Value of a Enfield SMLE?

[Cobracutter]

Hey guys its been a while since Ive posted here. I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is I'm about to buy a New rice rocket. Bad news I have to sell some guns to pay for it. Maybe that's good news for you guys.


I have here a pristine enfield SMLE from ww2. It is by far the best sample I have ever seen of any enfield. It was personaly taken out of cosmoline about 2 years ago.... Cleaned.......Shot 10 rounds of New production S&B .303.... Cleaned and put back in the safe. I have been researching it and would like to know around how much it is worth.

Here are the Details:

Almost perfect blonde wood. Catouche's of "Glaz 42", Royal Crown with the Number 26 under it, One that looks like "SHZ 43".

On the Rifle, Under the bolt handle on the metal:

MA
LITHGOW
S.M.LE.
Looks like Roman Numerial 2 or 3
1942


All peices of metal seem to have the same Serial Number "4801" On the front site metal the SN says:

D
4801



I will try and get some pictures up later. Like I said this is the finest sample I have ever seen and wondering If I have something that might be worth being a collector's piece or not.


Thanks,
Nick


EDIT.......
The Import Marking on the reciever looks like "JJCO NY"

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

I got an all matching, all original 1915 LSA SMLE Mk III a few months back. All wood is stamped with correct proofs/crown marks, received, bayonet lug, bolt all stamped with correct serial. Rare 215gr MKVI rear sight ramp, piling hook and original early WW1 leather sling (picture shows a repro which I fitted). Had correct version LSA Oiler and broad arrow stamped pull thru in the butt-trap.

Cost me just under £700 which included a full checkover from my smith who declared it "museum quality" and confirmed it had not been "messed with".

You can get later SMLE's from the 30's and 40's for around £200 upwards. TVG is showing one Lithgow '42 SMLE that has a new barrel at £459.00 and a '20's SAF Lithgow at £399.00 (http://www.thamesvalleyguns.co.uk)

Suggest you also look at BDL's site (http://www.bdlltd.com)

Here's mine.....

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Wow thanks for the quick reply. In comparison to your rifle posted... If mine was sitting in a rack fresh of the assembly line, yours would be in a trench. When i say it looks new... except for a few small scratches on the metal and dents in the wood, The rifle is new. 300 pounds is around $500. Not sure on my spot rates atm which is sad becuse I have a degree in International finance.


Do you know anything about the Lithgow plant?

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Nick

Trench....yes, that's 'cos it probably has been at some stage! That's a lot to do with the appeal!! ;-))

Just edited my first message with a couple of links...look at the TVG site, a couple of really good looking Lithgow's there.

If you want to research some more about SMLE's here's a couple of useful sites:

http://enfieldrifles.profusehost.net/
http://www.leeenfieldrifleassociation.org.uk/
http://www.enfield-stuff.com/index.htm

Also Ian Skennerton's book on Enfields should be on your bookshelf (but it ain't cheap!)

Cheers

Andy

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Thank you so much for the information.

The reason this sparked my interest was when I took it to shoot those 10 rounds, there was a gentlemen there who collected them. He offered me $1000 for the rifle and I turned it down knowing it had to be worth more. He collected N3.s specificaly SMLE and said it was the nicest he has ever seen. He even gave me a box of WW2 .303 ammo, but I never shot thinking it was corrosive and not wanted to deal with cleaning that shit.


I am really hoping it is worth something decent so I don't have to sell my FN SPR and My mk12 SPR to buy a decent bike.

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

No problem Nick, you're welcome.

In the UK it is really hard to find a genuine good example - I saw loads of shot out old wrecks at dealers and fairs before I found mine from a collector who was thinning out his collection. I'd guess a really good one should reach the figure you mention.

Try and check out Skennerton's book, he has quite abit of info on proof marks etc. He is an Aussie and knows quite a bit about Lithgow.

He does some smaller cheaper pamphlets that are good basic collectors info too. Think you can pick them up on Amazon.

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

So does that mean It was a Aussie if it was made in the Lithgow factory?

 

[AIAWinAU]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Hi Mate,

What you have there is an Australian made SMLE rifle. Lithgow is the name of the city ( small coal mining town in the mountains ) where the rifle was made. From what you say all the numbers are matching. The "GLAZ" stamp is actually "SLAZ" & stands for Slazengers in Sydney that made the timber on that rifle. They also used to make really good tennis racquets. I think that the "BA" stamp is from one of the sub factories that was located at Bathurst & made some of the smaller parts during WW2.

