A .303 ‘Lee-Speed’ match rifle made by BSA and tuned by 'L.R. Tippins, Mistley, Manningtree,' as engraved on the bolt cover. This commercial version of the Lee-Metford rifle is cased, and complete with a full set of match rifle sights for the back position (mount on heel of the rifle), a BSA service rifle aperture backsight (for prone shooting), a rearsight protector (marked Lee-Metford), foresight protector, sight black, cleaning rod with guide and cover to brush, plus oil bottle. It retains its original finish and the stock is in similarly fine condition. The cased set of match rifle sights are by George Gibbs, Bristol; likely transferred from a Gibbs-Farquharson-Metford. The bore is perfect, and of Metford segmental form (Tippins advertises he also offered his own plan of rifling).
It originally belonged to Claude W. Kinder (1852 – 1936). He was engineer-in-chief of the Kaiping Tramway and Imperial Railways of North China. He was also a life member of the NRA(UK). The NRA museum at Bisley has a Gibbs-Farquharson-Metford (without sights) that was donated by Mrs Kinder in 1937, following her husbands death.
Luke Tippins and his son John were noted riflemen. L.R. Tippins advertising refers to barrels being the pick of the best, actions being carefully adjusted to give the very best at the target, parts perfectly adjusted (shaping correctly and polishing the parts of the trigger work, adjusting pull), stocks best heart walnut, rifles tested / sighted by Luke or John. Luke also authored several books on the subject.
Link to further information on
Luke & John Tippins.
David
