British SMLE Mk* (star)

[TylerRitts]

Hey yall!

I made a post yesterday about value on a mk3*.

Just wanted to show some pictures.

Would this be worth $400?

Less? More?

Thanks!

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[ma96782]

Aloha, Mark

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Firearm values are extremely subjective.
You have Book value...Internet value...and just what someone is willing to give in the real world.
Also...location plays a role...what is popular in region may not be in another.

Where I live...one would be lucky to get $200 - $250 for that rifle.
Someone may be interested in locating the proper missing parts and restore that rifle...however...there is that word "may".
Andy

 

[Knobgoblin]

I like it. Still got the clip guide, no drill n tap nonsense. Wood is cut waaaay back, but the faux Schnabel is kinda cute. Grainy pic of mag , but finish looks good. Possibly mismatched mag. Not sure exactly what's going on with the front sight hood. $300 maybe, if someone's looking for a .303 shooter. Ammo would definitely facilitate a sale.
I bought a way worse Enfield last year for $250 , with no Ammo and more Bubba than this.

 

[TylerRitts]

I like it. Still got the clip guide, no drill n tap nonsense. Wood is cut waaaay back, but the faux Schnabel is kinda cute. Grainy pic of mag , but finish looks good. Possibly mismatched mag. Not sure exactly what's going on with the front sight hood. $300 maybe, if someone's looking for a .303 shooter. Ammo would definitely facilitate a sale.
I bought a way worse Enfield last year for $250 , with no Ammo and more Bubba than this.

What's a Schnabel?

Thanks for the input. I'm looking to buy a ruger american predator in .308 with the funds.

I know it definitely won't be straight across.

 

[TylerRitts]

Firearm values are extremely subjective.
You have Book value...Internet value...and just what someone is willing to give in the real world.
Also...location plays a role...what is popular in region may not be in another.

Where I live...one would be lucky to get $200 - $250 for that rifle.
Someone may be interested in locating the proper missing parts and restore that rifle...however...there is that word "may".
Andy

Awesome.

Thanks for your input!

 

[Knobgoblin]

What's a Schnabel?

Thanks for the input. I'm looking to buy a ruger american predator in .308 with the funds.

I know it definitely won't be straight across.

 

[TylerRitts]

View attachment 1400586

I learn something new everyday.

Thank you!

What would make it faux? Just not being done right/bubbed?

 

[Knobgoblin]

Faux because it doesn't belong there.

Bubba ( Kumpel??) had a smooth hand on this stock sporter-ification

 

[DunRanull]

Well, I LIKE™ a good .303, where I grew up was close to Ontario and a lot of guys in the Michigan deer woods used sporterised (or not) Enfields, which were a dime-a-dozen. Gun laws were a lot more free in those times and firearms were taken/sold across the border, no sweat.
It would be worth $400 if it were intact and depending on general condition of course. Assuming it's in good condition as is I'd give $300 for it, tops. The brass buttplate would date it to ww1, and themselves sell for $30-40 if you can find them. Enfields are good rifles and I reload for it, making whatever ammo I please, within the limitations of what components are available for it. Every game animal in N America and most in Afrika have fallen to the .303, so there is that if one is a hunter.

 

[TylerRitts]

Well, I LIKE™ a good .303, where I grew up was close to Ontario and a lot of guys in the Michigan deer woods used sporterised (or not) Enfields, which were a dime-a-dozen. Gun laws were a lot more free in those times and firearms were taken/sold across the border, no sweat.
It would be worth $400 if it were intact and depending on general condition of course. Assuming it's in good condition as is I'd give $300 for it, tops. Enfields are good rifles and I reload for it, making whatever ammo I please, within the limitations of what components are available for it. Every game animal in N America has fallen to the .303, so there is that if one is a hunter.

Thanks for the information!

I remember shooting some hand load .303 and man it had some power behind it.

 

[TylerRitts]

Faux because it doesn't belong there.

Bubba ( Kumpel??) had a smooth hand on this stock sporter-ification

Ohhh I see.

 

[Mikej]

I love the word "Schnabel". It's fun to say out loud.

 

[WAW44]

That actually looks like a No1 MkIII and not MkII*. The rear volley sights components are still there.

