My first Enfield

[45Wheelgun]

I came across this and it really spoke to me. I am not a military rifle collector, or a surplus kind of guy, but the wire wrap, the grenade launcher...I just had to have it.

I hear they will launch a tennis ball 200 yards....

Anyone else like these old things? I need a bayonet and scabbard to go with it if anyone has one they would like to let go of...

 

[mbnatt]

Mine does not have the wire wrap, but I had to have one dated 1918, My Grandfather was a Sgt in the British Army in WW1

 

[pennlineman]

I don't really consider myself a collector of them myself. Never the less I've accumulated a few over the years. I have a US M1 Garand and 1917, a Swedish mauser, a Mosin Nagant rifle and M-44 carbine and a Yugo sks.

Just something kind of cool about owning a piece of history I guess. Congrats on the new rifle!

 

[Cyrano]

My situation is similiar to mbnatt: my father was in the 27th Infantry Division, NYNG in WW I. Pershing gave them and the 30th to the British. The divisions were equipped with British kit and rearmed with British weapons. It worked out well for my father; he was a machine gun squad leader. Even though he had to carry a SMLE, his squad had a British Lewis rather than the miserable Chauchat.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

An excellent piece of history. IIRC the grenade launchers were rifles that were no longer considered useable as rifles but still had some life in them. So if you find a Pattern 1907 bayonet it is to wear on your Pattern 1908 equipment.

 

[bamacisa]

The rifles were wraped with wire to reinforce the rifles when shooting grenades.

 

[Fishslayer]

Love the old military bolt guns.

I'm shopping for a 91/30 MoNag this weekend to be a safemate to my M38 carbine.

While I appreciate the history they represent I'm mostly getting one because they're fun to shoot and ammo is dirt cheap.

Hard to find a piece that represents more history than a Mosin Nagant! Those Russian soldiers were some muy malo hombres...

My LGS has a nice Enfield in the rack. A bit out of my league pricewise...

 

[mxbob]

Don't try to shoot a ball cartridge with the grenade launcher. Special rounds were used.
Bob Ray 1815

 

[45Wheelgun]

Don't try to shoot a ball cartridge with the grenade launcher. Special rounds were used.
Bob Ray 1815

Yes, I am aware. Which brings up the point "I need 303 Blanks"! My understanding is that the noise blanks work fine for tennis balls, but I am looking for either noise or grenade blanks if any of you kind folks have any laying around.

My rifle doesn't have the EY markings and appears to have a minty bore. It matches serial numbers everywhere it should. It does have a thick layer of poorly applied black paint. Marked as factory rebuilt in '46. Has a star on the barrel indicating rust in the bore, but I sure don't see it. It looks pretty darn nice to me.

I intend to have the rifle looked over prior to shooting it.

 

[tacreload]

Wheelgun that was my first deer rifle given to me by my uncle when I was twelve years old.My Dad didn't hunt and good ol Uncle Bill didn't have any sons.He gave me that rifle and I still have it 45 years later.Still got him too but he doesn't hunt anymore and lives in Florida.

 

[Fredo Batali]

45wheelgun,

I have six wire wrap Enfields such as yours and they all shoot reasonably well. Two are RFI and the others are Enfield and BSA. My earliest is 1915. A couple of years ago I was tripping over these guns at Big 5 and at G.I. Joe's here in the Pacific Northwest. I once bought a wire wrap SMLE a No.4 Mk I plus 100 rounds of Winchester .303 "contract" ammo at a local gun show for less than $200.00 OTD. I own at least 15 SMLE'S and No. 4's of various flavors, to include a very good condition, all matching, Savage No. 4. Most are real tack drivers. I started reloading the .303 and am having a ball shooting them. Enjoy your rifle and shoot it. You won't be disappointed.

De Oppresso Liber

 

[2152hq]

Do a little searching over on Gun Boards in the Lee Enfield sections
Lee Enfield - 22 Caliber Forums & English Gun Pub

There were always some threads on the wire wrapped MkIII's, blank ammo, tossing tennis balls, etc.

The grenade cup itself has become hard to find. Springfield Sporters in PA used to have boxes of them for sale along with the wire wrapped MkIII's. Mostly conversions done in Ishapore, India (RFI marked).
Such it is with all surplus, one day it's cheap and it's all over the place, then all of a sudden it's rare and expensive.

Check the headspace if you're going to do some shooting with it. MilSpec was a little more generous than current SAAMI.
Many have the 'rust in bore' or the 'cord worn' mark applied. But they look awfully good when inspected.

Launching tennis balls 150 to 200 yrds isn't difficult with them. Sometimes they will just shred them right out of the launcher though so take all care when working with them.
A couple of wraps of duct tape on the ball will make it last a few trips longer down range. But don't make it too tight of a fit in the launcher cup.
Alot of fun but certainly not a toy.

I don't recall which cartridge does a better job with the tennis ball projectiles,,the parade blank or the orig grenade launcher cartridge blank. Do some homework over on those forums and you'll probably have your answer.
Seems as though a home (re)loaded blank was being used by some re-inactors too but I can't recall the components.

None of the launchers left in my group, but my favorites, a MkI* SMLE and a CLLE, both BSA commercial rifles & 2 Lee Sporters get range time quite often.

Have fun..!

 

[Waidmann]

James Paris Lee, a fine American gun designer.

"Smelly"=SMLE=Short Magazine Lee-Enfield

 

[Cyrano]

I must be snake bit on the 303. I have a No 1 Mk III rebarreled with a brand new barrel (still had wax on the threads) and with a Parker Hale receiver mounted peep sight; a Ross Mk II, and a Ross 3B. None will group under 5 inches with any bullet, diameter or load I've tried.

 

[Gutpile Charlie]

I've got 4 Enfields....but none of the wire wrapped grenade launchers. I wish I had one. Used to see them every now and then at gun shows, but haven't seen one in a long time. They are really interesting.

 

[Dave_n]

I have No1 MkIIIs, No 4 Mk 1 and I* plus their Ishapore equivalents in 7.62 x 51 and also in 0.303 (both dated 1964), but the fun one is a No 5 Mk 1 from August of 45. All have matching numbers and correct head spacing. I have a set of Australian gauges that are UK MOD issue, not SAAMI. All great fun to shoot, particularly when the guy next to me has an EBR and cannot hit the paper at 100 yds. Dave_n