[1918Militaria]

The Condition SMLE I always wanted. I am curious about the barrel band. it looks like it's brass and used to be as dark in color as the rest of the metal parts but might have lost it's finish. Any insights on this? Its the only thing that bugs me. The Trigger is sticky too. Pull it back it's slow to re set. What is the fix for this?

 

[Doc Martini]

The brass barrel band was common on Lithgows during the war years, and originally did have a blackened finish I think.
The rifle is a JJCo assembled from spare parts, so if the trigger is the only thing that's sticky, you've done OK.
In my early collecting days I bought one of these in 22 cal thinking it was a brand new factory unissued rifle. I had to knock the bolt out with a mallet, the bolt would barely close on a 22 cartridge due to poor headspace, the extractor claw was a ground-down 303 claw, the sights weren't vertical, and the trigger creep was phenomenal.
It was a truly beautiful rifle though.

 

[Aussie Anthony]

What’s with the hidden message in the second photo??

 

[peaches]

was wondering that myself,

 

[1918Militaria]

What’s with the hidden message in the second photo??

Just having fun with the touch up funtion. Can anyone read it?

 

[1918Militaria]

The brass barrel band was common on Lithgows during the war years, and originally did have a blackened finish I think.
The rifle is a JJCo assembled from spare parts, so if the trigger is the only thing that's sticky, you've done OK.
In my early collecting days I bought one of these in 22 cal thinking it was a brand new factory unissued rifle. I had to knock the bolt out with a mallet, the bolt would barely close on a 22 cartridge due to poor headspace, the extractor claw was a ground-down 303 claw, the sights weren't vertical, and the trigger creep was phenomenal.
It was a truly beautiful rifle though.
View attachment 3975179

Tell me more about the spare parts story? The bolt and receiver have matching serial numbers. It was made in 1941, how did it avoid any hard use?

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Can anyone read it?

Does it say :

"I know its a JJco put together bitsa but I still love it" ?

 

[Alan De Enfield]

Tell me more about the spare parts story? The bolt and receiver have matching serial numbers. It was made in 1941, how did it avoid any hard use?

When Lithgow stopped production JJco bought up all of the stock of finished rifles, millions of component parts and (allegedly) even the workshop benches and stools)

Once everything was back in the US they assembled all of the components into completed rifles (with NO quality control) and sold them as new rifles.
They are a US assembly of mixed Lithgow parts but could not realistically be classed as a Lithgow rifle.

 

[1918Militaria]

When Lithgow stopped production JJco bought up all of the stock of finished rifles, millions of component parts and (allegedly) even the workshop benches and stools)

Once everything was back in the US they assembled all of the components into completed rifles (with NO quality control) and sold them as new rifles.
They are a US assembly of mixed Lithgow parts but could not realistically be classed as a Lithgow rifle.

How much are they worth as new compared to the vales of the war used lithgows?

 

[1918Militaria]

Does it say :

"I know its a JJco put together bitsa but I still love it" ?

No, I won't mention the first word but the last two say "Joe" and "Biden".

 

[Aussie Anthony]

How much are they worth as new compared to the vales of the war used lithgows?

That’s very difficult to answer. Some people would pay top dollars for a rifle that’s totally worn out, but has a military history and a collector value. Others want a shooter which is in as new condition and care little for serial numbers and originality. I have a few “shooters” in my safe, not overly valuable, the rest are for visual enjoyment and an investment.

 

[Aussie Anthony]

No, I won't mention the first word but the last two say "Joe" and "Biden".

Biden stuck out immediately, the rest sort of fell into place.

 

[1918Militaria]

That’s very difficult to answer. Some people would pay top dollars for a rifle that’s totally worn out, but has a military history and a collector value. Others want a shooter which is in as new condition and care little for serial numbers and originality. I have a few “shooters” in my safe, not overly valuable, the rest are for visual enjoyment and an investment.

I definatly wanted a new condition rifle. I don't think I'd get that with a war issued one. It was listed however as a Lithgow made rifle.

 

[Aussie Anthony]

I definatly wanted a new condition rifle. I don't think I'd get that with a war issued one. It was listed however as a Lithgow made rifle.

The parts are all made at Lithgow, that’s a start. It’s just the location of assembly that is up for debate? Is there a JJCo stamp anywhere on the rifle.?

 

[1918Militaria]

The parts are all made at Lithgow, that’s a start. It’s just the location of assembly that is up for debate? Is there a JJCo stamp anywhere on the rifle.?

Nothing like that on the exposed metal. Would it be under the wood by any chance?

 

[Aussie Anthony]

Nothing like that on the exposed metal. Would it be under the wood by any chance?

Can’t say for sure, but I’d assume it would be visible.

 

[Aussie Anthony]

Check here, very hard to see.

 

[JB White]

No, I won't mention the first word but the last two say "Joe" and "Biden".

“LET’S GO BRANDON!”

You would have to live Stateside and be familiar with NASCAR racing to know what it meant from the start.
Many others have caught the gist of it since.

post race interviewer misunderstood the chant of the crowd

 

[thrawnformbi]

Assembled by John Jovino's Czech gunsmith in queens. Doubt it has the recoil pads that are (debatably) required.

John Jovino itself had an interesting rise and fall and is worth looking up. I spent my teens and twenties going in there and watched it descend into a shell of its former self firsthand. It was owned by the Imperato family from Jersey at one point and run by an elderly Chinese chap named Charlie until it closed. He'd rather pull out his own teeth than talk to anyone that wasn't a cop or a visiting dignitary from some overseas dictatorship. You'd always see diplomatic cars parked out front when the UN was in session and toughs loading fresh glock boxes into the trunk. It was truly a sketchy place in the end.

A good article from one of our street historians.

John Jovino Gun Shop

VANISHED John Jovino, the oldest gun shop in the United States, has closed for good after 109 years in business in Little Italy. Founded...

vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com

Anyway, I'd personally sell the JJCO rifle and find a good complete wartime Lithgow if it was me. They're often more trouble than they're worth.

 

[limpetmine]

JJCO was most often stamped in very small letters on the flat of the charger bridge where the bridge is attached to the right side of the receiver.