finally got my arse into gear and after the odd trawl over this site in the past, figurted it was time to post and say g'day.

Good to see a few Aussies on here.
Bloody want to be seeing as there was more than just a few Smellies made at Lithgow in the last century and used by Diggers in conflicts world wide.

Have had a Smellie in the safe for about 15yrs now. Got collared by a local SMLE-nut at my LGS and prodded into buying more. Currently have No1 MkIII's dated 1916 & 1942 and a Maltby No4 and a Savage No4. There's also a No1 MkII actioned 303-25 which is to soon become my son's first centrefire.

The two No1's are used for Aust. LightHorse re-enactment. The 1916 is my parade drill rifle and a shooter also. The other is used for dismount-for-action blank fire displays. It has a rough bore so isn't a good shooter at present but that will change once I get a replacement bbl for it.

I did have a 1919 No1 MkIII which was FTR'ed in 1954 and set up as a sniper. It was fitted with a heavy bbl at the factory. The rear sight assemble had been removed and No4 top woods fitted. I used it with a set of Central No4 range sights. My LGS mate noticed it and verified it's authenticity as a No1 MkIII sniper and put the bite on me for it to add to his 303 collection. I've relented and he has supplied a Russian PU scope and mounts and is doing the fitting of such to my Mosin Nagant 91/30. He is also building me a representative No1 MkIII marksmans rifle.

 

Rischo:  another armourer eh! Though I see you're an ex-pat UnZed'er. Dare say there's a few of your fellow Kiwi gunnies who come across that we both know. I'm one of the few remaining original RAAF Gunnies still serving. Based in SE QLD.

 

Anyway guys, that's me and the Smellie collection. Look forward to more time and shared experience & knowledge. Shoot straight all. Cheers

 

No1 MkIII BSA, No4 Mk1 (No bloody *) Longbranch,  Remington P-14,  Winchester M1917 

 and last but not least a No5 Mk1 Faz.  I am shooting the P-14 in a match Saturday along with my rather un-Enfield 1903a3.  The group here is rather ....ummm........Hmmmm........interesting.

Welcome onboard!

 

Too many Ozzies on the forum now, we need more kiwis!

I have a No1MkIII that I use as a bush rifle regularly, still in its original condition. Great for Donkeys and Camels.

I have also got a No4 Mk1/2, No4 Mk1* 7.62 conversion and a long Lee Enfield

Hope you like it as much here as the rest of us.

This site is as addictive as the Lee Enfield itself.

Pity Aust wasn't as accepting of the shooting sports annd hunting as NZ is. There's way too many loud mouthed small minorities leading our politicians around by their insignificant junket pistols! They're even looking at banning 338Lapua mags now. Something about state weapons agencies placing heavy restrictions or looking to place. Stuff me, they should be more concerned about the increase in drug related crime and the lack of respect for our juducial/police system by certain "unsavoury" groups here!!

 

 

 

I ahve been collecting ex-mils for a few years now. Aside from the Smellies, there are:

Martini 310Cadet rifles,

M39 Finnish 7.62x54

Mosin Nagant 1942 7.62x54 (soon to be a representative sniper)

Ankara M1903 Turkish 8mm

GEW-98 WWI German 8mm (1918 I think)

Swedish M38 6.5x55

Israeli KAR98K 7.62x51

plus a Webley & Scott MkIV 38S&W revolver

 

All are either part of my collection or used for mil service comps as I feel a desire to use. I have several other more modern sporting rifles for hunting. Plus a couple of dedicated "Black" rifles also.

 

Took me another 15yrs to wake up to the joys of owning a Smellie.

 

As for the 303-25: I have also been told to stick to 87gn pills but figured that I was more likely to be using it on pigs at short range (under 150M). So I started loading Taipan 10gn HP over a mild load of AR2208. This load will hold 1.5" @ 100M if I do my part.

I'd look at dropping the 2206 load and trying 2208 or even Reloader-15.

Different gun scribes have said the only pill to use in a quarter-bore rifle is the 87gner. Sorry guys, not this little black duck!

You might not be able to get Taipan projectiles in NZ. SO see if you can track down some Hornady or Sierra pills in that weight.

Roos, yep we need to have tags from the conservation mob, if you are going to sell the roos then you need to be a pro roo shooter to get those tags, property owners can get damage tags but the roos can not be sold.