Cheers Rowan - In your neck of the woods mate and been a shooter/collector for many years - I have a brother of your rifle with an interesting story ( No, really! ). If you have one of the old BSA Commercial Booklets - I'm sure you know the one - my own Lee Speed is in the 'cattledog' of items but slightly different from your own. Read on if you have a moment - my example ( Which I pulled from the back of a Gun Store over a decade ago, no longer with us ) looks to be very much based on the MLM MkII* judging from the various parts and configuration- but given the following History is potentially misleading. The rifle has a service numbered tang with an R letter prefix indicating it was a Military Reserve club target rifle. The right side wrist is typically marked Lee Speed Patents BSA & M Co . Dating this rifle, BSA & M Co was Birmingham Small Arms & Metals Company Limited. Small Heath ... 1872-1897. My rifle was built between 1895-1897.The barrel is 1'26 dated, Lithgow stamped on top of nocks, 5 Lithgow inspection stamps reside on the right side of the barrel and the foresight is stamped with the small Lithgow A within a star. The Lithgow SAF made replacement barrels for Long Lee-Enfields into the 1920's and it is said that it was from this barrel design that the heavy barrel for the No1 MkIII SMLE was inspired. The latter is the profile of the Long Lee barrel shortened by 5 inches.The dial sight plate ( marked 1600-2800 yards ) is marked III and also is stamped with the small Lithgow A within star. Barrel is in excellent condition for its age, a bright and shiny bore very likely a testament to life as a target rifle. It would appear that the Rifle got restocked at some point when made a Reserve Arm, then later the Target Rifle owner stripped off the rear bed sight and volley sights leaving only the Peep Sights and fore sight. The butt stock carries a roundel not observed in any works by Skennerton, being a Commercial mark, this is perhaps not unusual. The roundel reads Birmingham Small Arms & Metal Co - with the letters LIMTd within the circle for Limited or Ltd. The broad arrow mark is present on the bolt safety - the fore-end has provision for the clearing rod - no longer present - but the nose cap is a Mk1* that does not have provision for the clearing rod hole. Very likely this was swapped out when the rifle was re-barreled or during its time as a reserve arm. It would be interesting to get these two rifles side by side at some point ... a comparison of two Commercial Lee Speeds would be instructive and make for a fascinating chat . Best!
My knickers will forever be in a twist because I missed an opportunity to snag one of these (with aftermarket sight protectors!) and Rock Island Auction many years back. Ah, the plight of a broke college student
Great, another Lee variant I need to find. Can't wait to watch!
Cheers Rowan - In your neck of the woods mate and been a shooter/collector for many years - I have a brother of your rifle with an interesting story ( No, really! ). If you have one of the old BSA Commercial Booklets - I'm sure you know the one - my own Lee Speed is in the 'cattledog' of items but slightly different from your own. Read on if you have a moment - my example ( Which I pulled from the back of a Gun Store over a decade ago, no longer with us ) looks to be very much based on the MLM MkII* judging from the various parts and configuration- but given the following History is potentially misleading. The rifle has a service numbered tang with an R letter prefix indicating it was a Military Reserve club target rifle.
The right side wrist is typically marked Lee Speed Patents BSA & M Co . Dating this rifle, BSA & M Co was Birmingham Small Arms & Metals Company Limited. Small Heath ... 1872-1897. My rifle was built between 1895-1897.The barrel is 1'26 dated, Lithgow stamped on top of nocks, 5 Lithgow inspection stamps reside on the right side of the barrel and the foresight is stamped with the small Lithgow A within a star. The Lithgow SAF made replacement barrels for Long Lee-Enfields into the 1920's and it is said that it was from this barrel design that the heavy barrel for the No1 MkIII SMLE was inspired. The latter is the profile of the Long Lee barrel shortened by 5 inches.The dial sight plate ( marked 1600-2800 yards ) is marked III and also is stamped with the small Lithgow A within star. Barrel is in excellent condition for its age, a bright and shiny bore very likely a testament to life as a target rifle. It would appear that the Rifle got restocked at some point when made a Reserve Arm, then later the Target Rifle owner stripped off the rear bed sight and volley sights leaving only the Peep Sights and fore sight.
The butt stock carries a roundel not observed in any works by Skennerton, being a Commercial mark, this is perhaps not unusual. The roundel reads Birmingham Small Arms & Metal Co - with the letters LIMTd within the circle for Limited or Ltd. The broad arrow mark is present on the bolt safety - the fore-end has provision for the clearing rod - no longer present - but the nose cap is a Mk1* that does not have provision for the clearing rod hole. Very likely this was swapped out when the rifle was re-barreled or during its time as a reserve arm. It would be interesting to get these two rifles side by side at some point ... a comparison of two Commercial Lee Speeds would be instructive and make for a fascinating chat . Best!
That is indeed a unique piece. Would love to take a look at it and compare against my beasty.
@@dsar9489 Shoot me an e-mail contact mate - or a Facebook contact, might sort something.
A beauty she is. That rear sight is the coolest. Very much looking forward to a range report. Still looling for a slouch hat.
Noice patented metallic pokey bayonet 😉 Looking forward to your post range analysis.
That action sounds nice, looking forward to seeing how it shoots
It certainly is crisp.
Looking forward to a shooting video with this rifle.
We have taken it out for a quick test...... for an old duck. She goes hard in the accuracy department
My knickers will forever be in a twist because I missed an opportunity to snag one of these (with aftermarket sight protectors!) and Rock Island Auction many years back. Ah, the plight of a broke college student
Being poor is a severe limitation
Beauty.
Beautiful. I'm very jealous.
I never knew you could use stripper clips off the magazine cut off... interesting.
I don't recommend it in anyway shape or form..... but it was an interesting experiment...
I love the smell of powder smoke in the morning, smells like..... Mesothelioma.
Killroy would be proud
tfw you learn the rifle is asbestos bedded haahah