WW II Australian Lithgow SMLE……… (F 990)
Created on June 28th 2023
A Good Standard Australian WW 2 SMLE
Australia set up arms manufacture initially in 1907 and had been producing weapons for some time before WW2 broke out. Consequently the Lithgow plant was comfortably in a position to restart their manufacture of the SMLE rifle which they had originally set up for WW1. They not only supplied their own forces but exported to Britain and other allies during WW2. This example was built in 1941 when production was well under way. It is as good a version of the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No I Mk III* that you will find anywhere, and by the end of the war had seen sterling service all over the world It is a reliable and sturdy weapon that cut its teeth in the mud and blood of Flanders and was well trusted by all the troops that relied on it.
Chambered in the standard .303 with a ten shot detachable box magazine. This SMLE is 44.1/2″ in overall length. The round blued barrel is 25.1/4″ long and fully covered by woodwork. The trigger Pull is 13.1/2″ to centre. The rifle is stocked in Australian Coachwood and marked as produced at the Slazenger plant which supplied the Australian arms suppliers with all their furniture for all the weapons produced including bayonet grips and Bren parts. Both Queensland Maple and Coachwood are slightly more prone to splitting, so the armourers used threaded brass rod to reinforce the points they considered weak, or to carry out repairs; this is why one often sees the tell-tale ends of brass looking pins in the stocks. This rifle is handsomely stocked in a stained matching set of stock work, the butt however could be a war-time replacement as distinctly marked behind the trigger guard, under the wrist; “SLAZ 42” with other inspection marks. The butt is protected with a Brass butt-plate with trap for cleaning equipment.
The wrist is marked on the RHS; “M A / LITHGOW / S.M.L.E. / III* / 1941” The “MA” at the top is taken to mean either Munitions Australia or Made in Australia no one really knows for sure, but it does appear on many components over the rest of the rifle. On the top RHS shoulder of the wrist, is a number which should not be confused with the serial number; “B1683” it also appears on the underside of the bolt arm. The serial number (matching) appears on the RHS of the receiver as “D /39170” and on the reverse side of the bolt arm. On the obverse is a clear “MA / VII” for the Lithgow factory, along with the Lithgow cross lances proof mark.” Gas escape hole adjacent. The number on the bayonet stud of the nose cap (which is Australian as the piling swivel hole is not there) is not matching. Rectangular cocking piece. Correct sights as later designed with no adjustment for windage, made at the Wellington Feeder Factory as marked “WA” on the underside along with the correct matching number. At some point a “J.W. Ellis” has marked the underside of the sights with his name – it looks electro-pencilled? Barrel marked behind rear sights “HV / SC”.
Charging bridge and trigger guard are among some of the components that are marked “BA” for the Bathhurst Rifle factory, another one of the feeder factories that supplied Lithgow’s main plant with components to build the SMLE. No long range volley sights or magazine cut-off as a Mk III*. Altogether a very nice “bog-standard” Australian service rifle that looks to have seen some service in the last great conflict possibly in sandy climes, as the finish almost seems sand-blasted away on the metalwork. Woodwork is solid with no splits or shakes and has a matt all over look to it. The action is mechanically fine. The bore as original to the rifle is very good with defined rifling. It is clean and uninterrupted by corrosion. Freshly CIP proofed on import. Should be a strong shooter – no guarantees as its the j–k on the trigger that makes all the difference…!
Stock No F 990
£ 950.
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