[91][92] Also contributing to the total was the Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI) at Ishapore in India, which continued to produce the SMLE in both .303 and 7.6251mm NATO until the 1980s, and is still manufacturing a sporting rifle based on the SMLE Mk III action, chambered for a .315 calibre cartridge[93] the Birmingham Small Arms Company factory at Shirley near Birmingham, and SAF Lithgow in Australia, who finally discontinued production of the SMLE Mk III* with a final 'machinery proving' batch of 1000 rifles in early 1956, using 1953-dated receivers. The 'G.R.' Many of these muskets were rechambered, after being sold as surplus, and can now be used with commercially available ammunition. . I have no clue what this kind of gun is worth, I guess it is whatever someone will pay. [35], In 1926, the British Army changed their nomenclature; the SMLE became known as the Rifle No. [61] They were generally single-shot affairs, originally using Morris tubes chambered for cheap .22L cartridge and some larger types, circa 1907. 5. The Lee-Enfield series of rifles is one of the most successful bolt-action rifles of all time. In British service, the No. It is like detective work trying to figure out the clues. 4 Mark I rifle was adopted on Nov. 15, 1939. I rifles made at Enfield. . The two Charlton designs differed markedly in external appearance (amongst other things, the New Zealand Charlton had a forward pistol grip and bipod, whilst the Australian one did not), but shared the same operating mechanism. No Savage LeeEnfields were ever issued to the US military; the markings existed solely to maintain the pretence that American equipment was being lent to the UK rather than permanently sold to them. Thanks I don't think the stock is original because I don't see a serial number. I (T) and No. They were supplied to the UK under the Lend-Lease programme during the Second World War. Anschutz target rifles fall into this category, and their system is given on the page for these rifles. Both were located at Long Branch, Ontario. [97] Magazine supply/importation (M14 and AK 10 single stack mag) whilst legal in Australia, it has been spasmodically curtailed by Australian Federal Customs (for more information, see Gun politics in Australia). Some rifles (such as LongBranch) had very finely marked serial numbers done with an engraving pen on the receiver wall. This feature was removed on the Mk III* rifle. Israeli female soldiers equipped with the SMLE Mk III during the 1948 ArabIsraeli War. The No. )[36], The SMLE design was a relatively expensive long arm to manufacture, because of the many forging and machining operations required. Externally the new rifle is very similar to the classic Mk III*, with the exception of the buttplate (the buttplate from the 1A SLR is fitted) and magazine, which is more 'square' than the SMLE magazine, and usually carries twelve rounds instead of ten,[88] although a number of 2A1s have been noted with 10-round magazines. . A standard (complete) 1942 Longbranch Lee Enfield No4 Mk1* Rifle made for Britain during WW2. In good looking condition, this was the last year they were ever made. The insurance guy I use has no clue on guns, I have asked before. [17] Some straight-pull bolt-action rifles were thought faster, but lacked the simplicity, reliability, and generous magazine capacity of the LeeEnfield. 4 Mk I* in 1942, with the bolt release catch replaced by a simpler notch on the bolt track of the rifle's receiver. Poland: used by the Polish Armed Forces in the West, Portugal: used by the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps, during the First World War. [72] Post-Second World War, SAF Lithgow converted a number of SMLE rifles to commercial sporting rifles- notably the .22 Hornet model- under the 'Slazenger' brand. Turkey: converted Ottoman-captured rifles to 7.9257mm Mauser. Published by Ian D Skennerton, PO Box 80, Labrador 4215, Australia, 2001. Truth be known about Enfield serial numbers is simply, the serial number was used more for production counting than any other reason. Will ship at buyers expense. 2s Modified to Mk. 4 Mk. Republic of China (19121949): used during Warlord Era. Austria: used post-war by the Gendarmerie. 4 MK. The Mk V did retain a magazine cut-off, but without a spotting hole, the piling swivel was kept attached to a forward barrel band, which was wrapped over and attached to the rear of the nose cap to reinforce the rifle for use with the standard Pattern 1907 bayonet. 1 Mk. Ireland: No1 MkIII/III* used as the service rifle by the National Army during the Civil War and later by Defence Forces, replaced by No4 LeeEnfields in 1950's until replaced by the FN FAL in 1961. 4 Mk I* rifles that were brought up to Mk 2 standard were re-designated No. [14] LeeEnfield rifles are used by reserve forces and police forces in many Commonwealth countries, including Malawi. Interesting to some American Korean War veterans, the Enfield wasn't issued a flash protector. The rifle's two-piece stock and 10-round magazine are two of its most distinctive features. 