top- Enfield Mk.1 #4 Long Branch 1945/52 #86L8596
middle- Enfield Mk.1 #3 #3C38 Viking number on Bayonet Stud #1423
bottom- Enfield Mk.1 #5 0/47 #2997
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British .303 smle
- Thread starter jimmyj
- Start date
top- Enfield Mk.1 #4 Long Branch 1945/52 #86L8596
middle- Enfield Mk.1 #3 #3C38 Viking number on Bayonet Stud #1423
bottom- Enfield Mk.1 #5 0/47 #2997
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Vulcan Bob
Member
Glad to see someone who appreciates the worlds best bolt action battle rifels! Get yourself a Ishy in 7.62 Nato if you dont already have one!
VAdoublegunner
Member
Great rifles! I used to have a Lithgow, but sold it. I kept this one though.
SMLE #1, MkIII*, 1917, SSA (Standard Sporting Arms) with Wilkinson bayonet (have scabbard for it).
The bore is in great shape, action is tight. It is an excellent shooter w/ .311" Sierra jacketed 150s and about any reasonable powder charge.
1
SMLE #1, MkIII*, 1917, SSA (Standard Sporting Arms) with Wilkinson bayonet (have scabbard for it).
The bore is in great shape, action is tight. It is an excellent shooter w/ .311" Sierra jacketed 150s and about any reasonable powder charge.
1
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Texas Star
US Veteran
Great rifles! I used to have a Lithgow, but sold it. I kept this one though.
SMLE #1, MkIII*, 1917, SSA (Standard Sporting Arms) with Wilkinson bayonet (have scabbard for it).
The bore is in great shape, action is tight. It is an excellent shooter w/ .311" Sierra jacketed 150s and about any reasonable powder charge.
1
I think you may mean Birmingham Small Arms. Never heard of Standard. The "B" may be worn on your rifle.
T-Star
imjin138
US Veteran
Great looking rifles, I have always liked the SMLE. It must have worked well because the Brits used it so long, I like the bolt feel and the handling of them.
Jack Flash
Member
Very nice pictures. These are great rifles and still seem to be underappreciated in the market place.
You don't have a No. 3 (Pattern 1914), so that's one to keep an eye out for. I will try to get a picture of my Winchester built P14 ... so watch this space!
{...insert P14 picture here...}
You don't have a No. 3 (Pattern 1914), so that's one to keep an eye out for. I will try to get a picture of my Winchester built P14 ... so watch this space!
{...insert P14 picture here...}
I have but one Enfield. It's a "U.S. Property" - marked No. 4 Mk I* made in 1942 by Savage/Stevens in Chicopee, Mass, complete with matching Savage-marked spike bayonet. I also have an original unopened GI box of .303 ammo made by Winchester, which I am told was produced specifically for the U.S.-made Enfields. This rifle was lend-leased to the British during WWII. Interestingly, it has the micrometer-adjustable rear sight. I don't know if that could be original to the rifle, or if it was put on in later years. Perhaps someone here more up on their Enfields than I could shed some light on this?
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BLACKHAWKNJ
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And the "Lee" in Lee-Enfield was an American (OK, Scottish Born) James Paris Lee.
Forester
Member
Wow Charlie. Is that in great Shape!
HOUSTON RICK
Member
Nice guns! Thank you for the pictures. I found a mint Ishapore for $240 and went to my wallet to whip out the cash and found no cash but a note from my wife = "You don't need to be buying any guns - have fun at the show!". Needless to say, he sold the Ishapore later that day.
Spotteddog
Member
Perhaps the most fitting tribute line for this old war horse actually was uttered unintentionally in the movie "Young Guns"?
Where, when one of the characters referring to a grizzled foe the gang just encountered said, "he's killed more people than small pox"!
That about describes the British SMLE, doesn't it?
Where, when one of the characters referring to a grizzled foe the gang just encountered said, "he's killed more people than small pox"!
That about describes the British SMLE, doesn't it?
Jack Flash
Member
At long last ... here is the Pattern of 1914 Picture I promised:
Made by Winchester, in .303 British. The Brits were going to replace the SMLE with this Mauser-based design, but WWI broke out and the change-over never did occur. It's hard to take good handgun pictures, but really hard to take good rifle pictures!
Made by Winchester, in .303 British. The Brits were going to replace the SMLE with this Mauser-based design, but WWI broke out and the change-over never did occur. It's hard to take good handgun pictures, but really hard to take good rifle pictures!
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Jack Flash
Member
Savage produced both the Mark I sight (what you have, the micrometer type) and the Mark II sight (the much simpler "L" or flip sight).
Savage went to the Mk II sight, along with other simplifications, some time in 1942 to speed up production. Rifles with these production shortcuts were marked as yours is, "No. 4 Mk I*". So it would be logical to conclude that yours left the factory with the flip sight and at some later time was upgraded.
