BOER WAR ERA** British WD BSA Co South African Military Contract Long Lee Enfield .303 Calibre Rifle With Sling, 1888 Pattern Mark II, Type II, Lee Metford Bayonet & Scabbard**UK 2011 DEACTIVATION CERTIFICATED**Sn 21681:8 Bolt Action None Rifles

**BOER WAR ERA** British WD BSA Co South African Military Contract Long Lee Enfield .303 Calibre Rifle With Sling, 1888 Pattern Mark II, Type II, Lee Metford Bayonet & Scabbard**UK 2011 DEACTIVATION CERTIFICATED**Sn 21681:8 - 21681:8

The Lee-Enfield .303 was introduced into the British Army in 1895 and in Canada the year following. It replaced the Lee-Metford, which had been the standard issue firearm since 1889. The latter was a magazine-fed repeating rifle, but it fired cartridges using black powder which emitted smoke when fired that gave away the rifleman's position. In 1891, the British first produced cordite a propellant that burned cleanly without emitting smoke. It also generated more heat, however, which wore out the Lee-Metford's rifling system of seven shallow grooves. A new rifling system was developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, consisting of five deep grooves that could withstand the intense heat generated by the cordite. The result was the .303 Lee-Enfield rifle. The new rifle saw service in the Boer wars and beyond. This is an excellent .303 calibre Lee Enfield Long Lee bolt action rifle made by BSA Co for a South African Union military contract. It is crisply stamped on the right side of the strap BSA Co (these contract rifles were not marked with dates, King’s Crown and model designation as found on British service rifles). The rifle is number 38495 and has other un-matching numbers. The barrel shank is stamped with Union of South Africa ‘U with WD arrow’ mark and BSA's piled arms trademark. It has a stepped blade fore sight, flip up rear peep sight, long range volley sights (as is common the arm on the fore stock graduated plate is absent), ladder sight, bayonet bar, Breech cover, sling swivels fitted with webbing sling & magazine cut off (fixed in place during the deactivation process). The wood work is all original and has just the light bumps and bruises to be expected. The stock has a brass butt plate with trap. Deactivated to UK specification in 2011 the rifle cocks and dry fires crisply & the magazine can be removed. The rifle comes with an original British 1888 Pattern Mark II, 2nd pattern, Lee Metford Bayonet & Scabbard. The bayonets 12” clean double edged blade is unfullered with a medial ridge running from the ricasso to the blade tip. The ricasso of the blade is marked Queen’s crown VR (Victoria Regina)and dated 11/99 (November 1899), with ’05 (1905 date) stamped across it. The reverse and spine have Enfield ‘EFD broad arrow’ WD inspection stamps. The undamaged wood grips are secured by 2 brass rivets and have the correct oil hole above the upper rivet. The steel bayonet release button works correctly and the pommel is numbered ‘380’. The steel mounted leather scabbard is clean with all leather & stitching intact. The price includes deactivation & UK delivery. Sn 21681:8

£1,675.00