B.S.A. Co. 1915 SMLE Mk III .303 British Barreled Action — Matching Receiver/Barrel, WWI British Marked
This is a WWI-era B.S.A. Co. Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III barreled action in .303 British, dated 1915. It retains key military features including the integral charger bridge and the correct barrel-mounted ladder rear sight graduated to 2000 yards. The butt-socket is marked with the crowned G.R over B.S.A.Co and ShtLE III, and both receiver and barrel carry matching serial numbers along with British proof and broad arrow acceptance marks.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good
Bore Condition: Bore is clean and in decent shape.
Specific Condition Notes: This listing is for a barreled action. The fore-end, handguards, nose cap, and buttstock are absent.
What’s Included
- B.S.A. Co. SMLE Mk III .303 British barreled action (receiver and barrel) dated 1915 with integral charger bridge
- Barrel-mounted ladder/leaf rear sight with windage adjustment, graduated 200–2000 yards
- Pinned blade front sight
Built by Birmingham Small Arms Company during WWI, this Mk III SMLE barreled action is clearly marked on the butt-socket with the crowned G.R over B.S.A.Co and ShtLE III, alongside the 1915 date. These government and maker markings anchor the action to its period of British service under King George V.
The receiver incorporates the correct charger bridge and the action is the SMLE’s cock-on-closing design with a left-side manual thumb safety. Both the receiver and barrel are steel, consistent with British service specification for the Mk III pattern.
The sighting system is intact and correct for the model: a pinned blade front sight and a barrel-mounted ladder/leaf rear sight with windage adjustment, graduated from 200 to 2000 yards. These are the standard Mk III service sights used for volley-to-battle ranges of the era.
Proofing and acceptance are well documented on this example. The barrel’s knox form shows extensive British inspection and proof marks, and the action bears broad arrow acceptance. The receiver and barrel have matching serial numbers, a desirable detail for collectors and historians.
This offering is a barreled action only. The fore-end, handguards, nose cap, and buttstock are not present, making the piece suitable as a marked and matched core for an SMLE Mk III-focused collection or a historically faithful restoration starting point.