British Magazine Lee-Enfield MK I* rifle manufactured by B.S.A. Co., circa 1900. The Magazine Lee-Enfield featured 5-groove concentric rifling designed for the cordite loaded smokeless .303 cartridge adopted by the British Army in 1893. The British Army abandoned the use of cleaning rods in 1899. As a result, the MK 1* Rifle was not fitted for a cleaning rod and lacked the provision for a cleaning rod in the forend found on the "Long Lee-Enfield Mk 1" and earlier Lee-Metford rifles. The rifle has a rust blue finish and the bolt body is polished bright. The rifle has an oil-finished, European walnut stock and forearm. The stock is fitted with a brass buttplate with hinged trap. The rifle has a folding rear sight graduated to 500 yards in steps on the left side of the bed and a leaf graduated to 1800 yards. Five platinum sighting lines are located on the elevation bar. A long range dial sight marked from 1600-2800 yards is located on the left side of the stock behind the barrel band with the pop-up rear aperture is located on the left side of the butt socket. The rifle has a detachable 10-round sheet steel magazine, a magazine cut-off on the right side of the receiver and an integral sheet steel bolt cover. The safety catch is located on the right side of the cocking piece. The right side of the butt socket is roll-stamped with the commercial marking "B.S.A. Co." The serial number "38878" is stamped on the right side of the receiver to the rear of the handguard and on back of the bolt handle. The barrel knox form is stamped with an "E" that indicates the barrel has Enfield rifling for cordite cartridges. The Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk 1* Rifle seen extensive service in South Africa toward the end of the Boer War, in the Sudan and in India on the North West Frontier. Commercial rifles like this one were popular with British officers on active service and with sportsmen and target shooters throughout the British Empire.

Excellent. The rifle retains 98% or the original rust blue finish. There is some very minor finish wear on the lower edges of the magazine and on the dial sight aperture mount. The bore is mint and the rifle appears to be in nearly unfired condition. The markings on the receiver, butt socket and barrel are sharp. The stock and forearm are in excellent condition with all of the original oil finish and only scattered and very minor storage marks. This is an outstanding example of a scarce, Magazine Lee--Enfield Mk I* Rifle in service configuration in excellent original condition.