything????

BTW BSA made superb SMLE's of fine fit and finish. Even during WW1 their quality was good.

[JSH]

Anyone got a website with good info?

[Love Life]

BRP and Numerich both have a goodly amount of Enfield stuff.

As for the headspace, isn't it just a bolt head change away?

[Brithunter]

BRP and Numerich both have a goodly amount of Enfield stuff.

As for the headspace, isn't it just a bolt head change away?

ShtLe bolt heads are not graduated and were adjusted by grinding at the factory. Unlike the No4 and No5 Enfields which have heads in different lengths that are numbered.

[303Guy]

Bought the set of three made to British specs and not SAMMI ........................................ why do SAMMI insist on altering everything????

What are the differences? I'd imagine the British specs were for wartime/military purposes which might have been a bit looser than SAAMI which is a sporting standard. Just speculating.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

ShtLe bolt heads are not graduated and were adjusted by grinding at the factory. Unlike the No4 and No5 Enfields which have heads in different lengths that are numbered.

Incorrect; SMLE bolt heads were lettered L, M, or S: while No4 bolt heads were numbered !

[303Guy]

Well I just happen to have a bag of bolts at my feet and of the bunch, two have an M and one has what looks like a II. The others are just blanc. But then some of those were made in the century before last (i.e. MLE era). It's my three SMLE bolts that have the stampings. This is the first time I've heard of that! What would that II be for?

[Brithunter]

What are the differences? I'd imagine the British specs were for wartime/military purposes which might have been a bit looser than SAAMI which is a sporting standard. Just speculating.

The difference is that the head space specifications were already set and established and SAMMI altered them causing much confusion especially in the US. Here in the UK it's almost unheard of to hear of a lee Enfield that is out of spec head space wise yet in America it's about the first thing a new owner is told to look for. I only bought the gauges as we were fitting a new barrel to a BSA Model C sporting rifle to replace the badly rusted one it came with and the smith did not have 303 gauges. In fact this was the first 303 he had put a new barrel on. It's not a common occurrence here due to costs. I picked up the already chambered barrel and it fitted right on requiring no adjustment to the head space it's right on the minimum if I recall correctly............................. that is using the British head space specs and not SAMMI's of course.

Have always wondered why SAMMI has to do this especially when the specifications had been in existence for many years. Just makes no sense to add to the confusion about head space. Do they need the work that badly?

As for bolt heads I do not recall the ones on my SHTLe based rifles being marked. Sadly I no longer own any ShtLe's to check. The BSA Sporting rifles one was case coloured hardened and still bore the swirl colours. I will take a look and see what # the No4 Supreme has tonight at the club where they are all stored now. Looks like I need to dig out and re-read some Skennerton as it's been many years now since I really played with the 303's.

However it's not incorrect the the SMLE bolt heads were ground down to adjust head space. This was down in acceptance and proof firing at the factories. Sorry I cannot help with the strange marking ............................... perhaps an armourers mark?

I own a Muscat Martini in 303 Bore and the actions pars all have armourers marks on the and there is an armourers repair to the sear. The marks identified it's parts when on the bench during the repair. These were made for the Sultan of Oman for his native forces. Mine was made in Belgium others were made in England.

[Adam Helmer]

Brithunter,

I have 30+/- SMLEs on establishment and shoot them all with cast bullets. I am not sure if any chambers are out of Spec and do not care. In my .303 reloading die box is a long list of SMLE rifles. The data tells me how far to back off the resizing die to resize cases for each specific arm. I always have the arm at the bench when reloading for same. Some rifles like a back off of one-eighth turn on the resizing die and one old Mk III (with windage adjustable rear sight-thus pre-1916) likes Back Off 1.25 turns! Ok, she is "Long in the Tooth", but I label all reloads specifically loaded for each arm. Thus, she gets the -1.25 turns as a matter of course and I get 10-15 reloadings before the primer pockets get too loose for further reloadings.

Adam

[303Guy]

and I get 10-15 reloadings before the primer pockets get too loose for further reloadings.

That's interesting. What make of brass was that? I can't say I've reloaded each case that many times but those few I have done so never loosened up.

[1johnlb]

Different types of primers can cause that, mostly mag or military, possibly shooting over pressure rounds or smaller than normal flash holes. The primer pockets can be fixed with a technique used to convert berdan primers to boxer, that involves a large ball bearing. Theres a sticky here on C.B..

303 headspaces on the rim, chambers vary greatly for many different resons.

Here in america theres alot of pieced together L.E.'s making headspace problems more common. If you get one that is not headspaced properly you will care!

[303Guy]

I have one with peening of the locking lug recesses. It will only ever shoot reduced pressure loads. I have another with only the inner recess peened meaning the original bolt would have had peening of the outer lug. Also a low pressure loads only gun. I've seen a rifle with about a millimetre excess headspace. It finally jammed on the peening (I did tell the guy not to fire it!)

[WILCO]

why do SAMMI insist on altering everything????

http://www.saami.org/who_we_are/index.cfm

About SAAMI The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute (SAAMI) is an association of the nation's leading manufacturers of firearms, ammunition and components. SAAMI was founded in 1926 at the request of the federal government and tasked with: Creating and publishing industry standards for safety, interchangeability, reliability and quality Coordinating technical data Promoting safe and responsible firearms use SAAMI Strategic Goals Be the leading global technical resource regarding firearms and ammunition manufacturers' issues. Maintain technically correct standards for terminology, performance, interchangeability and safety. Create a forum for the introduction of appropriate new standards and policies. Publicize pertinent SAAMI policies and standards. Increase our public visibility as "the experts" in our fields. Our Mission To Create and Promulgate Technical, Performance, and Safety Standards for Commerce in Firearms, Ammunition, and Components.

[JSH]

Anyone have a link that explains all the differences as to models and so forth? Did a search and never came up with anything decent.

[303Guy]

I found a site that covered the No1's. I wish I had made a note of it.