1 Mk V is the rear aperture sight. The primary distinguishing feature of the No. The rear 'battle sight' was ground off to make room to attach the No. The accuracy requirement was ability to place 7 of 7 shots in a 5 inches (12.7 cm) circle at 200 yards (183 m) and 6 of 7 shots in a 10 inches (25.4 cm) circle at 400 yards (366 m). Create your own unique website with customizable templates. Roughly 1,400 of these were converted to No. The receiver-mounted rear sights and magazine cutoff were also present and 1,025 units were produced in the 1930 period.[38]. By the late 1930s, the need for new rifles grew and the Rifle, No. [26], The iconic LeeEnfield rifle, the SMLE Mk III, was introduced on 26 January 1907, along with a Pattern 1907 bayonet and featured a simplified rear sight arrangement and a fixed, rather than a bolt-head-mounted sliding, charger guide. [22], A shorter and lighter version of the original MLEthe famous Rifle, Short, Magazine, LeeEnfield, or SMLE (sometimes spoken as 'Smelly', rather than S, M, L, E)[14]was introduced on 1 January 1904. 6 Mk I never entered full production and examples are rare and valuable to collectors. A transitional model the No. Dave91 Apr 25, 2010 The #1 community for Gun Owners of the Northeast Member Benefits: No ad networks! The rifle became known simply as the 'three-oh-three'. 3s and Mk. This updated and expanded edition also has a ready model identification chapter and colour plates. 4 Mk I/3. Initial production was 1,403 conversions of 19311933 troop trials No. [85] The L8 series of rifles consisted of L8A1 rifles (converted No.4 Mk2 rifles), L8A2 rifles (converted No.4 Mk1/2 rifles), L8A3 rifles (converted No.4 Mk1/3 rifles), L8A4 rifles (converted No.4 Mk1 rifles), and L8A5 rifles (converted No.4 Mk1* rifles). AN ENFIELD SMLE MARK 3 rifle is currently worth an average price of $625.64 used . The LeeEnfield rifle is a popular gun for historic rifle enthusiasts and those who find the 10-round magazine, loading by charger clips, and the rapid bolt-action useful for Practical Rifle events. It was a further simplification and cut down on both material costs and machine time in its construction, much as the No. [40] Towards the end of the Second World War, a bladed bayonet was developed, originally intended for use with the Sten gunbut sharing the same mount as the No. Short Magazine LeeEnfield Mk I (1903), Swedish Army Museum, Stockholm. The British probably used helical locking lugs to allow for chambering imperfect or dirty ammunition and that the closing cam action is distributed over the entire mating faces of both bolt and receiver lugs. THE SAVAGE MADE NO4MKI* ENFIELD. The Australian military were not permitted to manufacture the No. Other Equipment. The 12 month average price is $625.64 used. The shorter length was controversial at the time: many Rifle Association members and gunsmiths were concerned that the shorter barrel would not be as accurate as the longer MLE barrels, that the recoil would be much greater, and the sighting radius would be too short. An Australian experimental version of the No. We cannot say for certain it is a year, nor can we say for certain much of anything else about that number. 5 was first issued to the British 1st Airborne Division and used during their liberation of Denmark and Norway in 1945. [10], The LeeEnfield rifle was introduced in November 1895 as the .303 calibre, Rifle, Magazine, LeeEnfield,[10] or more commonly Magazine LeeEnfield, or MLE (sometimes spoken as 'emily' instead of M, L, E). The No. The serial number is DA22567A, above the serial number it says NO.4 MK1 F (FTR) that is all the markings I can really see on the gun and I was wondering what year the rifle was made, the model it is, & how much it is worth? The No.4 (T) rifles were extensively employed in various conflicts until the late 1960s. 5 Mk. 4 Mk 2 (Arabic numerals replaced Roman numerals for official designations in 1944) rifle, a refined and improved No. [102] Enfields continue to be used as drill weapons by the National Ceremonial Guard of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). WW1 BSA .303 SMLE dated 1914 British Army Service Rifle. 5 groove Rifling in excellent condition. Original Long Branch years are on the left sidewall of the receiver. Experiments with smokeless powder in the existing LeeMetford cartridge seemed at first to be a simple upgrade, but the greater heat and pressure generated by the new smokeless powder wore away the shallow, rounded, Metford rifling after approximately 6000 rounds. III* LeeEnfields were used by the. A new rifle based on the Mauser design was created to fire the round, called the Pattern 1913 Enfield. 