Lee Enfield Long Branch Serial Numbers

. MLE: 30.2 in (767 mm). SMLE No. 1 Mk III: 25.2 in (640 mm).

SMLE No. 4 Mk I: 25.2 in (640 mm). LEC: 21.2 in (540 mm). SMLE No. 5 Mk I: 18.8 in (480 mm)20–30 aimed shots per minute744 m/s (2,441 ft/s)Effective firing range550 yd (503 m)Maximum firing range3,000 yd (2,743 m)Feed system10-round magazine, loaded with 5-round charger clipsSightsSliding ramp rear sights, fixed-post front sights, 'dial' long-range volley; telescopic sights on sniper models. Fixed and adjustable aperture sights incorporated onto later variants.The Lee–Enfield is a, -fed, that served as the main used by the military forces of the and during the first half of the 20th century.

It was the 's standard rifle from its official adoption in 1895 until 1957. The WWI versions are often referred to as the 'SMLE', which is short for the common 'Short, Magazine Lee–Enfield' variant.A redesign of the (adopted by the British Army in 1888), the Lee–Enfield superseded the earlier, and Lee–Metford rifles.

It featured a ten-round box magazine which was loaded with the manually from the top, either one round at a time or by means of five-round. The Lee–Enfield was the standard issue weapon to rifle companies of the British Army and other Commonwealth nations in both the and (these Commonwealth nations included Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and South Africa, among others).

Although officially replaced in the UK with the in 1957, it remained in widespread British service until the early/mid-1960s and the sniper variant remained in service until the 1990s. As a standard-issue infantry rifle, it is still found in service in the armed forces of some Commonwealth nations, notably with the Bangladesh Police, which makes it the second longest-serving military bolt-action rifle still in official service, after the.

The unit still use Enfield rifles, with plans to replace the weapons sometime in 2017–2018 with the new Sako-designed. Total production of all Lee–Enfields is estimated at over 17 million rifles.The Lee–Enfield takes its name from the designer of the rifle's bolt system——and the factory in which it was designed—the in. Contents.Design and history The Lee–Enfield rifle was derived from the earlier Lee–Metford, a mechanically similar rifle, which combined 's rear-locking bolt system that had a barrel featuring rifling designed. The Lee action cocked the striker on the closing stroke of the bolt, making the initial opening much faster and easier compared to the 'cock on opening' (i.e., the firing pin cocks upon opening the bolt) of the design. The bolt has a relatively short bolt throw and features rear-mounted lugs and the bolt operating handle places the bolt knob just rearwards of the trigger at a favourable ergonomic position close to the operator's hand. The action features helical locking surfaces (the technical term is interrupted threading).

This means that final head space is not achieved until the bolt handle is turned down all the way. 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. This is one reason the bolt closure feels smooth. The rifle was also equipped with a detachable sheet-steel, 10-round, double-column magazine, a very modern development in its day. Originally, the concept of a detachable magazine was opposed in some circles, as some feared that the private soldier might be likely to lose the magazine during field campaigns.

Early models of the Lee–Metford and Lee–Enfield even used a short length of chain to secure the magazine to the rifle. To further facilitate rapid aimed fire the rifle can be cycled by most riflemen without loss of sight picture.These design features facilitate rapid cycling and fire compared to other bolt-action designs like the Mauser. The Lee bolt-action and 10-round capacity enabled a well-trained rifleman to perform the ' firing 20 to 30 aimed rounds in 60 seconds, making the Lee–Enfield the fastest military bolt-action rifle of the day. The current world record for aimed bolt-action fire was set in 1914 by a musketry instructor in the British Army—Sergeant Instructor Snoxall—who placed 38 rounds into a 12-inch-wide (300 mm) target at 300 yards (270 m) in one minute. Some straight-pull bolt-action rifles were thought faster, but lacked the simplicity, reliability, and generous magazine capacity of the Lee–Enfield. Several First World War accounts tell of British troops repelling German attackers who subsequently reported that they had encountered machine guns, when in fact it was simply a group of well-trained riflemen armed with SMLE Mk III rifles. Standard Mk VII for Lee–Enfield rifleThe Lee–Enfield was adapted to fire the.303 British service cartridge, a rimmed, high-powered rifle round.

Experiments with in the existing Lee–Metford 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. Replacing this with a new square-shaped rifling system designed at the (RSAF) solved the problem, and the Lee–Enfield was born. Models/marks of Lee–Enfield rifle and service periods.

This section does not any. Unsourced material may be challenged. ( January 2018) Model/MarkIn serviceMagazine Lee–Enfield1895–1926Charger Loading Lee–Enfield1906–1926Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk I1904–1926Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk II1906–1927Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III/III.1907–presentShort Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk V1922–1924 (trials only; 20,000 produced)Rifle No. 1 Mk VI1930 (trials only; 1,025 produced and leftover parts assembled into rifles early in WWII)Rifle No. 4 Mk I1931–present (2,500 trials examples produced in the 1930s, then mass production from mid-1941 onwards)Rifle No. 4 Mk I.1942–presentRifle No 5 Mk I 'Jungle Carbine'1944–present (produced 1944–1947) BSA-Shirley produced 81,329 rifles and ROF Fazakerley 169,807 rifles.Rifle No. 4 Mk 21949–presentRifle 7.62 mm 2A1964–presentRifle 7.62 mm 2A11965–presentMagazine Lee–Enfield The Lee–Enfield rifle was introduced in November 1895 as the.303 calibre, Rifle, Magazine, Lee–Enfield, or more commonly Magazine Lee–Enfield, or MLE (sometimes spoken as ' emily' instead of M, L, E).

