Milsurp After Hours

Hello folks

Yesterday evennig I was bored and checked a gunauction site.

Had bookmarked a Enfield sporter some weeks back and noticed, that not much activety was taken on it.

Placed low bid on it and WON!!!!!!!!!!

Will take some time, till I get it, but here are some pics from the auction:

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/6007 ... dbfiu4.jpg[/pic]

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/165/ ... ee1iy9.jpg[/pic]

Can anyone tell something about such a gun?????

Normaly I am more a fan of miitary rifles, but a nice old style sporter was something I had not in my collection

Chris

By the look of it, its a conversion based around a MkIII body, although with a Lee Carbine bolt (I may have that wrong, but SMLE's don't have bolt head safetys and flattened, turned down bolt handles). It also appears to have the original issue barrel (or certainly something similar to that, hence the ring for the foresight). its also been fitted for a claw-mount quick release system, although it looks like the rear mount possibly built onto the charger bridge and is missing, as well as having express sights from 100-300 yards and a slide to 1000 (at a guess, but mine is very similar). Restocked and forend cut down and chequered, and with a magazine capacity of around 5-6 rounds, with some nice engraving to the base. Its a nice, servicable piece. Let us know how it shoots and looks when you get it

(as a disclaimer, anything I got wrong one of the moderators will jump all over)

Nick

Looks nice Chris.

Don't know much about them but the purpose built sporters are a real study in themselves.

BSA, were one of the more prolific makers. I also believe they were happy to mix and match features according to customer wants.

It looks like an SMLE action (the cut out on the reciever rail on the left and the charger bridge), with a cavalry carbine bolt (the flattened swept forward bolt handle).

The rear (express ?) sights appear to have been built around a Long Lee leaf, while the front sight (and barrel) look standard SMLE.

That looks like a scope base over the knox form and there appears to be something mounted just behind the charger bridge on the left.

Rear sling swivel looks like a Long Lee model but the front I don't recognise.

Magazine looks like a custom made 5 round model and nicely engraved.

All up I'd say a very nice sporter. Couldn't say if it's a home made or a trade produced job. Woodwork doesn't scream quality to me but that may just be the picture quality.

You'll have to post more and better pictures when you get it. Look forward to seing them.

Thanks for the informations so far!

Such Sporters are not seen often over here, most older hunting rifles are built on Mauser od Mannlicher actions.

Here is a pic of the top of the action, showing the rear part of the claw mount too.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/9226 ... e80db9.jpg[/pic]

Chris

Thats an unusual claw mount system, but possibly due to the fact that the Enfield receiver doesn't lend itself to having mounts built onto it. You will have to look for stamping, as its possible that you will have a patent mark or possibly a gunsmiths name stamped somewhere. From what little I've seen of the options providable for the BSA sporters, I don't recall claw mounts. The ones I've handled, when set up for scopes, used a triple tap in the receiver wall for the Parker Hale side mount.

Still can't wait to see some more pics

Nick

I think the claw mount was added here in Germany a looooooooooong time ago.

Same pattern as on the split bridge Steyr-Mannlicher, with some luck, I can find a mount and can adapt it.

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1213 ... eyrlj4.jpg[/pic]

Many hunters have mounted modern scopes to their old Steyrs, so the scopes and mounts must be somewhere

Chris