Here in Australia, if the rifle was new & unfired, it would probably go for between $2000.00 & $3000.00 A$. Good one's with all matching numbers & excellent original condition around $800.00 to $1500.00 A$. As to your market - maybe the importers stamp makes a difference at your end ? About 20 years ago the Australian Army was selling these off
to serving members for $50 each - some as new, & some a bit used & abused. I should have bought a few more at the time. Oh well......

Either way a nice piece of old world craftsmanship with an action that is slicker than slick.

Questions ?

Cheers.

 

[Jayhawker]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Just have to sit here and smile...back when I was in High School the local gun shop had a drum full of SMLEs in cosmoline with a sign on a stick that said "Take Your Pick $35.00" Spike bayonets were $3.00 and Wilkerson Sword bayonets were a bit more pricey at $7.00. That was sitting next to another drum full of Mausers going for $30.00 apiece.
FN49s were $50.00 apiece.


If I had only known...
Years later I passed on a MK III sniper with the scope and wooden carrying case for $300.00 - Man - talk about a slow learner.

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Look like I found the Bike I want. Just need to sell some ammo and guns and be gtg....... I would love to keep this and my SPR... but life is too short..... and you can only shoot 1 gun at a time.


tikka3t..... Thank you for the information. I don't know how it being a Aussie rifle translates into it's value, but it is very interesting none the less. Its amazing the craftsmanship that went into these rifles, especialy during a time of war. I spent a good ammount of time in the desert as an armorer fixing shitty weapons that didn't have half the machining & fitting as these do.


2nd Edit.... Here are some quick photo's I have added. I am thinking $900 may be a more reasonable offer.... Should have taken the gentleman's offer.

 

[BasraBoy]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Yep, Aussie made. The action on these is amazing, far slicker than on my old Mauser. Easy to see why the Germans at Mons in 1914 thought they'd been stopped by the British armed with MG's. The rate of aimed fire a properly trained infantryman could get out of these was streets ahead of the Germans!


Just a shame they don't handle higher chamber pressues too well!

Re: your Lithgow, the only problem I've heard is that the tropical woods used on some of the Indian and Aussie manufactured rifles are not as good quality/robust as the walnut used on the UK and Canadian manufactured rifles, this can make them a little less desirable to some collectors (in the UK at least).

But, from the pics you posted the condition looks very nice and similar to those Lithgow SMLE's on the TVG site listed above.

Good luck with finding a buyer!

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Keep the gun, sell the bike... LOL!!!

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Thanks for the Info guys.

one thing to add..... I think cleaning cosmoline from firearms should be a duty left to our worst enemies. I would pay $500 for a clean rifle before I would go through all that shit again.

 

[GorbashUK]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Cobracutter, I do not know an exact price for the SMLE but some friends of mine bought the 'new' 1954 No4's that were for sale here in the UK, packed in cosmo, brown paper, proof fired only, sweet blond wood. They paid £650, about $1000. I have a blond 1916 BSA SMLE that i was told last week by a reputable Enfield dealer is worth about £400. Nice clean Enfields are going up in price, the guns have to be clean, no tatty dropped at Dunkirk rubbish.

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Fucalino,

Yea I want to sell it soon but dont really know where to price it. 1 it is rare to see one from this period in this condition, and most of the pricing has been from the UK/Aussie... I see a few going on gunbroker that aren't as nice as mine, but that place is way over priced to begin with. I just want a solid deal for both me and the buyer.

P.S This is a 1942 Rifle from Lithgow

 

[learjet]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

j jovino(JJCO NY) apparently imported quite a few aussie rifles back in the 60s. many were perfect new specimens, others were assembled and renumbered by jovino, and appear to be perfect specimens to the untrained eye. not a true expert here, and i wouldnt attempt to value yours, but it doent have the factory markings on the right side of the butstock i would expect to see on an untouched factory rifle.

may wanna post on th british rifle section over at gunboards. theyll fill u in on mr jovino

 

[Oblio13]

Re: Value of a Enfield SMLE?

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you've got a parts gun assembled by the John Jovino Company. Might be a nice shooter, but check to make sure the copper or brass recoil plates were installed. JJCO was infamous for not bothering with them, and the forearm is likely to shatter without them.

1942 was the height of the war, with Australia's survival in doubt. There's probably no such thing as a 1942 rifle that was put into storage unissued and then surplused out, especially not at scrap metal prices to John Jovino. A lot of people have been ripped off by these "new" Lithgows.