Just bought two new LE's a 1917 SSA and a 1918 NRF!

[CollectorChris]

I dont know if I just picked a good time to really catch LE fever, or what, but, I think I found two jewels to add to the collection! I cant wait to get them in, but wanted some knowledgeable opinions. I posted a few threads on the Enfield-Rifles.com and have a few very knowledgeable people help me, but it doesnt seem like there is allot of traffic there to get many responses.

Let me know your thoughts on these two (please be honest)

1917 SSA No.1 mkIII*

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=354811895

1918 NRF No1. mkIII* (Might have overpaid a bit, but I thought it was really nice and from my research the rarest of the mkIII* LE's

https://www.joesalter.com/detail.php?f_qryitem=15323&Search=search

I am not very knowledgeable on LE's, waiting on my reference books, so hope I got beginners luck with these!

[John Sukey]

Actualy SSA NEVER produced a complete rifle. They were made by BSA from barrels, actions, and a few small parts produced by SSA which became NRF, National rifle Factory

[Alan De Enfield]

Actualy SSA NEVER produced a complete rifle. They were made by BSA from barrels, actions, and a few small parts produced by SSA which became NRF, National rifle Factory

You are correct - although SSA originally planned on producing complete rifles, this never hapened. A slight correction - their 'parts' were assembled by Enfield, not BSA

Standard Small Arms was formed by Mr S J Waring (later Lord Waring, 1860-1940) of the Waring & Gillow concern ,together with a Mr Peterson, who was a man of standing in the Birmingham gun trade. They believed that the skills of the Birmingham gun trade were being neglected and could be more fully utilised in the war effort than they were. They planned to make all of the action and the nosecap, less magazines, screws and pins, and organise eight small firms and a number of individuals in the trade (probably outworkers, of whom a great many worked in the trade at that time). The barrels were to be subcontracted to Westley Richards and the wood to be cut by Waring & Gillow and Rudders & Payne (both these firms eventually dropped out). They contracted to supply rifles at 75/- each, which was the same price that BSA was paid. After a year or so it became apparent that the factory would never produce complete arms and it was instructed to produce four items; body with charger guide, bolt, bolt head and trigger guard. The company was to produce 1500 sets of components a week, rising to 4,000 when new machinery was installed. Other firms were contracted to produce less specialist items, the sets of components being delivered to Enfield for assembly in the bayonet shop, production of which was shifted to Wilkinsons and Sanderson Brothers & Newbold.
The downside of this scheme was that it only allowed for the exact number of components needed. Thus assembly of rifles was held up for want of quite minor items which inexperienced firms were struggling to produce. The scheme was revised in 1916 and became known as the Rifle Components Pool, taking every component which the 'Big Three' could make in excess of their complete rifle production as well as all that Standard Small Arms could turn out, and those produced by the 'peddled scheme' firms. Ordnance could also draw on the pool for repair parts. A considerable stock of components was built up so that any of the Big Three could draw on it if short of some item, and this was done continuously by LSA, and occasionally by BSA, and by Enfield (the pool being on the spot). Standard Small Arms did not attain an output of 2,000 bodies a week until April 1917 and two years after the start of work only 5-6,000 had been produced. By this time SSA were in financial difficulties and a government loan had to be made to keep them going. On June 1st 1918 the factory became National Rifle Factory No.1 with Mr Peterson as superintendent and instructed to prepare for manufacture of components of the Farquhar-Hill automatic rifle, although NRF-marked SMLE bodies were made after this. SSA seem to have turned out 2,000-4,000 bodies a week, depending on the Ministry of Munitions' requirements at the time.

[John Sukey]

I sometimes wonder if SSA's problems were the result of a shortage of people due to factories like BSA and Enfield adsorbing most of the machinery and skilled workers.

[CollectorChris]

I am an amateur at the LE's and still and and tons to learn, but I did read on another forum that the other factories used to wait until SSA trained employees then cherry pick them.

[dogtag]

I am an amateur at the LE's and still and and tons to learn, but I did read on another forum that the other factories used to wait until SSA trained employees then cherry pick them.

There's nothing unusual about that. Most businesses do it.