Siamese Contract SMLE

This has to be one of the more interesting rifles in the Lee Enfield story.

A while back  an action came up for sale on a local auction site, it was the action alone, no mag, nor bolt.

From what little I did know about the action was that this was a rifle commisioned in the early 1900′s and that it was intended for Thailand. So off to the history books! 

Siam was ruled by King Vajiravualh from 1910 to 1925. He was educated in England and attended Sandhurst.  He was extremely impressed with the rifle, so much so  that he commissioned 10,000 rifles from BSA. The rifles themselves are unique, as on the wrist of the rifle is a Tigers Head, that represented “The Wild Tiger Corp”.

Sadly not many of these wonderful rifles remain today. This is due in part to the  climate, and if you have ever been lucky to visit  Thailand  then you will understand. However this was further compounded during WWII by the destruction of captured weapons by the invading Japanese forces.  As such, there are few really good examples that  remain today. Yet there are some fair ones still out there and that’s great, as they are an important piece of the Enfield story.

So when I saw the bare receiver, I jumped at the opportunity to own a piece of history. I also  knew at home I had a very good .303 barrel that I had recently salvaged from a  No2MkIV .22 cal restoration project. It was the correct barrel and even  had the correct BSA logo as did the real McKoys.

What makes this a little more of an interesting project is that I wanted to stick with a suitable dark coloured  wood that had the same characteristics of the original. Well I found such a piece of wood, well half of it!

So what I want to do now is put together a spliced or joined bottom wood project, now because of the barrel I also want to do it so that I can shoot the rifle.

However before I get to that stage I will get the rifle properly checked as the bolt was a tight fit, and I will use lead cast reduced loads initially to test the splice.

However nothing is ever easy and as the photo will show is that the whilst the slice will be in the most discreet place, along the barrel band, look what is just in behind it! the inner band, screw and spring!

 

There are a couple of options. I simply reassess the project and make a display piece, or consider possibly moving the inner band or even introduce a second forward band as such to disperse the stress on the join.

Suggestions welcome, but what this will also allow me to do is make woodwork and paractice that aspect of restorations.