Yesterday's Weapons Forums

The big diference lay in the shape of the fore stock due to the accomodation of the front dial plate of the volley sight. Here's some rough pictures of the area of the forestock I'm referencing - note the swell for the dial plate and then the slimmer line forward of that. This picture is from a rifle captured at Gallipolli by the Turks so ignore the barrel band and upper hand guard.

nice photos neil that captured the forestock contour very well ,

it should be noted that the 1915 period was the changeover time for mkIII/III* and depending on the month yours could have been eather - mines a mkIII but ive seen very late 15s marked III*

I don't think the windage adjustable rear sights are hard to find....
check SSpoerters.com

Well I found the nose cap and it appears to be the original issue for this rifle.

Numrich advertised Walnut stock sets at a reasonable price, has anyone dealt with them and can give me an idea of the quality and whether their stocks would be suitable?

Gun Nut, are you going to make a shooter or are you making a restoration to original specs? From your post i'm confused, because if you're going to restore it, a new walnut stock will be strange.

If I was restoring it, I would check that the serial number on the nose cap, underside of rear sight leaf, barrel, receiver and bolt match. If they do, is the rear sight a windage adjustable one?

Once I'd established all the above were so, I'd classify it as a restoration piece. Being a BSA, the first thing I'd do is find all the BSA marked metal parts (relatively easy to find). Then I'd look for a volley sighted fore stock or an early one that had the right profile so i could rout out the wood for a stock disk. Volley stocks are around as are the early un routed ones. Once I had my forestock I would find handguards that matched and a butt stock that matched with or without the butt stock disk hole (you can easily remove wood to fit one).

This would give me something that few people have and that's a restored early No.1 mark III. They are worth $600 plus when you can find them and are very unique rifles.

I have an Sht Lee 1914 Mk III That I would like to restore as well
Where can the forestocks be found? Mine has the windage rear sight & the earlier round cocking piece

The first place to try is Springfield Sporters, or hoosier's gunworks, buymilsurp.com, SARCO, and Rick reich who was listed on Gunboards - ask for the early profile with or without the volley disk. If that doesn't work, they are regularly on e-bay. And if all that fails, I may have to look in my secret stash!

Just found Rick Reich - and he's listing Mark III stocks. http://www.gunboards.com/sites/reichout ... index.html

I've tried most places along with BDL Ltd, and have still come up empty handed. Maybe just asking for the early "profile" may help. There are repro volley sights available right? (Originals are scarce)

I found the SMLE in a state of neglect.......forend cut down, no handguards or bands & full of crusty old dust. Some boiling water & a few rounds downrange revealed a very shiny bore with strong sharp rifling.