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Winning Bid US $735 First bid $250 Quantity 1 # of bids 11 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-05-07 00:00:00 Ended 2025-11-21 22:35:25

Birmingham Small Arms Company, Model: MLE Mk I*, New Zealand Rifle Club Pattern, Home guard marked, Cal: .303 British, MFG: 1901, S/N: A31715, Bolt action rifle, 25.2'' barrel.

HISTORY: This rifle started out as a standard infantry MLE (Magazine Lee-Enfield) with a full 30'' barrel that served in New Zealand. It at some point was sold out of service & became a shooting club rifle. Once the SMLE started showing up in rifle clubs there was a regulation of barrel length to the 25.2 of the SMLE to make sure no one had a unfair advantage with a longer barrel. Many MLEs & MLMs (Magazine Lee-Metford) would have their barrels cut down to 25.2'' or replaced. They had the same shooting clubs & rifles over in Australia & only differed by having different front sights. Skennerton, a great author of Lee-Metford & Lee-Enfield books calls this configuration of the rifle the rifle club pattern. When WW2 kicked off, many of these Club rifles would be pushed into Home guard service & would be marked ''HG''. This guns stock is stamped ''W.EVANS'' twice, ''AUSTINS'' twice, & ''TIMARU'' once. Timaru is a port city in South Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand. This is either where the shooting club was this rifle was part of, or where it served as a home guard rifle. W.Evans is likely who owned the rifle at the shooting club. The Austins is possible the name of the shooting club.

CONDITION: The two piece, semi-pistol grip walnut stock is very good with various nicks, dents, chips, & scratches. the left side of the forend, just in front of the mag has two 1/4'' wood plug repairs. The tip of the forend has a crack. The upper handguard had a 1 7/8'' section on the left front side chip off & was glued back together, repair is tight & looks professional, possible done by a arsenal. the right cheek of the stock is stamped ''W.EVANS''. The right cheek of the stock is stamped ''AUSTINS'', ''AUSTINS'', ''W.EVANS'', ''TIMARU''. Over the ''TIMARU'' stamp is the faint remains of the acceptance cartouche, under that is stamped ''II*'', marking is faded as well. The heel of the stock, just in front of the buttplate, has a faint ''S S'' with two broad arrows stamp which denotes it was sold out of military service. The stock appears to have been sanded & refinished when it was shortened into a club rifle with the Military markings being faded/worn & the other stamps still being intact. The metal has a old re-blue, unknown if its a arsenal or done when it was cut down. Spots of roughness/cleaned pitting under the finish The blued finish on the barrel rates 65% with scratches, spots of thinning & spots toning brown. The receiver has toned to a mix of gun metal gray & brown patina with some blue remaining in protected areas. The receiver dust cover retains a fair amount of its blue but has spots of wear that are toning brown. The left side of the receiver band is marked with a worn proof, stamped over that proof is the worn ''HG'' home guard stamp, just above that is a worn ''SA'' stamp. The top of the band is marked ''4161'', this is likely a rack number from its shooting club or home guard days. The right side of the band is marked with the S/N. The Knox form (the top of the chamber just in front of the receiver) is marked with three overlapping stamps, one is the ''E'' for Enfield rifling, one is the standard British nose-to-nose broad arrows stamp. & the last stamp is the ''S S'' stamp which denotes it was sold out of military service. Remains of red paint on the Knox form as well. The right side of the wrist band is marked with a crown over ''V.R.'', ''B.S.A.Co'', ''1901'', ''L.E.'', ''I*''. the upper tang of the buttplate is marked ''N.S.Z.'' over ''18067/1901'', with a arrow proof & another small British proof. The top of the barrel, just in front of the rear sight is marked ''S''. S/N Mismatched bolt. Rotary safety lever on back of bolt. The bore is very good. Its bright with light roughness. The barrel holds a square post front sight with a tangent/ladder V-notch rear sight marked 200 to 500 on the base & 6 to 18 on the ladder. The long range volley sights are intact on the rifle, front & rear. The stock carries a brass trapdoor buttplate, has some dings & patina. There is nothing inside the trap door. Rifle has both bottom sling swivels & comes with a British white canvas sling, brass hooks with no visible markings. The sling has the number ''302795'' handwritten in black ink. A Interesting rifle that has had a long life of service. FFL or C&R Req - Value: 500 to 1000

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Price

Birmingham Small Arms Company, Model: MLE Mk I*, New Zealand Rif... Item # 4453 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $735

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