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Thread: 303 identifications
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31-01-2018, 12:40 #1
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- Aug 2015
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- Centurion
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- 42
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303 identifications
Hey guys,
Unpacked the family's 303 yesterday and started to wonder about the model. Here are some pics I took
WhatsApp Image 2018-01-31 at 12.24.13.jpg
WhatsApp Image 2018-01-31 at 12.24.15.jpg
WhatsApp Image 2018-01-31 at 12.24.14 (1).jpg
WhatsApp Image 2018-01-31 at 12.24.14.jpg
WhatsApp Image 2018-01-31 at 12.24.15 (1).jpg
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31-01-2018, 12:42 #2
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- Aug 2015
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- Centurion
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- 42
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- 17
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31-01-2018, 12:53 #3
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- Aug 2015
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- Centurion
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- 42
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- 17
Re: 303 identifications
I can't seem to add anymore pics but the serial number on the side of the barrel is 47990.
There is also bronze disk on the stock with PSG at the top and 1817 on the bottom.
Barrel is 80cm and total lenght 103cm.
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01-02-2018, 08:59 #4
- Join Date
- Nov 2017
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- 31
Re: 303 identifications
Very similar to mine (posted a few posts down)
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
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01-02-2018, 21:18 #5
- Join Date
- Mar 2016
- Location
- Pretoria
- Posts
- 1,389
Re: 303 identifications
Seems like a butchered SMLE*MarkIII. Manufactured by Birmingham Small Arms Company. With Union Defense Force markings.
A not butchered SMLE is in my opinion R1500-3500 worth. Butchered into a sporting rifle you would have to pay me to take it.
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02-02-2018, 08:51 #6
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- Aug 2015
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- Centurion
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- 42
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Re: 303 identifications
Must have missed that will have a look thanks.
Thanks for the info. It was my grandfathers that became mine when he passed away in early 2000, and as far as I know it was his father's rifle originally.
Not planning on selling it at all, going to my son one day, just was interested in what I could find out about it.
And sorry if I'm asking a noob question now, but what happens when "butchered into a sporting rifle"?
And here is some more pictures I uploaded to imgbb:
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02-02-2018, 09:27 #7
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- Jun 2010
- Location
- Cape Town
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- 58
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- 1,668
Re: 303 identifications
Yours has had the woodwork "modified" to look more like a sporting/hunting rifle than it originally looked like & maybe some other stuff too. Here's what it would have looked like before having the wood cut away.
We all start off asking noob questions. ;-)
Keep the rifle, be sure to shoot with it & enjoy it. Butchered/modified or not it provides a connection to your forefathers & they're fun to shoot with. There are stacks of them around so not rare or valuable but I reckon most rifle shooters have or had one in the safe at some point and retain a soft spot for them. More people on the range come over and look at my .303 than at my modern hunting rifles.
If you wanted to "restore" it a bit so it looks more original, some internet scrounging should turn up all the replacement pieces required.
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02-02-2018, 10:22 #8
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- Aug 2015
- Location
- Centurion
- Age
- 42
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- 17
Re: 303 identifications
That looks beautiful! Now you've started me on another project to find replacement pieces to "restore" it
Will start my scrounging tonight to see what and where I can find info & parts.
Friend wants me to bring it along for a hunt somewhere this year, but I think I might have to take it to a gunsmith first to give it a check and confirm everything is still ok.
It hasn't been fired in the last 10 years I think, or taken out of the bag in the last 7 years, so don't want to take any chances.
Anybody have recommendations of somebody in PTA/Centurion/JHB North that knows and can work on a 303?
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02-02-2018, 15:45 #9
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- Jun 2015
- Location
- South Africa
- Posts
- 92
Re: 303 identifications
Williamh, This is more like what your rifle would have originally looked like as an SMLE Mk.III*. The other example shown is actually an earlier model, probably one of the Mk.Is, which unfortunately appears to have been somewhat over-restored.
Attachment 27873
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02-02-2018, 20:10 #10
- Join Date
- Aug 2012
- Location
- Stella
- Age
- 46
- Posts
- 10,870
Re: 303 identifications
William, do yourself a favour and search for 303 related websites via google. There are quite a few and the amount of info is astonishing. You can leave it as is, or restore it, or sporteize it completely, or just touch it up. "Upgrading" it into a complete modern hunting rifle is simply not worth it because it is an old war horse with an even older cartridge design. It will cost way more than a new rifle. But if you are handy you might be able to do a thing or two. When I did my BIL's rifle I got a lot of ideas from google pictures.
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