Thread: Another .45acp Delisle Comando Carbine completed.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

beautiful work,that stock sure isnt your average SMLE.... now far be it for me to tell grandma how to suck eggs,but your comment re open sights brings up question..... would it be worth moving sight back the last 3"? available to give slightly longer sight radius,on your next one??? and would it be sacrilege to build one on the model of SMLE that had apertures??? that would nearly double sight radius and SHOULD improve accuracy without slowing down sight acquisition

Thanks MD.
I stumbled upon a BSA made SMLE sporter in Gun City last year while chasing furniture and other parts that had this butt stock on it.. the rifle was super tidy, it had an FTR in 1953 and looks like it has been in storage since. The walnut figure was peeking out from a dull factory linseed oil finish that I saw potentual in.. I know this was the way it was supposed to be back then and some will call it sacralage but I couldnt help but sympathetically refinish it to uncover its natural beauty. I cleaned it well with acetone, steamed out the few storage dings it had and sanded it very lightly to make the grain pop without removing all the old battle scars. I paid way too much for the guncity donor but the finished result makes me feel a little better about the purchase. While I try to stick to the original side of replication I did throw a little artistic licence into this one.
The originals were painted with the same black baked coating as the later No4s and No5 rifles with the exception of a few of the earlier ones which remained blued with a blueish looking anodizing on the alloy suppressor.. with wood work like this one I oppted for a slightly more ornate midnight blue ceracoat that was matted down a little from it's normal semi gloss mix ratio. I think it looks a little better than the Black ceracoat I usually finish them in.
I also happened across a brass rear rear sling swivel from what I believe was used for a short time on some Lithgow made SMLEs.. I figured "why not? While I was at it I fitted the earlier brass butt plate, stock disk and an inlaid brass bush for the front wood screw. None of those things were used on the originals as they were very weight conscious nearing the end of the war productions.

If Grandma was done sucking eggs and wanted to chase accuracy of pistol rounds she'd probably just mount a rail and scope.. for that matter it could be built on just about anything that would be better and easier than a worn out old Enfield .303Brit.
The sight radius on the 1940s Stirling made Delisles was 12.25 inches which is what mine are built to replicate.
I strive to make my replicas as close to the originals as possible for collectors value and to attempt to appease my OCD.

Fun fact the sight blades on some were painted with some nasty radioactive paint to glow in the dark and assist taking out centuries during night opps..