Enfields_In_Queue:Australia

Rifle 117
SMLE No.1 Mk III, Enfield 1907 With long range auxiliary sights and windage rear sight. First year of Mk III production. Stamped in the stock “S.G.E.R.R.” (St. George’s English Rifle Regiment). Marked “N.S.W” (New south Wales) on the receiver. Formed in 1896 in Sydney as the 7th New South Wales Infantry the regiment saw service in South Africa in the Boer War. Renamed the St. George’s English Rifle Regiment in 1903 it retained this title until 1912 when it was designated the 31st (Leichhardt) Battalion of Infantry. Overall 95%, bore VG (sharp and bright). Wood VG with typical small dings and dents. Matched (bolt, receiver, barrel, sight, nosecap, and forestock. No import marks. Exceptionally desirable piece.

Rifle 135-A
1905 BSA Mk I***. There is no cartouche and the marking disc is marked "P.S.G.D." over "129". Rifle is interesting as it was rebarrelled in Australian in 1916. Rifle's serial number was removed and never re-stamped. Barrel serial number and bolt serial number match, rear sight is mis-matched, nose cap is un-numbered. The receiver still has is Australian rack number stamped on the top of the receiver. Forend has usual dings with one armourers repair, front hand guard has a large crack repaired by armored, butt has one armourers repair.. Metal rates a very good, bore is excellent. Type 3 magazine, cuttoff and volley sights complete. Small area of bare metal on barrel knot possibly from barrel installations?? Type 3 magazine (converted from a Type 2) for the Mk I* BSA.

Rifle 135-B
I suspect that very few school rifles (P.S.D.G.(above) is quite likely Public School D--G--) started their service life as a school rifle, so it's a good idea to check the back of the buttstock marking disc for interesting marks. Marked 6 S.A.C.S. over rack 058; SA assumed to be South Australia; could also be South Africa. The style of lettering is similar to a South African rifle as well as another Australian, although this rifle has too many Aussie marks to ignore.

Rifle 136
1904 LSA Mk I (not I* or I***) with sliding charger guide and Victoria ownership marks on the knox form and marked AGA (Australian Garrison Artillery) on the buttstock marking disk. Re-barreled and restocked in 1911. The bolt and rear sight are mismatched, the nosecap and forend are unmarked. The rifle is all Mk I except when the wood was replaced with a Mk I* forend and rear hand guard on it (you can only tell the difference by looking at the placement of the rivet holes on the rear guard). The butt, butt plate, magazine, and cocking piece are all still Mk I.

Rifle 165
SMLE Rifle No.1 Mk I, Enfield 1904. Australian Light Horse V.G. bore; clear markings. ER ENFIELD 1904 SHT LEE I; stock been lightly sanded; butt stock brass disk stamped 7.05, 5 over 12 over ALH, 6; all complete with swivels, volley sights and windage adjustable backsight.

Rifle 175
SMLE Rifle No.1 Mk I* LSA Co. 1907 Serial numbers match. Original blue has started to turn an even smooth blue/grey color. There is some scattered areas of tiny pitting on the left side of receiver. A small area of medium pitting on the low left buttsocket, and one large pit on the rear center edge of right buttsocket. Bore is very good; wood VG. Has scattered minor handling marks and has a very nice color. All small parts are X marked for LSA including the stock. The right side of the buttstock has a nearly perfect LSA roundel cartouche. The butt disc is unmarked. Rifle is complete, having the volley sights, magazine cutoff and correct magazine. AND the rifle retains its original sights for Mk IV ammo. Has never been upgraded for the Mk VII HV round. Has the V notch rear sight and inverted V front sight blade. Buttstock marked to the Queensland Police. Top of receiver is marked Q/|\P 229. The left side of the buttstock is marked with a broad arrow over Q.G (Queensland Government) over P (Police) over 1908. A very nice example of a relatively scarce SMLE

Rifle 190
SMLE Rifle No.1 Mk III* Lithgow 1919 Marked on the buttstock "RANB" and "VICTORIA" (Royal Australian Naval Base - Victoria) in a rectangle. Markings of "CMF" and "3MD" (Citizens Military Forces/3rd Military District - Victoria) are "x'ed" out, indicating transfer to naval ownership. Excellent arsenal cartouches on the buttstock with an 1919 "in stores" date. Overall 95%. Bore sharp and bright. Wood - Queensland Maple - is VG. Matched. No import marks.

Rifle 222
SMLE Rifle No.1 Mk III* Enfield 1915. Type 1 configuration with rear aperture and front volley sights, windage adjustable rear sight, and lightened rear sight protector. Piece is marked "VIC" - Victoria - and "D and a broad arrow" on the receiver. Stock disk is marked "HOB" indicating the Hobson's Bay Regiment of Infantry. The stock is cartouched with "D broad arrow D 1" - a 1st class arm and the Australian "D and broad arrow" property stamp. Both the buttstock and the receiver carry the same State of Victoria stores number - 37198. The Hobson's Bay Regiment was formed in 1912 from the Victoria Scottish who had been formed in 1898. During the Great War, the regiment was designated the 52nd Battalion and served in the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. From 1916 to 1918 the 4th Division served as part of I ANZAC Corps in France. The 4th Division served in the worst fighting at the Somme in 1916 and Passchendaele in the fall of 1917. Overall the Division suffered a 40% casualty rate. In 1929 the Hobson's Bay Regiment was again designated the Victoria Scottish and carries that designation to this day. Overall 90% finish. Bore is sharp and bright. Stock is VG with the usual dings and dents from service. Matching numbers - receiver, barrel, bolt, rear sight, nosecap, forestock, and state property number. Barrel is dated '15 on the left side of the breech. No import marks. Ultra rare and desirable.