4 Mk. 4 Mk I Long Branch aperture sights, LeeEnfield No. The magazine cutoff was also reintroduced and an additional band was added near the muzzle for additional strength during bayonet use. It's not stamped all that well so that doesn't help. 4 Mk. Enfield from 19221924, with a total production of roughly 20,000 rifles, all of which marked with a 'V'. During the recent civil war in Nepal, the government troops were issued LeeEnfield rifles to fight the Maoist rebels, and the Maoists were also armed with SMLE rifles, amongst other weapons. such a low number. Discussion in 'Non-XD Handguns' started by BobTheMasher, Mar 21, 2009. Magazine cut-off on an SMLE Mk III rifle. Replaced by M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbines. In the late 1960s, RSAF Enfield entered the commercial market by producing No.4-based 7.6251mm rifles for sale. Sliding ramp rear sights, fixed-post front sights, 'dial' long-range volley; telescopic sights on sniper models. 123 Main Street Anywhere City, USA 55555 Phone: (555) 555-5555 Email Map & Directions Hours of Operation Follow Us On Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Google+ Pinterest RSS Feeds Blog Posts, Gallery Images, Forum Topics Login Email: Password: Remember Me Forgot Password? I/L bayonet, which has a rotating handle and a large ring on the cross-guard was not for the No. $ 1,099.00 For sale is a Canadian Lee-Enfield No.4 MK1* Long Branch bolt action rifle in .303 British. It retains the 10 round box detachable magazine, however the largest change to the rifle . [46] The No. The L59A1 arose from British government concerns over the vulnerability of Army Cadet Force and school Combined Cadet Forces' (CCF) stocks of small arms to theft by terrorists, in particular the Irish Republican Army following raids on CCF armouries in the 1950s and 1960s. The No. Military equipment, such as the Lee-Enfield rifle, are often found with letters, numbers, codes, runes and symbols stamped, etched, scratched, embossed, pressed or branded into the wood or metal. This is one reason the bolt closure feels smooth. These were converted in late 1941 and into the later part of 1942. Any idea? No. It is one of 75,000. 1 Mk. I (T) and No. The entire bayonet was 21 + 3 4 inches (550 mm) long and weighed 16 + 1 2 ounces (470 g), although the weight of production models varied from 16 to 18 ounces (450 to 510 g). The Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield, (SMLE) Background. 32 Mk. Canadian sniperSergeant Harold Marshall carries a No. [11] The Lee bolt-action and 10-round magazine capacity enabled a well-trained rifleman to perform the 'mad minute' firing 20 to 30 aimed rounds in 60 seconds, making the LeeEnfield the fastest military bolt-action rifle of the day. From the late 1940s, legislation in New South Wales, Australia, heavily restricted .303 British calibre (and other 'military calibre') rifles,[72] so large numbers of SMLEs were converted to 'wildcat' calibres such as .303/25, .303/22, .303/270 and the popular 7.754mm round. A new bayonet was designed to go with the rifle: a spike bayonet, which was essentially a steel rod with a sharp point and was nicknamed 'pigsticker' by soldiers. The current world record for aimed bolt-action fire was set in 1914 by a musketry instructor in the British ArmySergeant Instructor Snoxallwho placed 38 rounds into a 12-inch-wide (300 mm) target at 300 yards (270 m) in one minute. So as to match critical parts, serial number was also stamped under the rear sight leaf (and fore-ends, nosecaps, bolts, of Lee-Enfields too). Your rifle had the left sidewall ground down, quite roughly in spots. A very collectable rifle indeed, but by no means rare. Cannot find any broad arrows. Italy: post-World War II Italian Army and Navy. The LeeEnfield rifle was derived from the earlier LeeMetford, a mechanically similar black-powder rifle, which combined James Paris Lee's rear-locking bolt system that had a barrel featuring rifling designed by William Ellis Metford. The resulting weapon, designed by W.G. 4 Mk I* BOLT HEAD I (T) sniper rifles in 19411942 at RSAF Enfield. ), Rhineland Arms produces .45 ACP conversion kits for the LeeEnfield action using M1911 pistol magazines.[113]. 4 rifles to 7.6251mm NATO. Thanks for all you answers. 7 Mk. 1 Mk III* it lacked a volley sight and had the wire loop in place of the sling swivel at the front of magazine well along with the simplified cocking piece. 2 Mk. With an S prefix, this was about the 196,800th rifle produced by RSAF Enfield in 1916. The Commando units of the British military requested a suppressed rifle for killing sentries, guard dogs and other clandestine operational uses during the Second World War. [48] The No. Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses (Thats why I prefer people to list their location). Over 1,500 conversions were made, including a handful by Electrolux using Lithgow SMLE Mk III* rifles.[79]. Work on a long-range replacement cartridge began in 1910 and resulted in the .276 Enfield in 1912. Early models of the LeeMetford and LeeEnfield even used a short length of chain to secure the magazine to the rifle. Many Mk. The LeeEnfield series is very popular for service rifle shooting competitions in the UK and Australia due to the prohibitions on the legal ownership of semi-automatic centrefire rifles in Great Britain and restrictions on the legal ownership of semi-automatic centrefire rifles in Australia. 5 was shorter and 2 lb (0.9 kg) lighter. 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