Smooth bored service rifles

[25Pdr]

I've got a SMLE No1 Mk111* that has been smooth bored to .410, the magazine is welded in place. It doesn't always fire, the head space seems to be excessive. Get funny looks when you bring it onto a clay line up.

Don't know the history of it, it was only £100 and came in a job lot of stuff I bought via another club member.

Would like to have it re barreled someday, one of my many projects.

[dromia]

Don't get why Dromia is still getting smoothbore/deac requests.

Because they are ignorant.

[Individual]

....as well as those asking for full de-activation.

Its only fair to give customers what they ask for.

A swift blow to their dangly bits should do the job....

[ovenpaa]

Thanks all for your replies, it is about as I had expected so my lifetime mission from this point will be to restore as many of these butchered rifles to original shooting condition as possible.

[450 Martini]

410 Smooth bores are very outdated and have been banned by many groups for years over safety concerns. For example 303 Blanks fired unsupported in a 410 chamber disintegrate on firing and send brass shards out of the barrel. Most re enactors take pride in their equipment and in a decade or re-enacting I have never heard of anyone getting anything defaced in such a way.
All of my rifles are approved for use in re-enacting and use at my target shooting club.

Compared to joining a club it is very easy to get a FAC for living history/battle re-enactment depending on the group there is no obligation for a probation period, a set training scheme, or frequency of use test. (My group has all these)
All that is needed is a group membership card.
The Deactivation of any serviceable rifle is a sad thing but in some cases they are a necessary evil. I work as a educational interpreter in schools, I specialise in the great war, when I take my equipment in for handling displays do I take a live section 1 SMLE or a deactivated one?

[huntervixen]

As Saddler says, If you were a militaria collector back then, but had no interest in shooting, you could have a collection of (virtually intact) service rifles on SGC with no security requirements what so ever!
I have seen an M1 Garand, smooth bored for the same reason back in the mid 1980's and long forgotten about, that now resides in the care of a Sec5 dealer.

Post 1988, I think quite a few of these fell through the gaps and never got 3 round restricted (or surrendered as Sec5 in the Garlands case) and they still turn up today from time to time on peoples walls or in the back of cupboards forgotten about ... after all they aren't recorded anywhere!

[huntervixen]

Thanks all for your replies, it is about as I had expected so my lifetime mission from this point will be to restore as many of these butchered rifles to original shooting condition as possible.

Thats a fine thing to do gunlike , after all good shooting examples of fine old war horses like the G98 are getting harder and harder to find!

[Cookisan]

Thanks all for your replies, it is about as I had expected so my lifetime mission from this point will be to restore as many of these butchered rifles to original shooting condition as possible.

Can I book a Savage built No.4 in for emergency .303 barrel reconstructive surgery, or a .22 job if that fails?

[safetyfirst]

I had a lovely martini Enfield that was smooth bored with a home made suppressor on the end.

Massive thing, very cool to shoot though.

Had it on my shotty ticket before I got my FAC.

I gave it some good love. Poor soul.

[ovenpaa]

Can I book a Savage built No.4 in for emergency .303 barrel reconstructive surgery, or a .22 job if that fails?

I am slowly amassing a selection of standard chamber reamers for the more senior of service rifles plus some turn of the last century oddballs for just this reason plus it always fun to see something 100+ years old being shot again as intended.