The next year, a shorter version was introduced as the Lee–Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I, or LEC, with a 21.2-inch (540 mm) barrel as opposed to the 30.2-inch (770 mm) one in the 'long' version. Both underwent a minor upgrade series in 1899 (the omission of the cleaning / clearing rod), becoming the Mk I. Many LECs (and LMCs in smaller numbers) were converted to special patterns, namely the New Zealand Carbine and the Royal Irish Constabulary Carbine, or NZ and RIC, respectively. Some of the MLEs (and MLMs) were converted to load from, and designated Charger Loading Lee–Enfields, or CLLEs. Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk I A shorter and lighter version of the original MLE—the famous Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee–Enfield, or SMLE (sometimes spoken as 'Smelly', rather than S, M, L, E) —was introduced on 1 January 1904.

The barrel was now halfway in length between the original long rifle and the carbine, at 25.2 inches (640 mm).The SMLE's visual trademark was its blunt nose, with only the bayonet boss protruding a small fraction of an inch beyond the nosecap, being modelled on the Swedish Model 1894 Cavalry Carbine. The new rifle also incorporated a charger loading system, another innovation borrowed from the Mauser rifle' and is notably different from the fixed 'bridge' that later became the standard, being a charger clip (stripper clip) guide on the face of the bolt head. 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. Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III.

Magazine cut-off on an SMLE Mk III rifle. This feature was removed on the Mk III. rifle.The iconic Lee–Enfield rifle, the SMLE Mk III, was introduced on 26 January 1907, along with a and featured a simplified rear sight arrangement and a fixed, rather than a bolt-head-mounted sliding, charger guide. The design of the handguards and the magazine were also improved, and the chamber was adapted to fire the new Mk VII High Velocity.303 ammunition. Many early model rifles, of Magazine Lee–Enfield (MLE), Magazine Lee–Metford (MLM), and SMLE type, were upgraded to the Mk III standard.

Lee Enfield Serial Numbers

These are designated Mk IV Cond., with various asterisks denoting subtypes.During the First World War, the SMLE Mk III was found to be too complicated to manufacture (an SMLE Mk III rifle cost the British Government ) and demand was outstripping supply, so in late 1915 the Mk III. was introduced, which incorporated several changes, the most prominent of which were the deletion of the mechanism, which when engaged permits the feeding and extraction of single cartridges only while keeping the cartridges in the magazine in reserve, and the long-range volley sights. The windage adjustment of the rear sight was also dispensed with, and the cocking piece was changed from a round knob to a serrated slab. Rifles with some or all of these features present are found, as the changes were implemented at different times in different factories and as stocks of existing parts were used. Main article:Due to the poor performance of the cartridge during the from 1899–1902, the British attempted to replace the round and the Lee–Enfield rifle that fired it.

The main deficiency of the rounds at the time was that they used heavy, round-nosed bullets that had low muzzle velocities and poor ballistic performance. The rounds fired from the rifle had a higher velocity, flatter trajectory and longer range, making them superior on the open country of the South African plains. Work on a long-range replacement cartridge began in 1910 and resulted in the in 1912.

A new rifle based on the Mauser design was created to fire the round, called the. Although the.276 Enfield had better ballistics, troop trials in 1913 revealed problems including excessive recoil, muzzle flash, barrel wear and overheating. Attempts were made to find a cooler-burning propellant, but further trials were halted in 1914 by the onset of. This proved fortunate for the Lee–Enfield, as wartime demand and the improved Mk VII loading of the.303 round caused it to be retained for service. Pattern 1914/US M1917. Lee–Enfield No.

4 Mk I Long Branch aperture sightsIn 1926, the British Army changed their nomenclature; the SMLE became known as the Rifle No. 1 Mk III or III., with the original MLE and LEC becoming obsolete along with the earlier SMLE models. Many Mk III and III. rifles were converted to calibre training rifles, and designated Rifle No. 2, of varying marks. (The Pattern 1914 became the Rifle No.

3.)The SMLE design was a relatively expensive long arm to manufacture, because of the many and operations required. In the 1920s, a series of experiments resulting in design changes were carried out to help with these problems, reducing the number of complex parts and refining manufacturing processes. The SMLE Mk V (later Rifle No. 1 Mk V), adopted a new -mounted aperture sighting system, which moved the rear sight from its former position on the barrel. The increased gap resulted in an improved sighting radius, improving sighting accuracy and the aperture improved speed of sighting over various distances. In the stowed position, a fixed distance aperture battle sight calibrated for 300 yd (274 m) protruded saving further precious seconds when laying the sight to a target.

An alternative developed during this period was to be used on the No. 4 variant, a 'battle sight' was developed that allowed for two set distances of 300 yards and 600 yards to be quickly deployed and was cheaper to produce than the 'ladder sight'. The magazine cutoff was also reintroduced and an additional band was added near the muzzle for additional strength during bayonet use.

