SMLE, any experts here??

[ukrifleman]

Fulton's regulated commercial purchase.
ukrifleman

[GeeRam]

By the quality of the finish of the metalwork, I'd say it's a BSA Commercial rifle produced any time up to 1940.

Devizes Gunsmiths currently has for sale a very similar BSA Commercial SMLE (in Service B spec with the target sights) listed on their website for comparison.

[Laurie]

By the quality of the finish of the metalwork, I'd say it's a BSA Commercial rifle produced any time up to 1940.

Devizes Gunsmiths currently has for sale a very similar BSA Commercial SMLE (in Service B spec with the target sights) listed on their website for comparison.

I had a BSA SR(b) rifle many years ago. It was rather different from this - no tangent rearsight and a handguard without the matching cutout. No additional top barrel band. Underneath, there was a FAR heavier than standard barrel with two sets of coil springs on top of machined pillars between the barrel and handguard to keep downwards tension on the barrel inside the enlarged forend channel. Finally, the muzzle cap had been machined out so it didn't touch the barrel and there was loads of clearance - presumably to let the barrel do its thing under firing stresses without touching the cap.

[Robert303]

I would suggest you go to www.milsurps.com and post the pics in the Lee Enfield forum. There are some real Lee Enfield experts on there. For what it's worth I think it's a Commercial BSA produced up until 1939. The Parker Hale 5 and 5a Target sights are illustrated in http://rifleman.org.uk/PH_Service_sights.htm They fitted without the need to drill any other holes in the woodwork.

[farmer7]

Thanks for all the replies. I found this which appears to be exactly the same except mine is missing the peep. I'm going to see if I can get hold of a PH 5A sight if i can. They seem to be pretty pricey! I'll get some ammo made up next week and remind myself how it shoots.

[Rearlugs]

Its a BSA commercial thats been chopped around a bit by one of the target gunsmiths in the 1930s - Fultons, Stensbys, Parkers, etc.

Judging by the split forend, it urgently needs some repairs in the draws.

"Crown over BM" is a British military view mark that was applied to BSA military-spec rifles at manufacture. It is not a proof mark so, unless the rifle has Birmingham/ London/ foreign proof marks not shown in the photos (and there are none visible in the usual places), then it likely not in valid proof...