Lee Enfield No.1

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Lee Enfield No.1

Post by 1290 » 05 May 2015, 8:45 pm

Got this project... longish term that is... involving a BSA No.1*.

Previous life as a range rifle with nice PH Aperture site, shortened old school carbine length barrel (24 inch) etc. I will refinish, reco the woodwork, might even reinstall volley 'equipment'...I love the volley........ we'll see.

Quick guide to cyphers;
VR (Victoria ) 1837-1901
ER (Edward VII) 1901-1910
GR (GeorgeV) 1910-1936
ER (Edward VIII) 1936-1936
GR (GeorgeVI) 1936-1952
ER (Eliz II) 1952 - on

(^that info can help to sort out a khyber from a real deal, whether a LE or a martini; the dates have been known to not 'marry' with the cypher))

Quite honestly the PH site did it for me, an amazing piece of engineering..

What I also found very interesting with this rifle is the sheer history represented by the markings, it may be a relatively common rifle, though it is 113 years old!! but the cyphers on it span 3 reigns; its a BSA manufacture refer;
BSA 1star a.jpg
BSA 1star a.jpg (65.56 KiB) Viewed 2989 times


So it was produced during the ER period, or Edward the seventh(VII), just after Queen Vicky left the proverbial building... but it has been returned to the 'works' for attention on a number of times during the following reign(s) with;
GR edit.jpg
GR edit.jpg (37.44 KiB) Viewed 2989 times

Thats a Queen Victoria mark on the action, which is older than the issue date so I'm guessing it was proofed during the VR reign and issued during the next ER reign.......

I'll add a pre dis-assembly pic when I find one. its around here some where.

I think these rifles are so important for Australians, just as Lithgow smellies are significant to our history and everyone should have at least one in the safe. This rifle was born literally months after our nation was created (granted it was forged in the 'motherland') may or may not have gone to the great war....

Note, I'm more a Mauser guy.... but the enfields ARE special..
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VR edit.jpg
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by anthillinside » 06 May 2015, 12:29 am

Hang on, I'd better check my safe.
OK it's still there, I thought you had knocked my rifle off for a second.
I was at the LGS to buy a Winchester lever gun then I saw this.... Love at first sight :friends:
LE 1 1902.png
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There's always room for at least one more gun in my safe.
There's always room for one more safe in my house.
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by 1290 » 06 May 2015, 12:04 pm

Hey.... we'll have to get them together...

I love the accurised part..thats a relative term with a century old rifle :lol:
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by RDobber » 06 May 2015, 3:05 pm

1290 wrote:I think these rifles are so important for Australians, just as Lithgow smellies are significant to our history and everyone should have at least one in the safe. This rifle was born literally months after our nation was created (granted it was forged in the 'motherland') may or may not have gone to the great war....


Nice little bit of history you've got there mate.

What did it set you back?
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by 1290 » 06 May 2015, 5:54 pm

I picked it up several yrs ago... I remember it cost less than it should have...
Pick from before I stripped it down....
MLE.jpg
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by anthillinside » 06 May 2015, 8:32 pm

1290 wrote:Hey.... we'll have to get them together...

I love the accurised part..thats a relative term with a century old rifle :lol:

OK I know iIt's not 100% mil spec, paid far too much for it but there's just something about it that I just "had to have it"
I've only had it to the range once and and totaly botched sighting in but it is showing promise of being a greate shooter.

Getting them together sound like a good idea, maybe if I can get my life organized :thumbsup: at the moment I'm :crazy: :crazy: :crazy:
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by Varmtr » 07 May 2015, 10:35 am

A good book to get in regards to tuning these old girls is The 2012 Complete Book on Lee Enfield Accurising writen by Roger Wadham very informative.
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by Swarm » 07 May 2015, 4:18 pm

1290 wrote:I love the accurised part..thats a relative term with a century old rifle :lol:


Accurised with a "minute of barn door" guarantee :mrgreen:
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by 1290 » 07 May 2015, 8:36 pm

I like these rifles.... I've shot a great deal more Mauser then Enfield, but these just have something about them.
Smooth action, the cock on closing that compared to most everything else, places to 'resistance', not a great deal of resistance, at the closure side of the stroke, in a nice linear stroke...compared to the opening stroke on cock-on-open actions..

The cocking piece allowing the cocking of the uncocked & closed bolt....is a good feature (yes, you can also cock a decocked/closed mauser bolt, but I like to keep a good edge on my bayo :lol:


Why not share your Lee Enfield, Magazine Lee Enfield, and of course your Short.... pause.... Magazine Lee Enfield pics and experiences/ thoughts??

:friends:
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by Tiiger » 11 May 2015, 11:23 am

1290 wrote:I like these rifles.... I've shot a great deal more Mauser then Enfield, but these just have something about them.


They've got the "x-factor" as they say :D
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Re: Lee Enfield No.1

Post by Tonit » 20 May 2015, 11:55 am

1290 wrote:Smooth action, the cock on closing that compared to most everything else, places to 'resistance', not a great deal of resistance, at the closure side of the stroke, in a nice linear stroke...compared to the opening stroke on cock-on-open actions.


The cock on close still feels weird to me.
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