The design was found to be even more complicated and expensive to manufacture than the Mk III and was not developed or issued, beyond a trial production of about 20,000 rifles between 1922 and 1924 at. Lee–Enfield No. 1 Mk V Long before the No. 4 Mk I, Britain had obviously settled on the rear aperture sight prior to WWI, with modifications to the SMLE being tested as early as 1911, as well as later on the No.

1 Mk III pattern rifle. These unusual rifles have something of a mysterious service history, but represent a missing link in SMLE development. The primary distinguishing feature of the No. 1 Mk V is the rear aperture sight.

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. 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. Other distinctive features include a nose cap screw was slotted for the width of a coin for easy removal, a safety lever on the left side of the receiver was slightly modified with a unique angular groove pattern, and the two-piece hand guard being extended from the nose cap to the receiver, omitting the barrel mounted leaf sight.

1 Mk V rifles were manufactured solely by R.S.A.F. Enfield from 1922–1924, with a total production of roughly 20,000 rifles, all of which marked with a 'V'.The No. 1 Mk VI also introduced a heavier 'floating barrel' that was independent of the forearm, allowing the barrel to expand and contract without contacting the forearm and interfering with the 'zero', the correlation between the alignment of the barrel and the sights. The floating barrel increased the accuracy of the rifle by allowing it to vibrate freely and consistently, whereas wooden forends in contact with barrels, if not properly fitted, affected the harmonic vibrations of the barrel. The receiver-mounted rear sights and magazine cutoff were also present and 1,025 units were produced in the 1930 period. Lee–Enfield No.

4 Mk 2 with the ladder aperture sight flipped up and 5-roundIn the early 1930s, a batch of 2,500 No. I rifles were made for Trials. These were similar to the No.

VI but had a flat left side and did away with the chequering on the furniture. Observed examples are dated 1931 and 1933. Roughly 1,400 of these were converted to No. I (T) sniper rifles in 1941–1942 at RSAF Enfield.By the late 1930s, the need for new rifles grew and the Rifle, No. 4 Mk I was officially adopted in 1941. 4 action was similar to the No.1 Mk VI, but stronger and most importantly, easier to mass-produce.

Unlike the SMLE, that had a nose cap, the No 4 Lee–Enfield barrel protruded from the end of the forestock. For easier machining, the charger bridge was no longer rounded.The line was redesigned and featured a rear receiver aperture battle sight calibrated for 300 yd (274 m) with an additional ladder aperture sight that could be flipped up and was calibrated for 200–1,300 yd (183–1,189 m) in 100 yd (91 m) increments. This sight, like other aperture sights, proved to be faster and more accurate than the typical mid-barrel open rear sight elements sight lines offered by Mauser, previous Lee–Enfields or the Buffington battle sight of the 1903 Springfield.The No. 4 rifle was heavier than the No. III, largely due to its heavier barrel. A new bayonet was designed to go with the rifle: a, which was essentially a steel rod with a sharp point and was nicknamed 'pigsticker' by soldiers.

Towards the end of the Second World War, a bladed bayonet was developed for the No.5 Mk.I rifle (“Jungle Carbine”.) Post-war versions were made that would fit No. 4 rifles and were designated No. 9 blade bayonets.During the course of the Second World War, the No.

4 rifle was further simplified for mass-production with the creation of the No. 4 Mk I.

in 1942, with the bolt release catch replaced by a simpler notch on the bolt track of the rifle's receiver. It was produced only in North America, by Small Arms Limited at Long Branch in Canada and Stevens-Savage Firearms in the USA. The No.4 rifle was primarily produced for the United Kingdom, Canada and some other Commonwealth countries such as New Zealand.In the years after the Second World War, the British produced the No. 4 Mk 2 ( replaced for official designations in 1944) rifle, a refined and improved No. 4 rifle with the trigger hung forward from the butt collar and not from the trigger guard, beech wood stocks (with the original reinforcing strap and centre piece of wood in the rear of the forestock on the No.4 Mk I/Mk I. being removed in favour of a tie screw and nut) and brass “gunmetal” buttplates (during World War II, the British, Americans and Canadians replaced the brass buttplates on the No.4 rifles with a zinc alloy type to reduce costs and to speed up rifle production). Near the end of the war and post-war, Canada made blued steel buttplates.

With the introduction of the No. 4 Mk 2 rifle, the British refurbished many of their existing stocks of No. 4 rifles and brought them up to the same standard as the No. 4 Mk 1 rifles so upgraded were re-designated No. 4 Mk I/2, whilst No. 4 Mk I.

rifles that were brought up to Mk 2 standard were re-designated No. 5 Mk I—the 'Jungle Carbine'. Main article:Later in the war, the need for a shorter, lighter rifle forced the development of the Rifle, No. 5 Mk I (the '). With a cut-down stock, a prominent, and a 'lightening-cut' receiver machined to remove all unnecessary metal, reduced barrel length of 18.8 in (478 mm) the No.

5 was shorter and 2 lb (0.9 kg) lighter. Despite a butt-pad, the.303 round produced excessive recoil due to the shorter barrel. It was unsuitable for general issue and production ceased in 1947, due to an 'inherent fault in the design', often claimed to be a ' and accuracy problems.The No.

