Auctions

Kalahari

Well-Known Member
I was at a sporting auction about ten days ago and there was a small number of firearms there. One of the most interesting was a Churchill in 30.06 built on a 1917 action. The "ears" had been smoothed off and all reblued and normal sporter irons put on. It was in tight condition and a quick visual (not reliable I know) of the bore looked pretty good. Anyway it fetched £140 plus the premium which seems pretty reasonable to me. Good strong action and even with a rebarrel surely not a lot of cash. Perhaps it is just the old codger in me but I thought it interesting.

David.

P.S. Even Muir might be tempted at that price. :D
 
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BSA did a whole line of sporters based on the P14 & M1917 actions. They were chambered in .270, 30-06 and .303. My own is a Model E in 303. I need to take a roe buck with it this year.
 
I suppose the .303 would be on a P14 as the bolt face would match and the .270 and 30.06 on the 1917 for the same reason. I await Brit and Muirs comments with interest.

David.
 
I suppose the .303 would be on a P14 as the bolt face would match and the .270 and 30.06 on the 1917 for the same reason. I await Brit and Muirs comments with interest.

David.

The story behind the BSA's is interesting. It was 1949 and the War Office was clearing loads of old war related stuff and depots no longer needed and in one such depot were three railway cars loaded with WW1 battle field retrieved rifles. BSA were offered them and some one turned it down then the managers of the sporting rifle department heard and changed the directors minds and the three cars purchased.

They were sorted many being only fit for parts donors due to poor storage. They were offered for sale in Five grades "A through E" with "E" being the highest and those had the receivers re-profiled, new barrels of BSA manufacture and new "Sporting" stocks fitted. They also had the P-H 6E aperture rear sight fitted along with a BSA sporting rear sight on the barrel. The Model "A" was given and inspection and clean and the top hand guard removed. The Models "D & E" had their bolt handles straightened to a more pleasing line and shape:-

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My BSA Model "E"

As there were a number of US Model 1917 rifles these were converted as already mentioned in .30 Springfield and 270 Winchester. The vast majority built/converted went abroad as it was :-

"Export or Die"

A few are now surfacing and I own a Model E. Until about 12 years ago I had never seen on of these.

Parker-Hale also did conversions in this photo is a mix and match of a BSA sporting rifle in 303 which we think was a model "C" :-







The stock is off a P-H sporting/Target conversion as the BSA@s stock had been badly mutilated by someone in it's past. As the BSA use a straightened out bottom floor plate I had to acquire a normal P-14 one to use the P-H stock for now.

A.J. Parker were still doing conversions on these P-14 and P-17 rifles up into the 1980's. BSA's production was from 1949 until 1953 when ther all new line of sporting rifles came online that being the Hunter line of course.
 
Thanks for this. This was marked Churchill and had good wood and a nicely profiled barrel. Stupidly I didn't note the serial number or I might have got some information from Churchill.

David.
 
Other makers also did sporting conversions and this goes right back to just after WW1 by the way. Greener built some specially for the Forestry Commission although I think those were on the Lee Enfield actions.
 
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