Lithgow SMLE No.1 Mk III* .303 British Bolt-Action Rifle, 1941 Australian WWII Production
Wartime-made at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory in 1941, this No.1 Mk III* stands out for its clear Australian service identity and intact SMLE pattern features. The butt-socket is marked 'M A LITHGOW S.M.L.E III* 1941' and the butt carries 'HV CMF 3MD,' indicating Citizen Military Forces 3rd Military District service. It retains its brass butt-disc, two-piece hardwood furniture, and the correct ladder rear sight graduated to 2,000 yd. An import stamp 'AUSTRALIA .303' is present.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Fair - Generally clean, some residue or smudges, slight corrosion.
Bore Fouling: Mild Fouling - Light buildup of fouling or dirt.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
What’s Included
- SMLE No.1 pattern steel detachable box magazine (unnumbered)
Built on the SMLE platform, this rifle uses the cock-on-close bolt-action and charger-loading through the receiver bridge. It is chambered in .303 British and feeds from a detachable 10-round magazine. The Mk III* configuration shows the deleted magazine cut-off with the blanked slot.
Original pattern sights are intact: a protected barleycorn front blade and a rear ladder sight graduated from 200 to 2,000 yd without a windage knob. The nose-cap features protective ears, piling and stacking swivels, and a bayonet boss, matching the standard No.1 pattern.
Furniture is the correct two-piece hardwood with an oil finish. The brass butt-plate includes the oil-bottle trap, and the brass butt-disc is retained. Sling swivels are fitted at the lower band, mid-band, and butt. Length of pull is 13.0 in.
Finish is parkerized/phosphate on the receiver and metalwork. Receiver and nose-cap carry matching C-prefix numbers; the bolt is non-matching with an A-prefix number, and the magazine is unnumbered. The rifle’s standard 25.2 in barrel length yields an overall length of about 44.5 in, and weight is about 8 lb 10 oz.