5 line was similar to the No. 4 Mark I and featured a rear receiver aperture battle sight calibrated for 300 yd (274 m) with an additional ladder aperture sight that could be flipped up and was calibrated for 200–800 yd (183–732 m) in 100 yd (91 m) increments. 5 Mk I was popular with soldiers owing to its light weight, portability and shorter length than a standard Lee–Enfield rifle. 5 was first issued to the British 1st Airborne Division and used during their liberation of Denmark in 1945. BSA-Shirley, Birmingham produced 81,329 rifles and ROF Fazakerley, Liverpool 169,807 rifles. It was equipped with a No. I blade bayonet which had a large muzzle ring to fit over the flash hider.

I/L bayonet, which has a rotating handle and a large ring on the cross-guard was not for the No. I rifle as many collectors believe.An Australian experimental version of the No. 5 Mk I, designated Rifle, No. 6, Mk I was also developed, using an SMLE MK III.

as a starting point (as opposed to the No. 4 Mk I used to develop the No. The Australian military were not permitted to manufacture the No. 4 Mk I, because the Lithgow Small Arms Factory was producing the SMLE Mk III. 6 Mk I never entered full production and examples are rare and valuable to collectors. A 'Shortened and Lightened' version of the SMLE Mk III. rifle was also tested by the Australian military and a very small number were manufactured at SAF Lithgow during the course of the Second World War.The term 'Jungle Carbine' was popularised in the 1950s by the Santa Fe Arms Corporation, a U.S.

Importer who refurbished many surplus rifles, converting many of the No. 4 marks, in the hope of increasing sales of a rifle that had little U.S. Market penetration.

It was never an official military designation but British and Commonwealth troops serving in the Burmese and Pacific theatres during World War II had been known to unofficially refer to the No. 5 Mk I as a 'Jungle Carbine'. 5 rifles served in Korea (as did the No.1 Mk III. SMLE and sniper 'T' variants, mostly with Australian troops). Lee–Enfield conversions and training models Sniper rifles. L42A1 sniper rifle chambered in 7.62×51mm NATO.During both World Wars and the Korean War, a number of Lee–Enfield rifles were modified for use as. The Australian Army modified 1,612 Lithgow SMLE No.

III. rifles by adding a heavy target barrel, cheek-piece, and a World War I era Pattern 1918 telescope, creating the SMLE No. (HT standing for ' Heavy Barrel, Telescopic Sight), which saw service in the Second World War, Korea, and Malaya and was used for Sniper Training through to the late 1970s.During the Second World War, standard No. 4 rifles, selected for their accuracy during factory tests, were modified by the addition of a wooden cheek rising-piece, and telescopic sight mounts designed to accept a No. 32 3.5× telescopic sight. These rifles were designated as 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). The wooden cheek-piece was attached with two screws. The rear 'battle sight' was ground off to make room to attach the No. 32 telescope sight to the left side of the receiver. 32 and its bracket (mount) were matched and serial numbered to a specific rifle.In British service, the No. 32 telescope progressed through three marks with the Mk. I introduced in 1942, the Mk.

II in 1943 and finally the Mk. A transitional model the No. 2/1 was also made. The Canadian scopes made by Research Enterprises Limited and were prefixed with a letter C and went through C no. I A (a transitional model), Mk.

2s Modified to Mk. 3 standard) were later modified for use with the 7.62×51mm NATO Sniper Rifle. They were then known by the designation Telescope Straight, Sighting L1A1.Initial production was 1,403 conversions of 1931–1933 troop trials No. I rifles at RSAF Enfield and a few others including Stevens-Savage No.

These were converted in late 1941 and into the later part of 1942. Then, the work was assigned to, the famous British sporting gun manufacturers, which converted about 23,000 No. I (T) and No. I. (T) sniper rifles.

The Holland & Holland conversions usually have the contractor code 'S51' on the underside of the buttstock. BSA Shirley undertook 100 conversions to.22'. James Purdey and Sons fitted special buttstocks later in the war. About 3,000 rifles, mostly Stevens-Savage, appear to have been partially converted by Holland & Holland but never received brackets, scopes of the final 'T' mark.

Canada converted about 1,588 rifles at Small Arms Limited (to the end of 1945) and, in 1946, at Canadian Arsenals Limited. Both were located at Long Branch, Ontario. Most of the Canadian made No.4 Mk.I.

(T) sniper equipments went into British service. The No.4 (T) rifles were extensively employed in various conflicts until the late 1960s.The British military switched over to the round in the 1950s; starting in 1970, over 1,000 of the No. 4 Mk I (T) and No. I. (T) sniper rifles were converted to this new calibre and designated. The L42A1 sniper rifle continued as the British Army's standard sniper weapon being phased out by 1993, and replaced by.22 training rifles Numbers of Lee–Enfield rifles were converted to training rifles, in order to teach cadets and new recruits the various aspects of shooting, firearms safety, and marksmanship at a markedly reduced cost per round. Initially, rifles were converted from obsolete Magazine Lee–Metford and Magazine Lee–Enfield rifles but from the First World War onwards SMLE rifles were used instead.

These were known as.22 Pattern 1914 Short Rifles during The First World War and Rifle, No. IV from 1921 onwards. They were generally single-shot affairs, originally using Morris tubes chambered for cheap.22L cartridge and some larger types, circa 1907. Some were later modified with special adaptors to enable magazine loading. In 1914, Enfield produced complete.22 barrels and bolts specifically for converting.303 units, and these soon became the most common conversion.

