.303 BSA Sporter/Lee-Speed

[Son of Dorn]

I've actually had this for a few months now, as it was a birthday present to myself back in July. My camera crapped out and my phone won't take good enough photos, so these are the ones from the listing. They don't really do it, or the sling, justice, honestly.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Look at that stock!!!

More pix when your camera craps in again!

Beautiful find and belated Happy Birthday!

Sirhr

 

[ZG47A]

Beautiful rifle. Worth every penny you paid, if the inside is as good as the outside. True hunting (as opposed to a carry it on the quad, long range, hope the carcass isn’t flyblown by the time you get there) rifle. More images, please.

 

[Son of Dorn]

Beautiful rifle. Worth every penny you paid, if the inside is as good as the outside. True hunting (as opposed to a carry it on the quad, long range, hope the carcass isn’t flyblown by the time you get there) rifle. More images, please.

Carry it on a horse, perhaps! The sights are a 100/200/300-yard express with a friction-ladder for 400-1000y, so in those days you'd be pretty up-close and personal for sure.

Best I can tell from the proof marks, it was made sometime between 1904 and 1925 (I think), but there's one marking I'm unsure about that looks like a U with a diamond inside it. It might be a "sold-out-of-service" marking, but if so, that makes me really want to know what British army officer was packing this rifle and against whom!

ETA photo of the proofs, BSA emblem, and the diamond/U marking.

 

[BigKev72]

Great rifle. I’m a sucker for Lee enfields. Now you just need to get it rebarreled to 303/25 and you will really have a rig. In all seriousness though, lovely example of a Lee spotter. Happy birthday!

 

[Son of Dorn]

A little bit of an update on this. It's not a Lee-Speed (alas), but a "lower-grade" BSA sporting rifle. "Lower-grade" here having the meaning of "damn fine rifle but not as pretty or finely-featured as the higher-grade models", because oldschool rifle craftsmanship was one hell of a thing.

The mysterious diamond-in-a-U marking is indeed a "sold out of service" marking, specifically for South Africa. So there's a story or two behind this rifle for sure.

 

[Potsy]

I’ve wanted a Lee Speed Sporter of some sort ever since watching “Ghost in the Darkness”!

 

[ZG47A]

@Son of Dorn You clearly have a nice, special rifle. If you want to know more about Lee Speed rifles, I suggest that you go to the Africa Hunting forum and look up von Gruff’s posts. You will appreciate the knowledge that he brings to the subject and the images of work that he has done on his rifles.

 

[Son of Dorn]

@Son of Dorn You clearly have a nice, special rifle. If you want to know more about Lee Speed rifles, I suggest that you go to the Africa Hunting forum and look up von Gruff’s posts. You will appreciate the knowledge that he brings to the subject and the images of work that he has done on his rifles.

I am already on the forum and am acquainted with Mr. Von Gruff! I've been rather remiss in not ordering a knife from him and I really need to fix that... He pointed me in the right direction and another member there is helping me figure out a few more details about this rifle, namely bullet weight and type.

 

[Son of Dorn]

Gentlemen, I bring some news about this rifle. It's a Lee-Enfield (or Lee-Speed or Lee-Metford, all of them technically are correct even with the lack of L-S patent) No. 4 Sporting Carbine, near-identical to the one at the bottom of this advert page.

And most curiously, a brief google search turned up this rifle at auction. Mine of course lacks the Royal Navy markings and the magazine cutoff, has a shorter 5-round magazine, and the ladder sights are regulated for a bit shorter ranges, but otherwise the two rifles are a perfect match. Indeed, my serial number suggests mine was made before this one.

** Extremely Rare Royal Navy Marked Lee-Speed No.4 Sporting Carbine

.303 caliber, 25.3125” round barrel, S/N 14748S. Blued finish, semi-pistol gripped checkered walnut stock. Right side of receiver ring marked in one line: BSA Co. Left side of receiver ring marked in three lines: N. / No. 4 S.C. / (Broad Arrow). Indi...

www.cowanauctions.com

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Awesome rifle and research. If it could talk…

Sirhr

 

[fosberry455]

The U with arrow is South African property markings.
The rifle in its military configuration was once the property of the South African government.
The bolt is a carbine bolt, note the flat end of the bolt handle.
There are a number of variants as most were made up as almost a one of one from surplus rifles and parts.
I'll see if I can get to some of mine and send off a few pictures.
They seem to run from bloody awful to absolute beautiful works of workmanship and art.