View Full Version : London Small Arms MLE Mk I target rifle
I'm putting my target rifle up for sale and will consider a good trade if its something I feel I can't live without. This rifle has been pictured and discussed on the SMLE Forum. It has an absolutely pristine stock of dense grain. The wood has no marks, dents scratches or dings worth mentioning except for one which is on the left side of the receiver. This appears to be very old and looks like it was caused by an adjustment knob of a target sight that was being used and folded down. I think that I was the first person to Carefully pull the action out of the stock since it was made. I found a little dried oil on the underside of the barrel and action in spots and I believe it was dried linseed oil from treating the stock over a century ago. I carefully cleaned that off with a solvent. The bore appears unused and is as close to Mint as one could hope for, which is of importance since this rifle was made for and used (if very much at all) for target shooting. The brass buttplate is unmarred and all other metal is smooth with close to all of the original finish except for the area of the left side of the receiver where dust and moisture was allowed to accumulate behind an attached target sight that must've been left on the rifle when it was stored. This area has lost it's original finish and although having a fine scattering of very minor pitting, it could be smoothed over again and reblued professionaly to match the rest of the rifles finish. There is no corrosion or build up of surface patina anywhere on the rifle other than this. The front and rear bands as well as the Volley Fire dial plate and arm and buttplate screws are "in the white".The stacking or piling swivel and lug are not on the front band and probably never were. The front band has "RIGBY PATENT '88' on it's face next to the bayonet lug. The receiver has LEE SPEED PATENT on it and there is other patent information on the bolt head side lug. Under the bolt handle, on the butt socket, there is LSA Co.Ld. with an 'I' under that. It does not have the designation of 'MLE' on it, but it is indeed a Magazine Lee Enfield Mk I and it still has its original "clearing" rod. This rifle, being a private purchase by an individual, did not require the clearing rod to be removed from the rifle as per military orders in May of 1899. These rods, by this time, had been given a different design than the previous longer model of "cleaning" rod that had been issued with earlier rifles. I don't beleive these shorter 17.2" rods with the different head, were meant to push a patch down the bore. I think they were just meant for being threaded into a rod from another rifle and used to push down the bore of a rifle to remove stuck cartridges in the heat of battle. I believe the grooves in the head of these rods were meant to assist the soldier in turning the rod out of the rod stop nut within the stock, not for gripping a cleaning patch. With this rifle comes a brass weight and pull through cord and an original MkIII brass oiler (not the SMLE MkIII) which predates the more common flat base MkIV oiler of WWI and WWII issue. This oiler, with its convex base, was issued between 1899 and 1906. Did I say the bore was perfect? With this rifle also comes an original Parker, Bisley 9.G aperture sight and mounting base that were made for a Long Lee target rifle. This sight has the PH60 eye piece with the 6 different sized peep holes that can be dialed into place. Also I'm including an original Ventometer or rear sight micrometer made by W.J. JEFFERY & Co, GUN & RIFLE MAKERS, KINGS St ST JAMES' LONDON . This rifle should be owned and used by a person who is a skilled competition shooter and who would like to have the Very Best rifle of the most excellent quality that he can get of this vintage and model. They ain't making them anymore folks. This rifle was the best that London Small Arms had to offer for the Victorian military competition shooter in the late 19th century. With a few exceptions of some others out there in private hands, you'd have to go back into time to Victorian England and grab one off of the rack to obtain one like it. I'll not find another of this quality when this is gone, and so I'm asking a price that will allow me to live with selling it. $2,900.00 . Yea, I know it's a lot of money, but this is a lot of rifle! If you want the very best and would like to be the envy of all of your gun buddy's, then this is your chance to make it happen. This price includes shipping and unsurance. I'm just a collector and I don't know when this rifle was made, so I'll have to ship it out to someone with an FFL. Oh, that mark in the 2nd photo from the top that looks like a scratch on the magazine is just a dog hair or something. It isn't in the metal. There is also a minor scar in the forarm about 3 1/2" in front of the rear barrel band, on the right side, at the top edge of the wood that is contemporary with the age of the rifle. If anyone really likes this rifle and they want to convince me to take less, then lets talk. I'm very open minded!
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I'll consider any trade or trade and cash as well. I'm interested in any antique firearms, not just Enfields.
OK, there's another old gun that I want to buy and I might be able to talk the owner down a bit from his asking price. So, in that light, if the owner will come down and gives me a response in the affirmative, I'll come down on my asking price for my target rifle. I'm now asking only $2,450.00 for it. I'll regret this if it sells, but I'll have a new rifle to play with and surely, somebody out there who hasn't an early Long Lee Target rifle with the original rod and the desirable Parker 9G target sight AND the PH60 eye piece will be getting something that they'll cherish! I've just had made some new mounting screws by Evans Obsolete Screws for that 9G sight that will be deivered here in a day or so. He has also made a new Volley Aperture Pivot screw to replace the one that is on the rifle who's head is slightly damaged at the slot. They cost me $53.00, but will be necessary to securely mount & use the sight. I figure that if I sell the rifle, it's a good thing for the new owner to have. If not, I'll have a Great rifle with a fantastic target sight to shoot.
Fred: That is just dead sexy... Very Nice....
Awsome rifle Fred, a time capsule, Ray
Thanks guys! I'm glad that you appreciate it. I wish that you lived nearby so that you could load her up and try her out on a bench rest. I'm really interested in seeing what this rifle/sight combination can do in the hands of a rifleman. I used to be a really good shot, but I'm afraid that my eyes have gone bad. However, looking through the 9G sight using whatever peep site in the PH60 eye piece, everything is very sharp and detailed.