A five-round.22 cal 'Parker-Hiscock' magazine was also developed and in service for a relatively short period during the later period of the First World War, but was subsequently withdrawn from issue due to reliability problems with its quite complicated loading and feeding mechanism. IV rifles are externally identical to a.303 calibre SMLE Mk III. rifle, the only difference being the.22 calibre barrel, empty magazine case, bolthead and extractor which have been modified to fire.22 calibre rimfire cartridges.After the Second World War, the Rifle, No. 7, and Rifle, No.

This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: – ( January 2017) The L59A1 was a conversion of the No4 Rifle (all Marks) to a that was incapable of being restored to a firing configuration. It was introduced in service in the 1970s. A conversion specification of No.1 rifles to L59A2 Drill Purpose was also prepared but was abandoned due to the greater difficulty of machining involved and the negligible numbers still in the hands of cadet units.The L59A1 arose from British government concerns over the vulnerability of Army Cadet Force and school ' (CCF) stocks of small arms to theft by terrorists, in particular the following raids on CCF armouries in the 1950s and 1960s. Charlton Automatic Rifle.Small numbers of Lee–Enfield rifles were built as, or converted to, experimental automatic loading systems, such as the British and South African and the best-known of which was the Charlton Automatic Rifle, designed by a New Zealander, Philip Charlton in 1941 to act as a substitute for the and light machine guns which were in chronically short supply at the time.

During the Second World War, the majority of New Zealand's land forces were deployed in North Africa. When Japan entered the war in 1941, New Zealand found itself lacking the light machine guns that would be required for local defence should Japan choose to invade, and so the New Zealand Government funded the development of self-loading conversions for the Lee–Enfield rifle. The end result was the Charlton Automatic Rifle (based on the obsolete MLE), which was issued to units in NZ from 1942. Over 1,500 conversions were made, including a handful by using Lithgow SMLE Mk III. rifles.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. Most of the Charlton Automatic Rifles were destroyed in a fire after the Second World War, but a few examples survive in museums and private collections.De Lisle Commando carbine.

The initial wooden- De Lisle with a.The units of the British military requested a suppressed rifle for killing sentries, guard dogs and other clandestine operational uses during the Second World War. The resulting weapon, designed by W.G.

De Lisle, was effectively an SMLE Mk III. receiver redesigned to take a cartridge and associated magazine, with a barrel from a and an integrated suppressor. It was produced in very limited numbers and an experimental folding stock version was made.Ekins Automatic Rifle The Ekins Automatic Rifle was one of the numerous attempts to convert a Lee–Enfield SMLE to an automatic rifle. Similar developments were the South African and of Australian/New Zealand origin.Howard Francis carbine Howard Francis Self-Loading CarbineTypePlace of originUnited KingdomProduction historyDesignerHoward FrancisSpecificationsMass3.7 (8.2 )Length812 (32.0 )length324 mm (12.8 in)Feed system12-roundSightsThe Howard Francis Self-Loading Carbine was a conversion of a No. 1 Mk III to the pistol. It fired in only and suffered some feeding and extraction problems and, despite meeting accuracy and soundness of design concept, never made it past the prototype stage.Howell Automatic Rifle. Main article:The Rieder Automatic Rifle was an automatic (full automatic only) Lee–Enfield SMLE rifle of South African origin.

The Rieder device could be installed straight away without the use of tools.Conversion to 7.62×51mm NATO During the 1960s, the and the converted a number of Lee–Enfield No. 4 rifles to as part of a programme to retain the Lee–Enfield as a reserve weapon. The Lee–Enfield No. 4 series rifles that were converted to 7.62×51mm NATO were re-designated as the L8 series of rifles with the rifles being refitted with 7.62×51mm NATO barrels, new bolt faces and extractor claws, new rear sights and new 10-round 7.62×51mm NATO magazines that were produced by RSAF Enfield to replace the old 10-round magazines. The appearance of the L8 series rifles were no different from the original No.

4 rifles, except for the new barrel (which still retained the original No.4 rifle bayonet lugs) and magazine. 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).of Dagenham, Essex produced a conversion kit comprising a new 7.62mm barrel, magazine, extractor and ejector for commercial sale. The main difference between the two conversions was in the cartridge ejection arrangement; the Enfield magazine carried a hardened steel projection that struck the rim of the extracted case to eject it, the Sterling system employed a spring-loaded plunger inserted into the receiver wall.The results of the trials that were conducted on the L8 series rifles were mixed and the British Government and the Ministry of Defence decided not to convert their existing stocks of Lee–Enfield No. 4 rifles to 7.62×51mm NATO.

Despite this, the British learned from the results of the L8 test program and used them in successfully converting their stocks of No. 4 (T) sniper rifles to 7.62×51mm NATO, which led to the creation of the L42A1 series sniper rifles.In the late 1960s, RSAF Enfield entered the commercial market by producing No.4-based 7.62×51mm rifles for sale. The products were marketed under alliterative names e.g.

