Enfield-Rifles.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Enfields > After Market Enfields
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - SMLE MkIII "Tanker"
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

SMLE MkIII "Tanker"
 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message Reverse Sort Order
  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
303Guy View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: July 10 2012
Location: Auckland
Status: Offline
Points: 495 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 303Guy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: SMLE MkIII "Tanker"
    Posted: June 11 2013 at 4:06pm
It's a snub nosed SMLE! Way cool! Thumbs Up  Good job with the wood work.

You really should consider shooting it a lot.

I'm a little worried about the 'pounding' of the fore-sight into place.  I have a rifle that had the barrel shortened and the fore-sight hammered on.  It buckled the barrel!  I cut off the barrel to 15 ½ inches and straightened it.  After fire-lapping to remove the heavy rust scale, only paper patch bullets would shoot in it.

Anyway, that snub nosed SMLE sure looks pretty cool!  I've once before seen a photo of one like it - it was a truck gun used for shooting coyotes.

Sooo .... how does it shoot?

Oh, if you reload for it, you might consider a faster powder like W748 in reduced charge with a tuft of Dacron to position the powder against the primer.  Not too reduced, mind you and most certainly not too much.  Having said that, I was using 44gr of H4350 under a 194gr paper patched boolit.  That's a full case of slow powder but pressure with paper patch is quite a bit lower than with jacketed bullets.  I did fit a suppressor to mine.  



Not as cool as yours by any means.  I never did fit a fore-end to it but I borrowed a high comb stock from my 303-25.  I'm going to put it back to open sights.
303Guy
Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
SW28fan View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: July 02 2007
Location: Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 2875 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SW28fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 11:47am
The tanker name come from a very small run (less than 200) of Garands that were made as a test for tank crews. The result was yes they were convenient to fit in a tank but tank crews really do not need a rifle and the project was dropped.  
Have a Nice Day
If already having a nice day please disregard
Back to Top
paddyofurniture View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 26 2011
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 4664 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paddyofurniture Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 11:11am
I am unsure about the "Tanker" name. As al the tankers I have know had handguns or SMG.

I am think it a Navy's WWII X-craft, mini-subs.
Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts.
Back to Top
SW28fan View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: July 02 2007
Location: Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 2875 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SW28fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 10:43am
Interesting,  I (Ultra Purist) kinda like it.Wink
Have a Nice Day
If already having a nice day please disregard
Back to Top
paddyofurniture View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 26 2011
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 4664 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paddyofurniture Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 10:28am
How does it shoot?
Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts.
Back to Top
BlackAck View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: July 25 2012
Location: VA
Status: Offline
Points: 189 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BlackAck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 6:21am
Fun. It's like you washed it on too high a setting....Honey I shrunk the Enfield!
Back to Top
Zed View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: May 01 2012
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 5303 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 4:22am
That looks really cool! much better than the sporter version. Very nice job on the wood. I like it
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
Back to Top
Aligator944 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: June 10 2013
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aligator944 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 2:24am
Originally posted by paddyofurniture paddyofurniture wrote:

Needs to have a photo taken with a bayonet mounted.



I just ordered a bayonet from Sarco, and a repo sling. The bayonet was only $25, so we will see what I get (no picture on their website). I may try to find the early shorter bayonet, or a cut down Indian bayonet for it since it would be more fitting.
Back to Top
paddyofurniture View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 26 2011
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 4664 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paddyofurniture Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 1:25am
Needs to have a photo taken with a bayonet mounted.
Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts.
Back to Top
Canuck View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: January 17 2012
Location: Agassiz BC
Status: Offline
Points: 3482 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Canuck Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 11 2013 at 1:08am
Looks good!
Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually
Back to Top
A square 10 View Drop Down
Special Member
Special Member
Avatar
Donating Member

Joined: December 12 2006
Location: MN , USA
Status: Offline
Points: 13735 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote A square 10 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 10 2013 at 11:31pm
i like it , i agree with the aspect of starting with a sported rifle that had been done many years ago , it turned out very nicely
Back to Top
paddyofurniture View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: December 26 2011
Location: NC
Status: Offline
Points: 4664 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote paddyofurniture Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 10 2013 at 5:30am
The  SMLE MkIII Carbine.
Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts.
Back to Top
Aligator944 View Drop Down
Newbie
Newbie


Joined: June 10 2013
Location: Seattle
Status: Offline
Points: 3 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aligator944 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 10 2013 at 3:52am
So I bought this 1917 BSA SMLE way back in high school, over 20 years ago. It was sporterized and I always wanted the full wood and all the embelishments, not to mention the long bayonet! But being young with no money and after I ran out of old surplus ammo, it became a safe queen. There is sat with my other guns, unused, until this year. My son just turned 13 and I decided it was time to get back into shooting, mostly just plinking out of town.

My interest in the enfield I started looking around for parts to convert it and came across some tanker conversions and thought they just looked neat. So I ordered about $32 in parts from Sarco, barrel band, nose piece, rear sight protector, swivel and assorted screws. I got some walnut I had laying around and started to make the front wood, front hand guard and an extension for the lower stock. I joined the lower stock extension under the sling swivel so it would be hidden.

I then used a hacksaw to cut the barrel down to about 17". Using my bench top belt sander I thinned the barrel end down to fit the front sight, that took quite a while. Sanded it smooth and pounded the front sight on. I don't plan on shooting it much so I will just go with a single pin through the front sight to hold it in place. I used some cold bluing on the barrel.

I used three different stains to get the new lighter and softer walnut so it would match the 100 year old English walnut. Added a few coats of tung oil for the finish.

I know I destroyed any collector value with this rifle, but I figure it was already sporterized and now it looks bad ass enough that I could certainly sell it for more than it was worth pre-chopped. But she is a keeper now and I am very happy with how it turned out. I may look to do a No4 next! The first pic is pre chop and the next ones are after.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.04
Copyright ©2001-2021 Web Wiz Ltd.