Gun and Ammunition Found on Dive

[HalcyonDaze]

Interesting find. Had to start digging around to see what the disassembly procedure was for an SMLE; looks like all the mechanical components of the receiver and fire control group are assembled. Not sure from watching this if the trigger guard has to be removed before getting the receiver out of the wood furniture. Can't really tell if the buttstock was sawed off or just removed from the pics; the barrel does look like it was cut short rather than unscrewed.


What's curious is the amount of ammo found with the gun - was the magazine loaded when it was found? I see 30 cartridges in the pic; that's three full reloads plus potentially another 10 rounds in the gun. If loaded, that somewhat argues against it being a wall hanger that someone chopped up and dumped.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Interesting find. Had to start digging around to see what the disassembly procedure was for an SMLE; looks like all the mechanical components of the receiver and fire control group are assembled. Not sure from watching this if the trigger guard has to be removed before getting the receiver out of the wood furniture. Can't really tell if the buttstock was sawed off or just removed from the pics; the barrel does look like it was cut short rather than unscrewed.


What's curious is the amount of ammo found with the gun - was the magazine loaded when it was found? I see 30 cartridges in the pic; that's three full reloads plus potentially another 10 rounds in the gun. If loaded, that somewhat argues against it being a wall hanger that someone chopped up and dumped.

Nothing in the magazine. Barrel was cut as was the stock.

 

[Scraps]

Question from a guy who doesn’t know anything about old guns.

Is this gun at all related to the scene in Breaker Morant when the accused Lt Morant concluded his answer to a question about what rule justified his actions with, “We caught them and we shot them under Rule .303”?

 

[Russjstewart]

Possibly, the Lee-Enfield Magazine Rifle Mark I was produced In 1900. It had a detachable 10-round magazine box. It was made available for colonial troops.
The 303 @clownfish found is severely sawn off, I would be surprised if it was for any legal purpose. No barrel means no rifling marks on the bullet, and of course no accuracy

 

[HalcyonDaze]

Possibly, the Lee-Enfield Magazine Rifle Mark I was produced In 1900. It had a detachable 10-round magazine box. It was made available for colonial troops.
The 303 @clownfish found is severely sawn off, I would be surprised if it was for any legal purpose. No barrel means no rifling marks on the bullet, and of course no accuracy

All the wood furniture is gone; one would think if it was cut down that would have been left on to provide something to grip. Granted, it could have been removed or rotted away. Can't imagine it would be a particularly practical weapon - one would still need to manually work the bolt and given how I've heard the recoil was on the shortened No. 5 "jungle carbines," it would probably be atrocious to shoot after being sawed down to pistol size.

 

[rx7diver]

Removed by rx7diver. Not scuba-related.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Question from a guy who doesn’t know anything about old guns.

Is this gun at all related to the scene in Breaker Morant when the accused Lt Morant concluded his answer to a question about what rule justified his actions with, “We caught them and we shot them under Rule .303”?

Yes.

 

[clownfishsydney]

All the wood furniture is gone; one would think if it was cut down that would have been left on to provide something to grip. Granted, it could have been removed or rotted away. Can't imagine it would be a particularly practical weapon - one would still need to manually work the bolt and given how I've heard the recoil was on the shortened No. 5 "jungle carbines," it would probably be atrocious to shoot after being sawed down to pistol size.

The timber part has to be removed to access the firing mechanism part. I assume that is why it is not there. See the video showing how to pull apart a .303.

Agree it would be extremely dangerous to fire as I found it, but I doubt that it was.

 

[rx7diver]

Is this gun at all related to the scene in Breaker Morant when the accused Lt Morant concluded his answer to a question about what rule justified his actions with, “We caught them and we shot them under Rule .303”?

Also related to the massacre of Indian civilians by riflemen under British command in the early 20th century. In the movie "Gandhi" the convened panel asks, "General, how does a child, shot by a .303 Lee-Enfield, apply for help?"

rx7diver

 

[Sebs]

Holy ****, is that a Roth-Styer?

Granted, they are probably more common where you are, but still!

It looks like a Steyr 1912. My dad had one. Not the greatest gun to shoot but it's an antique after all.