Enfield Envoy, a rifle intended for civilian competition target shooting and Enfield Enforcer, a rifle fitted with a Pecar telescopic sight to suit the requirements of police firearms teams.Ishapore 2A/2A1. Ishapore 2A1.At some point just after the of 1962, the Rifle Factory Ishapore in India began producing a new type of rifle known as the Rifle 7.62 mm 2A, which was based on the SMLE Mk III. and was slightly redesigned to use the 7.62×51mm NATO round. 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, although a number of 2A1s have been noted with 10-round magazines.Ishapore 2A and Ishapore 2A1 receivers are made with improved (EN) steel (to handle the increased pressures of the 7.62×51mm round) and the extractor is redesigned to suit the rimless cartridge. From 1965 to 1975 (when production is believed to have been discontinued), the sight ranging graduations were changed from 2000 to 800, and the rifle re-designated Rifle 7.62 mm 2A1. The original 2,000 (1,800 ) rear sight arm was found to be suitable for the ballistics of the 7.62×51mm, which is around 10% more powerful and equates to a flatter trajectory than that of the.303 British MkVII ammunition, so it was a simple matter to think of the '2000' as representing metres rather than yards.

It was then decided that the limit of the effective range was a more realistic proposition at 800 m.The Ishapore 2A and 2A1 rifles are often incorrectly described as '.308 conversions'. The 2A/2A1 rifles are not conversions of.303 calibre SMLE Mk III. rifles. Rather, they are newly manufactured firearms and are not technically chambered for commercial.308 Winchester ammunition. The wristguard markings on a 1918-dated Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III. rifle manufactured by the London Small Arms Co. Under stands for and refers to the reigning monarch at the time the rifle was manufactured.

List of manufacturers The manufacturer's names found on the MLE, CLLE, and SMLE Mk I—Mk III. rifles and variants are:MarkingManufacturerCountryEnfieldEnfieldUnited KingdomSparkbrookRoyal Small Arms FactoryUnited KingdomBSA CoUnited KingdomLSA CoUnited KingdomLithgowAustraliaGRIRFIRifle Factory IshaporeIndia (Post-Independence)Note 1: '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.Note 2: GRI stands for 'Georgius Rex, Imperator' (Latin for 'King George, Emperor (of India)', denoting a rifle made during the. RFI stands for 'Rifle Factory, Ishapore', denoting a rifle made after the in 1947.For the No.

4 Mk I. and No. 4 Mk 2 rifles:MarkingManufacturerCountryROF (F)United KingdomROF (M)Royal Ordnance FactoryUnited KingdomBUnited KingdomM47 and later M47CBirmingham Small Arms Factory (Shirley)United KingdomSmall Arms Limited and later, Canadian Arsenals LimitedCanadaSquared S and US PROPERTYU.S.POFPakistanNote 1: Second World War UK production rifles had manufacturer codes for security reasons. For example, BSA Shirley is denoted by M47C, ROF(M) is often simply stamped 'M', and BSA is simply stamped 'B'.Note 2: Savage-made Lee–Enfield No.

4 Mk I and No. 4 Mk I. rifles are all stamped 'US PROPERTY'.

They were supplied to the UK under the programme during the Second World War. No Savage Lee–Enfields 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. Australian International Arms No. AIA M10-B2 Match RifleThe Brisbane-based Australian International Arms also manufactured a modern reproduction of the No.

4 Mk II rifle, which they marketed as the AIA No. The rifles were manufactured by parts outsourcing and were assembled and finished in Australia, chambered in and fed from modified magazines. 4 Mk IV was designed with the modern shooter in mind, and has the ability to mount a telescopic sight without drilling and tapping the receiver. AIA also offered the AIA M10-A1 rifle, a -styled version chambered in Russian, which uses magazines.

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 ). It is possible to obtain a 10-round (the maximum allowed by law) M14 magazines for the M10-B2 match rifles in particular, provided an import permit from the appropriate Licensing Services Division can be obtained in some States, yet Australian Federal Customs may still refuse importation on no valid grounds.

Khyber Pass Copies A number of British Service Rifles, predominantly the and, but also the various Lee–Enfield rifles, have been produced by small manufacturers in the region of the Pakistani/Afghan border.' ', as they are known, tend to be copied exactly from a 'master' rifle, which may itself be a Khyber Pass Copy, markings and all, which is why it's not uncommon to see Khyber Pass rifles with the 'N' in 'Enfield' reversed, amongst other things.The quality on such rifles varies from 'as good as a factory-produced example' to 'dangerously unsafe', tending towards the latter end of the scale. Khyber Pass Copy rifles cannot generally stand up to the pressures generated by modern commercial ammunition, and are generally considered unsafe to fire under any circumstances.Khyber Pass Copies can be recognised by a number of factors, notably:. Spelling errors in the markings; as noted the most common of which is a reversed 'N' in 'Enfield').

V.R. (Victoria Regina) cyphers dated after 1901; Queen Victoria died in 1901, so any rifles made after 1901 should be stamped 'E.R' ( Edwardius Rex— or ) or 'G.R' ( Georgius Rex— or ). Generally inferior workmanship, including weak/soft metal, poorly finished wood, and badly struck markings.Armalon British company Armalon Ltd developed a number of rifles based on the Lee Enfield No 4.

