Lithgow no.1 mkiii * SMLE

[@ralphgreenjr.2466]

I have owned Enfields most of my life, I'm 74. I had a collection of 10 that were all museum grade pieces. About 30 years ago I sold the entire collection to a friend for a princely sum. That was something I regretted, years later. Yesterday, a Lithgow SMLE III*, 1942 came into my possession. It is a serial number matching rifle, the barrel gauged a 2, and the wood is very good. The barrel was growing potatoes for years. It took several hours to get it clean, but it is shiney, sharp lands and grooves, and no pitting. I was pleased to get an Australian Rife to restart the collection. Australian shooters are great people.

[@m2gjam139]

I have a similar rifle made in Great Britain .303 British. I have it for many years. Doesn't look very good but smooth and a good shooter.. Nice rifle you have.

[@nz540im3]

Your rifle has gorgeous wood. I’m on the cusp of getting one tonight very cheap here in New Zealand. And most likely same manufacturer as my grandfather carried.

[@intheholler6212]

Thanks, hope your new rifle turned out good. Thanks for watching!

[@beefcakes27]

The first Lithgow's came off the line in low numbers in 1912.

[@kenlansing1216]

The most elegant and instinctive handling of milsurp rifles.

[@josemoreno3334]

Mine was made in 1917 by Lithgow. It's In the same shape yours is. Nice.

[@intheholler6212]

Gotta love the SMLE, thanks for watching.

[@KevinHallSurfing]

Very good sir. Not "palming" the bolt. A strict no no when we were taught how to use the SMLE in training back in the 60's in Australia. 👌💥

[@intheholler6212]

Thanks for watching!

[@mattrich7998]

The sight is graduates for yards not metres. And Lithgow started producing rifles in early 1913. The staff from Lithgow actually made some in 1912 using the machinery they were to produce the rifles on but guess where the machinery was located?….in the USA as it hadn’t been shipped to Australia yet 😂

[@intheholler6212]

Thanks for the info, and thanks for watching!

[@gregwilliams386]

The Lithgow Arsenal used Queensland Maple and later Australian Coachwood during the period of the 1940's-50's. Slazenger Queensland Maple was used as replacement wood. But, during WW1 many also had British Walnut that was imported.

[@peghead]

If SMLE owners want to reload their .303 ammo, it's important to 'neck-size' only, if you want to get the most life out of your brass. Virgin rounds blow the case shoulders about 1/8th" forward and full-length re-sizing will, in a very short time, work-harden the brass at the shoulder area and split in subsequent firings. The only down-side is, if you own and shoot more than one SMLE, you need to keep track of which spent brass was fired in which rifle, as the chamber dimensions may vary and a round from one rifle may not chamber in the other. The SMLE cocks-on-closing, if you have an unloaded rifle and want to cycle the bolt, hold the trigger back as you're closing the bolt, this will eliminate the need to dry-fire (when the bolt is closed on a live round, this same technique can be used to eliminate using the safety, just pull back on the cocking piece at the rear of the bolt when you're ready to fire).

[@stuartArmourer]

You still have to full resize after maybe 3/4 reloads to set the shoulders of the case back to the original size.....or have chamberings problems

[@waynemcauliffe-fv5yf]

Cheers mate

[@intheholler6212]

Cheers, thanks for watching!

[@sevysnape]

That's a nice example 👍
I'm curious of the manufacture date on this rifle if you happen to know? The date is usually stamped into them under the bolt handle but I couldn't see it it your video.
I have a 1915 Lithgow that I picked up in the 80's and it had been sporterised I guess back in the 1960's some time by a professional kangaroo shooter. It had a Lithgow central aperture sight fitted that I removed then I fitted a side mount for a what was then a new 6X steel tube Weaver scope that it still sports today. I love my smelly even though it's been pruned of most of its wood.

[@intheholler6212]

1944. Thanks for watching!

[@seanlander9321]

The best version of the 303 from the best maker.

[@intheholler6212]

Thanks for watching!

[@australianmade2659]

These lithgows are more expensive than other enfields in Australia. Perhaps the no5 nudges it. I’m after a matching lithgow but for a very good example from the 40s you’re looking at $1500 US

[@intheholler6212]

Thanks for watching!

[@boarzwid1002]

As the old timer diggers used to say ( take that ya baaastaaads

[@murielsmith8922]

Why didn't you tell what the butt stock markings meant??

[@jamesdick9153]

Good man, so many variants