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Thanks guys! I'm glad that you appreciate it. I wish that you lived nearby so that you could load her up and try her out on a bench rest. I'm really interested in seeing what this rifle/sight combination can do in the hands of a rifleman. I used to be a really good shot, but I'm afraid that my eyes have gone bad. However, looking through the 9G sight using whatever peep site in the PH60 eye piece, everything is very sharp and detailed.
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I wish that you lived nearby so that you could load her up and try her out on a bench rest...... Don't temp me...I'm a montana boy.....:1948:
If I sell the rifle, I'm going to include this bandoler for 303 British. It's new made exactly like those issued with the Victorian Long Lee's. It'll hold 50 rounds. I'll even treat it with Pecard's to soften it up real nice.
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John Sukey
11-22-2009, 03:29
Hate to see you letting go of that. You most likely never will find another one that nice .:(
Fred you need to order one of these eye aids for shooting. Acts the same as the peep sight when shooting rifles with open sights. I just ordered one. I've been using a home made one which was okay but I like the way this one fits on the flip up lens.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=116708
Wow Ray, do they really work? do they allow the front and rear sights and the target to come into focus better? with my conventional glasses,I can only see the front sight and target with the driving glasses or the rear sight alone with the reading glasses. gotta take the glasses off when shooting which means that I can't use the rifle effectively. That's where the peep sight comes in. I'll have to buy a pair and see what I can see! Thanks Ray!
Fred if the peep sight on the MkI helped you, it's the same thing only brings the peep sight closer to your eye. Target shooters use them for better focus. I still need to wear my regular prescription eye glasses while using the attachment. Ray
Thanks Ray. That's the neatest thing since pockets on a shirt and sliced bread! I'll get a pair! Fred
Fred hold off ordering them. I just read the reviews from others who ordered them. not too good, The idea works but apparently the product was not designed that well, Ray
They came today and I think they're great. They work for me and I like them. Of course I'm not a match shooter and the ones who gave them a bad review might want a more expensive quality product. They fit on your own glasses. One complaint was that the holes were too centered but they are okay for me as they can be moved off center by moving them left or right on your glasses to fit your position. Ray
OK Ray, I'll get a pair and see for myself if they work for me. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Thanks!
OK Boys, I've got two guns in the wings that I want. Both are old and rather worn out old Sharps rifles but I've taken a fancy to them. I can only afford one of them IF I sell this rifle. So, I'm going to sweeten the kitty a bit more. Here's the deal. I'm including a brass bore inspection miror for an enfield rifle with the date of 1916 stamped on it. Also, I'm including TWO new made Leather bandoliers of the old Victorian style that were worn during the Boer War and elsewhere when these rifles were being used throughout the far flung reaches of the British Empire. Also, of course with the rifle comes a Mk III oiler and pull through cleaning cord, a Ventometer made for this particular type of target rifle to assist in making very fine adjustments to the rear sight during military competitions where the rifles weren't allowed to use the G9 target sights (although I'm told that these G9 sights were used to aid snipers in the field before they were replaced with scopes in 1916), a wonderful Parker G9 target sight that's capable of making 1/2 minute adjustments, and with this sight is attached a PH60 eyepiece that has six different sized peep sights that can be dialed into place in a moment to adjust for different degrees of brightness with two newly made mounting screws for the sight base made by Evan's Obsolete Screws. They're precission made and lifetime warranted and cost me $18.00 each. Oh, and there's also the original Volley fire aperture and pivot screw (screw newly made by Evans Obsolete Screws for $18.00 to replace the damaged original) that replace the target sight when it's off the rifle. This is an extremely precision made rifle that was assembled at the London Small Arms Co. for one purpose, to provide the Victorian era match shooter with the most accurate rifle that was made up to that time. It can be seriously argued that these highly prized target rifles and target sights, in the right hands, are Still the most accurate on a long distance range with non telescopic sights. The only question is, are YOU the right man for this rifle? Don't let this opportunity pass you up. I'm not gong to keep this offer open forever. If I didn't need the money for one of the other rifles, I'd keep this wonderful rifle and all of the other stuff for myself. If the other rifles that I'm looking at sell to somebody else, I'm going to remove this rifle from this site and keep it to have it burried with me in my coffin when I go to that big target range in the sky. First one to make a move gets the whole package boys. This rifle has a PERFECT bore. Very little wear on the rifle at all. Not bad for 115 years old. Send me a private message and lets get down to business. $2450.00. That's $350.00 for the G9 sight, $50.00 for the Ventometer rear sight adjuster, $75.00 for the 1916 bore inspection mirror (yea, they're going for that much now), $40.00 for the Mk III brass oiler circa 1899-1906, $5.00 for the pull through, $50.00 each for the two bandoliers, $1,830.00 for the Mk I target rifle in Fine condition with the original clearing rod which in itself would cost about $300.00 if you could find one from a collector who wanted to sell his who knew what they were worth. Don't forget, this target rifle has a perfect bore and very little wear anywhere. It looks as if it's been in a museum for the past 115 years. I'm getting pretty close to what I have in it all and will not come out with much of anything in the way of a proffit after I pay for shipping and handling. What else could you want? It's only going to go up in value.
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What rifle is it that you are looking to buy that's better then keeping the one you're selling? Ray
It's a Sharps rifle Ray. I'd have fun researching it and taking it apart. Rough condition but it's interesting.
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