The PC Gallery Rifle is a carbine in pistol and revolver calibres, the AL42 a 5.56 mm rifle and the AL30C, a carbine in.The Lee–Enfield in military/police use today. Photographed in, June 2011The Lee–Enfield family of rifles is the second oldest bolt-action rifle design still in official service, after the. Lee–Enfield rifles are used by reserve forces and police forces in many Commonwealth countries, including. In Canada the.303' and.22' models are being phased out 2016.

Indian police officers carrying SMLE Mk III. and were a familiar sight throughout railway stations in India after and the. They are also still seen in the hands of Pakistani and second-line and police units. However, the Lee–Enfield was mainly replaced in main-line service in the Pakistani Police in the mid-1980s by the, in response to increasing proliferation of the Kalashnikov in the black market and civilian use.

In, the Lee–Enfield was in use with the Police and Gendarmerie until 1971, and with the Armed Forces until 1965. In and Egypt, the Lee–Enfield was replaced by the Kalashnikov as the standard issue rifle in the Armed Forces by the late 1950s, and in Police Forces by the late 1970s.In the UK, the single-shot.22 calibre Rifle No.

8 is in regular use with UK Cadet Forces as a light target rifle. Enfields continue to be used as drill weapons by the National Ceremonial Guard of the (SANDF).Many Afghan participants in the were armed with Lee–Enfields. The CIA's provided hundreds of thousands of Enfields to the, funneling them through Pakistan's. CIA officer later arranged for the to set up production lines of Enfield.303 ammunition specifically for the conflict. Later on when Avrakotos asked to revamp their strategy, he stopped the Enfield system and, with the large amounts of money available thanks to, replaced them with a mix of modern weapons like and mortars. An SMLE owned by Maoist rebels in Nepal, 2005.patterned after the Lee–Enfield are still manufactured in the region, as bolt-action rifles remain effective weapons in desert and mountain environments where long-range accuracy is more important than rate of fire.

Lee–Enfield rifles are still popular in the region, despite the presence and ready availability of more modern weapons such as the, the, the, and the. As of 2012, Lee–Enfield rifles (along with Mosin–Nagants) are still being used by the Taliban insurgents against NATO/Allied forces in Afghanistan.During the recent, the government troops were issued Lee–Enfield rifles to fight the rebels, and the Maoists were also armed with SMLE rifles, amongst other weapons. Nepalese Police may also be usually seen equipped with SMLE rifles. Lee–Enfield rifles have also been seen in the hands of both the and the Indian police in the ongoing.Police forces in both the and continue to operate and maintain stocks of No.4 rifles. The also retain a substantial number of No.4 rifles donated from New Zealand's reserve stocks.Lee Enfield rifles are used by the Jamaica Constabulary force for training recruits during field-craft exercises and drills.The Lee–Enfield in civilian use Lee–Enfields are very popular as hunting rifles and target shooting rifles. Many surplus Lee–Enfield rifles were sold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States after the Second World War, and a fair number have been ', having had the front furniture reduced or removed and a scope fitted so that they resemble a bolt-action sporting rifle. Top-notch accuracy is difficult to achieve with the Lee–Enfield design, as it was intended to be a battle rifle rather than a sharpshooter's weapon, and thus the Enfield is nowadays overshadowed by derivatives of 's design as a target shooting arm.

They did, however, continue to be used at up into the 1970s with some success, and continue to perform extremely well at Military Service Rifle Competitions throughout the world.Many people still hunt with as-issued Lee–Enfield rifles, with commercial.303 British ammunition proving especially effective on medium-sized game. Soft-point.303 ammunition is widely available for hunting purposes, though the often proves adequate because its tail-heavy design makes the bullet violently and deform after hitting the target.The Lee–Enfield 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. Since formation in 1998, organisations such as the Lee Enfield Rifle Association have assisted in not just preserving rifles in shooting condition (many Lee–Enfields are being deactivated and sold as 'wall-hangers' to collectors who do not hold a Firearms Licence in countries where they are required), but holding events and competitions. Lee–Enfields are also popular with competitors in service rifle competitions in many Commonwealth countries.The Lee–Enfield 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. (For more information see and.)Rhineland Arms produces conversion kits for the Lee–Enfield action using magazines.The was a higher quality British made version of the Lee–Enfield.Rifle Factory Ishapore of India still manufactures an sporting/hunting rifle chambered in.315 with a Lee–Enfield action. Variants. Magazine Lee–Enfield (MLE),.303, introduced 1895.

Lee–Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I (LEC),.303, introduced 1896. Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk I.,.303, introduced 1899. Lee–Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I.,.303, introduced 1899. New Zealand Carbine,.303. Royal Irish Constabulary Carbine,.303. Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk I (SMLE),.303, introduced 1904. Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk II,.303, introduced 1906.

Charger Loading Lee–Enfield (CLLE),.303, introduced 1906. No. 1 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III,.303, introduced 1907. No. 1 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III.,.303, introduced 1915. No.

1 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk III. (HT),.303, 'Heavy Barrel, Telescopic Sight' Australian sniper rifle. No. 1 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk V,.303, introduced 1922. No. 1 Short Magazine Lee–Enfield Mk VI,.303, introduced 1930.

No. 2,.22, converted from.303 SMLE Mk III and Mk III.

No. 2 Mk IV,.22. No. 2 Mk IV.,.22. No. 4 Mk I,.303, introduced 1931. No.

