O/T gun

My first gun was a old 303 british enfield that I couldnt hit the barn with,I think it was dated 1917.I went to visit my retired VO-AG teacher yesterday and he told me that his first rifle he had was a 303,and I told him Id like to have another one just for old times,he took me down into his basement and gave it to me.It is in perfect shape,but when I started looking at it,it looked different than mine.Its dated 1945 and has a cheek rest.I looked on the computer and found it.Its a #4 mk1 made by BSA {Brimingham small arms co}the same company that made motorcycles,Does any one have any more knowledge of this gun?Is it worth anything{doesnt really matter}?I also read they used this same gun in 22 cal for training

jimmy

Good morning jim, shoot me a pic and I will see what i can find out for you ok:
JR FRYE

I have heard that the early 303s were used so much and for so long that they were completely shot out. Research "SMLE Mad Minute". After no longer being acceptable for issue, they were used for training.

The M-16s I used in USAF basic were so worn out that to reaim you need only adjust the forearm as it moved independently of the action (to a point) but you had to be careful as too much english would cause a failure to feed. This was 1992 but the guns did not have a forward assist so they were the very early models (1960something).

The 1945 should be a smooth feeding straight shooter. Have you shot it yet?

Aaron

Then there is the "other" Enfield, the Pattern 17 that was issued to US troops in the Great War.

Hey . . . I just learned something new. I've had two BSA motorcycles for 40 years. Also have one Royal Enfield 500 cc twin from 1959. I always thought BSA stood for "British Small Arms." Oh well, can't say I ever researched to find out.

Yup...Birmingham Small Arms. I have an A7 with left hand side car. Suicide machine! AND A GAS TO RIDE!

The best way to know what is worth and what others are selling for is go to www.gunbroker.com and see the real asking prices for your model. As far as what is the date of production and when it was ceased in production, what wars used etc. Just go to Yahoo or google and type in the info.

The #4 was a 1937??? Update of your old SMLE#3MK1, which was a 1904 design IIRC. The bayonet and sights were the main changes. Before the 1917 one you had, was a 'Lee Medford'... now those are worth quite a bit moe than either you have. Few SMLE's were a target rifle off the rack- nice ones were put aside for the precission shooting. They were ment to use at closer ranges, that's why the bayonets were so grusome. Volley fire- at like 2000 yards, was to maybe disrupt things way off, like hit a horse and get him to go balistic, or just get guys there to take cover. There was no actual aiming. I believe they were in British service till 1960? Later in reserves. And were made in India till the 70's. BTW, Stevens Arns in Chicopee Mass made several hundred thousand- those have a square 'S' and are marked 'US property- lend lease'. They are worth 35 cents more than any other of the 10 million smelly's out in the world.

Cheek rest on a #4 to me says it may be a #4MK1T

Is this mark on the left side of the receiver? Also a couple of drilled and tapped holes in the left side?

The "#4MK1T" is the WW2 Brit Sniper rifle. A complete one will have a "Transit chest", scope, mount and a whole slew of accessories.

Much more valuable rifle than a common SMLE.

I've got a BSA 650 twin and a 750 "Rocket-Three" triple. The twin is a great machine and the triple -not so great but fun to look at.

My Royal Enfield "Meteor Minor" 500 twin is the only British bike I've ever owned with a separate foot-shifted neutral finder. Kind of neat.

I wonder if a guy can get arrested today when using the carb ticklers for cold starts? Those were the good old days when it was considered normal to spill a little gas for good starting.

Pattern 17 was 30-06 version of .303 pattern 14 made in US for British army contract. US made Springfield manufacturing capacity was somewhat low- when war was contemplated the civilian manufacturers said they could make Springfield in maybe 4 to 6 months after the got the needed tooling from Springfield arsenal-- or they could make a 30-06 chambered Enfield starting the next week as the tooling was all set up, British army contracts were just done and they had the chambering reamers for 30-06 to quick switch and the barrel blanks could be rifled with regular 30 caliber at .308 instead of British .311/313. Sights could be marked for 30-06 ballistics easy enough and capacity among 3 different makers was a lot more than Springfield arsenal- want a couple hundred thousand rifles delivered in couple months or want to wait 6 months for 40,000??- and there might be delays. Some stories that some of the pattern 17s had oversize bores from remnent of .303 barrels first used- couple supposed to be around at gun shows and the 1920/30s reworking of pattern 17s paperwork indicates some barrels replaced due to oversize bores despite almost no usage, no corrosin. British used pattern 14s a designated riflemans issue, WW2 home army was issued pattern 14s in .303 and pattern 17s that were marked .30 (US). Need to check -- but Remington model 30 developed from the WW1 war contract pattern 17? My old Number 3*1 sporterized conversion at brothers is marked US property. RN.

(quoted from post at 13:37:47 12/04/11) I've got a BSA 650 twin and a 750 "Rocket-Three" triple. The twin is a great machine and the triple -not so great but fun to look at.

My Royal Enfield "Meteor Minor" 500 twin is the only British bike I've ever owned with a separate foot-shifted neutral finder. Kind of neat.

I wonder if a guy can get arrested today when using the carb ticklers for cold starts? Those were the good old days when it was considered normal to spill a little gas for good starting.

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I can remember pushing the little button on the carb to raise the gas level in the bowl for starting. I can't remember what it was on though. Hey LJD how about adopting me so that I can inherit some of those toys? You sure have a lot of interesting stuff.