For someone that is into Enfields, and wants to restore this, it may be worth it, but it would cost a bit to restore it right, with the proper volley sight specific compoenets and furniture.

If someone wants just to restore it to look like a No.1 rifle, with whatever parts they find, sure, it would sort of look correct, but only to the untrained.

Finally, if someone wants a cheap .303 shooter then I would pass on any No.1 rifle like that. No.1 barrels are thin and designed to have multiple points of support. Accuracy suffers when it is sporterised like this. There are tons of cut No.4s with thicker barrel that make much better shooters for the same money.

Here is a No.1 MkIII. Note the volley sights on left side of the rifle.

 

[TylerRitts]

That actually looks like a No1 MkIII and not MkII*. The rear volley sights components are still there.

For someone that is into Enfields, and wants to restore this, it may be worth it, but it would cost a bit to restore it right, with the proper volley sight specific compoenets and furniture.

If someone wants just to restore it to look like a No.1 rifle, with whatever parts they find, sure, it would sort of look correct, but only to the untrained.

Finally, if someone wants a cheap .303 shooter then I would pass on any No.1 rifle like that. No.1 barrels are thin and designed to have multiple points of support. Accuracy suffers when it is sporterised like this. There are tons of cut No.4s with thicker barrel that make much better shooters for the same money.

Here is a No.1 MkIII. Note the volley sights on left side of the rifle.

View attachment 1400732

Thanks for the info.

It was sold to me as a "MK3*". Does that even exist?

 

[WAW44]

Thanks for the info.

It was sold to me as a "MK3*". Does that even exist?

Yes, it does. Bear with me here. It gets Enfield nerd like.

Seems that rifle No.1 MkIII is what you have. Then, later, came No.1 MkIII* where they deleted the volley sights and magazine cutoff. Made it simpler and cheaper to make, and the volley sights were found to be useless in WW1 trench warfare.

Yes, No.1 MkIII* are sometimes refered to as MK3*, but actually that's not techniclaly correct. Brits and Ausies used MKIII* (Roman numerals) as the markings, while Indians , at Ishapore arsenal after Indian independence, changed the marking to MK3* (Arabic numerals).

 

[WAYNO]

Back in the day...

Places like Andy and Bax had barrels of these and other war relics, for $19.99 . They were also widely available mail order from the likes of American Rifleman magazines.

They were so available, and so cheap, many were bought for hunting rifles by folks like me that had little money. There was not much to be lost by bubba-ing up the stock to make it a sporter. 60-years later, many of the remaining nice ones are in collections, and now we lament seeing the customized specimens.

 

[ma96782]

Has anyone looked at the price and avaiability of .303 Brit lately (loaded ammo and components)? Speaking of within the USA. Not speaking of "those other countries".

OK, Ok, ok......
I admit that.....I like shooting my surplus arms. And IF, I manage to find some cheap ammo to go with it.......that's even BETTER.

Aloha, Mark

 

[CLT65]

Isn't it ironic, back in the day people would see an unaltered military rifle and just see old junk. They would spend time and money to alter it into something valuable and usable for their purposes. Their friends would complement them on the good work and how nice it looked.

Nowadays that same sporterized rifle is looked down on as old junk. If you spend the time and money to put it back to how it was originally, your friends will compliment you on the good work and how nice it looks. How times change...

Back then, surplus rifles were cheap and plentiful, not particularly desirable. Hunting rifles were quality and expensive.
Now it's somewhat reversed. The surplus market has dried up and the nice original ones are snapped up as valuable collectibles, whereas mass-produced, minimum quality, inexpensive hunting rifles can be found anywhere.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Isn't it ironic, back in the day people would see an unaltered military rifle and just see old junk. They would spend time and money to alter it into something valuable and usable for their purposes. Their friends would complement them on the good work and how nice it looked.

Nowadays that same sporterized rifle is looked down on as old junk. If you spend the time and money to put it back to how it was originally, your friends will compliment you on the good work and how nice it looks. How times change...

Back then, surplus rifles were cheap and plentiful, not particularly desirable. Hunting rifles were quality and expensive.
Now it's somewhat reversed. The surplus market has dried up and the nice original ones are snapped up as valuable collectibles, whereas mass-produced, minimum quality, inexpensive hunting rifles can be found anywhere.

Chevy Nova
Ford pinto
Anything from AMC