Of course, you never know. Does your sight have a squared-off looking "S" stamped on it (possibly inside a square)? If so, it is was made by Savage. That still doesn't prove anything, as Savage supplied England with spare parts. But I'm sure that in war-time production, almost anything is possible, so maybe some spare Mk I sights went on Mk I* rifles (?)
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VAdoublegunner
Member
Nope, the SSA stamp is very well marked. Receiver bluing is still >90%. However, I did incorrectly identify it ... it should have been Standard Small Arms. It's obviously easy to confuse the 2 names! SSA and NRF rifles are not particularly common as SMLEs go.
From different sources:
"SSA" and "NRF" markings are sometimes encountered on First World War-dated SMLE Mk III* rifles. These stand for "Standard Small Arms" and "National Rifle Factory", respectively. Rifles so marked were assembled using parts from various other manufacturers, as part of a scheme during the First World War to boost rifle production in the UK. Only SMLE Mk III* rifles are known to have been assembled under this program. These rifles became known as "peddled scheme" rifles as neither SSA nor NRF actually produced rifles from start to finish but rather assembled them from delivered parts. Standard Small Arms (SSA) made parts and rifles from 1916 thru mid 1918 and is reported to have either 1) closed due to bankruptcy, or 2) was taken over by the government because of their inability to produce complete rifles and became the NRF No2. Total production of receivers was ~200,000.
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BruceHMX
Member
VAdoublegunner that's a really sharp SMELLY!!
Here's a couple pics of my son shooting our Lithgow trainer SMLE in 22 caliber.
Still looking for a nice Mk III 303.
Here's a couple pics of my son shooting our Lithgow trainer SMLE in 22 caliber.
Still looking for a nice Mk III 303.
smithywess
Member
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For Paladin,
Sounds very nice what you have. If the micrometer sight is adjustable in half minute increments of angle for both elevation as well as windage then it is likely a Parker-Hale target sight and should be marked as such. There should be about 5 or 6 different diameter apertures available on a wheel you can turn. My Dad bought me a No4 with this sight on at Fulton's of Bisley,in England when I was 14 years old.I'm 70 now,but competed with that rifle at Bisley in the early 60's with military FMJacket ammunition but only up to 600 yards. The rifle with that sight will group to 5" at 200 yards if I do my job. The aiming mark at that range was 12'' with a 5'' bull inside. The aiming marks at all ranges were half-moon blacks calculated to cover the exact width of the blade type foresight. There were flags at about 50 yard intervals all down the ranges so you could instantly adjust the windage without comeing off aim in order to squeeze a shot off before the wind changed again. I was taught to shoot by an old military gentleman at Bisley who was in his eighties using his No.III S.M.L.E. I was 14 years old. This thread has brought back many happy memories to an old Brit. now living in Canada.Thank you.
Sounds very nice what you have. If the micrometer sight is adjustable in half minute increments of angle for both elevation as well as windage then it is likely a Parker-Hale target sight and should be marked as such. There should be about 5 or 6 different diameter apertures available on a wheel you can turn. My Dad bought me a No4 with this sight on at Fulton's of Bisley,in England when I was 14 years old.I'm 70 now,but competed with that rifle at Bisley in the early 60's with military FMJacket ammunition but only up to 600 yards. The rifle with that sight will group to 5" at 200 yards if I do my job. The aiming mark at that range was 12'' with a 5'' bull inside. The aiming marks at all ranges were half-moon blacks calculated to cover the exact width of the blade type foresight. There were flags at about 50 yard intervals all down the ranges so you could instantly adjust the windage without comeing off aim in order to squeeze a shot off before the wind changed again. I was taught to shoot by an old military gentleman at Bisley who was in his eighties using his No.III S.M.L.E. I was 14 years old. This thread has brought back many happy memories to an old Brit. now living in Canada.Thank you.
Texas Star
US Veteran
I had a Savaga-made No. 4 and it had the micrometer sight. Same style as on my No. 4 MK 2, made in 1952.
The asterisk doesn't designate the type of sight, but the method of bolt removal. This is simplified on the MK I *, which was made in Canada and the USA.
T-Star
The asterisk doesn't designate the type of sight, but the method of bolt removal. This is simplified on the MK I *, which was made in Canada and the USA.
T-Star
Texas Star
US Veteran
VAdoublegunner-
What is marked on the steel socket when you lift the bolt handle of your rifle? Is SSA also there? It should have the maker's mark and year, plus info about George V being king then. GR= George Regina.
T-Star
What is marked on the steel socket when you lift the bolt handle of your rifle? Is SSA also there? It should have the maker's mark and year, plus info about George V being king then. GR= George Regina.
T-Star
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