Original Item: Only one available. Nearly a year ago, IMA sold all of these very rare .303cal bolt-action rifles in untouched condition. Luckily, a customer who purchased during that offering decided to trade in his now cleaned rifle towards another purchase. This 1890 dated Lee-Metford Mk1* with bayonet & scabbard is now offered in cleaned and complete having been recovered from the Royal Arsenal of Nepal in 2003.
This rifle is marked on the rear receiver ring onto which the butt attaches with Victorian Royal Crown over V.R. under which is marked ENFIELD over 1890, beneath which is I*. There are various British Military Proof Inspection marks on the forward receiver ring into which the barrel screws.
The best part is MATCHING Serial Numbers: “4139” located on the right side of the chamber ring and the back of the bolt handle!
This is the very rare Mk.1* model, in fact Nepal was never issued any and what they had were captured from Tibet in the Nepal/Tibetan War of the early 1900s. So that’s the story, we had them, we sold them and luckily were able to get this one back in even better condition than how it was sold. One Only available as described, complete with original bayonet and scabbard. Our last one and once this is sold an opportunity like this will almost certainly not be repeated.