4 Mk I (T),.303, sniper rifle converted from No. 4 Mk I, introduced 1941.

No. 4 Mk I.,.303, introduced 1941. No. 4 Mk I.

(T),.303, Sniper rifle converted from No. 4 Mk I., introduced 1941. No.

4 Mk 2,.303, introduced 1949. No.

4 Mk I/2,.303, converted from No. 4 Mk I to No. 4 Mk 2 standard. No.

4 Mk I/3,.303, converted from No. 4 Mk I. to No. 4 Mk 2 standard. No.

5 Mk I, Jungle Carbine,.303, introduced 1944. No. 6 Mk I,.303, Australian experimental version of the No. 8 Mk I,.22.

Enfield Serial Number Database

No. 9,.22. L8A1, 7.62mm, converted from No. 4 Mk 2. L8A2, 7.62mm, converted from No. 4 Mk I/3.

L8A3, 7.62mm, converted from No. 4 Mk I/3. L8A4, 7.62mm, converted from No. 4 Mk I. L8A5, 7.62mm, converted from No. 4 Mk I. L39A1, 7.62mm.

L42A1, 7.62mm. L59A1, Drill Rifle, converted from No.

4. BA 93, a rifle grenade launcher made from surplus Lee–Enfield parts, which consist of stocks and receiver with a rifle grenade launcher in the chamber and a sheet metal buttstock while attaching a G3-type pistol grip.Users.: No.1 MkIII/MkIII. manufactured at Lithgow Arsenal in Lithgow, New South Wales.: used post-war by the.: extensively used during. Used by, and personnel in modern times.: post-WW2 British and Canadian donations were used by until 1952.: used by the.: used by the and during the early days, replaced by.: The No.4 rifle was manufactured starting in 1941 by Small Arms Limited and later by Canadian Arsenals Limited, in Long Branch, Ontario, Canada. The Canadian Militia received the MK. I Long Lee Enfield rifle in 1896.

They used this rifle in the Boer War 1899 to 1902. They used the MK.III & MK.III. in WWI as well as the No.4 Lee Enfield in WWII, the Korean War and into the late 1950s in general is due. The No.4 rifle is still used for drill and was used for range shooting by the, and the. Most units are stripped of the mechanism that fires the round but at many Cadet Training Centres the rifles are in full working order, the rifle is used at the Vernon Summer Training Center for Feu du joix. The No.4 was being phased out by the as a service rifle starting in 2016.: used by the.: used during.

Some also received British Lee–Enfield No. 4 Mk Is.: used as Rifle M/45E by the Danish brigade in occupied Germany from 1945, eventually replaced by the US M1 rifle as Rifle M/50 in 1950.: acquired after World War I.: some stored in depots after the.:. and used it during WW2. Some captured from the Resistance were used by the pro-Nazi French militia (see picture). Some were used in.: some captured No. III.

Lee–Enfields were used by the in 1944 and 1945 The German designation was Gewehr 281 (e).: replaced in the 1960s by L1A1s.: Used by Hellenic armed forces during World War II and post-World War II period. Greece used the Lee–Enfield and British small arms until they were replaced by the and American small arms.: Once used.: In service with throughout First and Second World Wars.: In service during the. Now made under licence by as the Ishapore 2A1 rifle.: Used by republicans in; some were taken from the Dutch.: post-World War II Italian Army and Navy. Still used in small numbers in 2004 by.: No1 MkIII/III. used as the service rifle by the during the Civil War and later by, replaced by No4 Lee–Enfields in 1950's until replaced by the in 1961. Also captured from British forces etc. And used by during.: used during the first few years of independence.: still used by the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Correctional Services and Jamaica Combined Cadet Force.: Captured from British Army during World War II.: used Mk III and No.

4 variants.: bought for police force but also used by army.: used by the. also used by the.: used by the and also by the for ceremonial purposes.: Non-governmental armed groups.: Both the Lee–Enfield No. 1 Mark III and No.

4 Mark I would be adopted in 1941 and serve until 1952, until replaced by the M1 Garand.: Used by the Nigeria Regiment and then by.: Used by militias and Army.: Received from Allied airdrops to the resistance during WW2 and given by Britain to the Norwegian Brigade during the occupation of Germany in 1947. Returned to Britain in 1952 in exchange for P-17 rifles.

Lee Enfield Serial Numbers

A total of 24992.303 rifles were in Norwegian inventory at the time. Replaced by M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbines.: Captured rifles, used as reserve weapons.: used by the.: used by the, during the First World War The SMLE Mk III was still in service as m/917 during the 1940s.: reserve units until the late 1960s. Still used by for ceremonial purposes.: used by the.: Phased out in the late 1960s with the arrival of the.: (the contract was concluded on 10 December 1920 when the king received shipment of 10,000 rifles.).: Trinidad & Tobago Cadet Force.: converted Ottoman-captured rifles to.: Used by units of the attached to British and Australian units during the First World War. No.4 MkI/MkI.

rifles manufactured by Savage-Stevens Firearms under for the British and Commonwealth forces during WWII. Some US Army units attached to British Commonwealth during WWII were issued Lee–Enfield rifles on logistics grounds.: captured Lee–Enfields from French forces.See also.Notes.