Lee-Metford Sparkbrook 1895 MKII* Rifle

[Von der Goltz]

Here for your perusal is my Lee-Metford 1895 Sparkbrook MKII* all-matching serial number 47870 (bolt; receiver; rear sight) which later during its life also served with the Royal Navy (WWI?) as shown by the "N" naval ownership stamp on the left side of wrist of butt. It was upgraded to take high-velocity MKVII .303 ammo as shown by the "HV" stamp in front of the sight base.

 

[mustanger98]

You don't see these every day.

My understanding is when the Brits changed from black powder to cordite, they had to change the rifling... Metford to Enfield. I'm wondering how they upgraded a Metford for MkVII ball. Re-cut the grooves?

 

[Jim Watson]

Probably just filed the sight bed to zero. I can't think of how to recut Metford to Enfield rifling.

 

[theotherwaldo]

Fun guns.
I picked up a couple of the Lee Metford cavalry carbines some years ago. Sadly, both had been drilled for side-mount scopes - and poorly, at that. Nice Weaver K4s on wobbly mounts, all since repurposed.
Still good shooters with black powder, of course, but the ragged holes in the receivers are really annoying... .

 

[mustanger98]

Probably just filed the sight bed to zero. I can't think of how to recut Metford to Enfield rifling.

Makes sense. OP did say the "HV" is stamped on the rear sight base.

IIRC, Metford rifling is kind of "U" shaped while Enfield is square.

I don't recall reading of a difference in twist rates. IIRC, Metford used a 220gr bullet. Enfield, I don't recall using heavier than 174gr, but I don't recall what MkV and MkVI used.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know about the English, but a 10 twist served us for a 220 gr RN from 1892 til 1906, followed by a 150 gr spitzer, a 173 gr boattail, and a lot of commercial stuff, 110-250.
So there needn't have been a twist change from 215 RN to 174 gr spitzer.

 

[lysanderxiii]

You don't see these every day.

My understanding is when the Brits changed from black powder to cordite, they had to change the rifling... Metford to Enfield. I'm wondering how they upgraded a Metford for MkVII ball. Re-cut the grooves?

The change to Cordite was almost the first thing done, the Mk II introduced the switch from a single black powder grain to a cordite charge. The Mk VII didn't come about until 1910, by that time all the MLMs and MLEs were obsolete.

They didn't change the rifling in the older rifles. The Metford rifling was considered more accurate than the Enfield pattern and Metford barrels were produced for some time. There was no reason to change anything other than the sights for the change from the Mk VI to Mk VII.

The only reason the Metford rifling was replaced was it did not last long with the cordite propellant and eroded quickly.