[40] Unlike the SMLE, that had a nose cap, the No 4 LeeEnfield barrel protruded from the end of the forestock. 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. 32 Mk. 4 Mk I (T) and No. Lee Enfield No.4 Mk. These design features facilitate rapid cycling and fire compared to other bolt-action designs like the Mauser. Armi Sport offers both a defarbed and (believe it or not) what they call a "farbed" version. [35], In 1926, the British Army changed their nomenclature; the SMLE became known as the Rifle No. I have a No4 MkI cruciform bayonet made by Singer Sewing Machine. 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. [104] The CIA's Operation Cyclone provided hundreds of thousands of Enfields to the Mujahideen, funneling them through Pakistan's ISI. [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). 9 blade bayonets were issued for use with the No. [14][106] As of 2012, LeeEnfield rifles (along with MosinNagants) are still being used by the Taliban insurgents against NATO/Allied forces in Afghanistan.[91]. Very interesting site about Lee Enfield Rifle Markings. They did, however, continue to be used at Bisley up into the 1970s with some success, and continue to perform extremely well at Military Service Rifle Competitions throughout the world. [42] It was produced only in North America, by Small Arms Limited at Long Branch in Canada and Stevens-Savage Firearms in the USA. 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). Unmodified muskets require handloading of ammunition, as the .410 Indian Musket cartridge was not commercially distributed and does not appear to have been manufactured since the 1950s. A_square, I thought that at first as well, but that last number looks open at the top to me. [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. 4 (T) sniper rifles to 7.6251mm NATO, which led to the creation of the L42A1 series sniper rifles.[86]. Despite a rubber butt-pad, the .303 round produced excessive recoil due to the shorter barrel. However, the LeeEnfield was mainly replaced in main-line service in the Pakistani Police in the mid-1980s by the AK 47, in response to increasing proliferation of the Kalashnikov in the black market and civilian use. Police forces in both the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu continue to operate and maintain stocks of No.4 rifles. 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. Often the serial number would be obscured by the Suncorite when refinished, so it was practice to restamp the serial onto the left wrist socket. RSAF Enfield used 4 digits (other manufacturers used 5 digits) and a letter suffix, repeating every year. The next year, a shorter version was introduced as the LeeEnfield 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. [14], Many people still hunt with as-issued LeeEnfield rifles, with commercial .303 British ammunition proving especially effective on medium-sized game. A redesign of the LeeMetford (adopted by the British Army in 1888), the LeeEnfield superseded the earlier MartiniHenry, MartiniEnfield, and LeeMetford rifles. That is a red flag to me. I rifles were made for Trials. . The WWII British No.4 MK I* evolved from a long line of Lee-Enfield rifles that were first adopted by the British Army in . That needs inspecting for proper fit at the recoil lugs. 1 Mk. (serial) number on. They were supplied to the UK under the Lend-Lease programme during the Second World War. )[36], The SMLE design was a relatively expensive long arm to manufacture, because of the many forging and machining operations required. 4 Mk. 2 Mk. 4 MK. Lee-Enfield - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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. 4 Mk I, because the Lithgow Small Arms Factory was producing the SMLE Mk III. It was unsuitable for general issue and production ceased in 1947, due to an 'inherent fault in the design', often claimed to be a 'wandering zero' and accuracy problems.[47]. These conversions were prompted by firearms legislation that made possession of a rifle chambered in a military cartridge both difficult and expensive. the bolt was replaced. 32 3.5 telescopic sight. 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. Your rifle had the left sidewall ground down, quite roughly in spots. 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. 1 Enfield rifle was adopted by the United Kingdom in 1941. 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. These conversions were for issue to police and prison guards, to provide a firearm with a much-reduced power and range in comparison to the .303 cartridge. Note 2: Savage-made LeeEnfield No. Thanks for the tips! This means Royal Ordance Factory Fazakerly, Factory Through Repair, 1949. [41], During the course of the Second World War, the No. 4 rifles to 7.6251mm NATO. 4 Mk. [46] The No. No. Again Big B, you have a very collectable and sought after rifle and in pristine condition would fetch a handsome sum of money. All we can go by is the serial number. These were similar to the No. The Serial Number is located on the right side of the receiver ring. 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. Nepalese Police constables may also be usually seen equipped with SMLE rifles. 4 Mk IV, The LeeEnfield in military/police use today, THE .256 INCH BRITISH: A LOST OPPORTUNITY by Anthony G WilliamsArchived 6 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine, Special Service Lee Enfields: Commando and Auto Models by Ian Skennerton. 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 LeeEnfield rifle. Ottoman Empire: Captured rifles, used as reserve weapons. [48] The No. [90] The original 2,000 yards (1,800 m) rear sight arm was found to be suitable for the ballistics of the 7.6251mm, 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. "55" is for 1955. This is one reason the bolt closure feels smooth. What does Smle stand for? 5 Mk I (the 'Jungle Carbine'). 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. He sent me the serial number but I can't make heads or tails of it. Markings on Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk 1* Bryan Brown Dec 2, 1996, 12:00:00 AM to Among the markings on the No. Vietnam: Vit Minh captured LeeEnfields from French forces. [16] To further facilitate rapid aimed fire the rifle can be cycled by most riflemen without loss of sight picture. Israel: used during the first few years of independence. The No. In good looking condition, this was the last year they were ever made. [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). For the quarter ending April 30th 1960, numbers were UB60 A63625 . I introduced in 1942, the Mk. 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. is there a site or data base of Enfield serial numbers where a person could track their rifle back to place of manufacture, deployment etc.? 5 groove Rifling in excellent condition. The left side of the receiver is marked "No.4 Mk2 / UF 55 A17380". ISBN0-949749-37-0. 5 Mk I was popular with soldiers owing to its light weight, portability and shorter length than a standard LeeEnfield rifle. It is highly collectable but not rare. The 2A/2A1 rifles are not conversions of .303 calibre SMLE Mk III* rifles. A transitional model the No. It was published in 2007, available now from Aust., N.Z., US and UK distributors. Please record original details from right side of butt socket (left side for carbines) below the royal cypher (crown, V.R. [102] Enfields continue to be used as drill weapons by the National Ceremonial Guard of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Truth be known about Enfield serial numbers is simply, the serial number was used more for production counting than any other reason. for the rest of the story you need to post some really good photos , there is a question or two that jump to mind but ill leave those to the more knowledgeable among us . It has markings of a crown and GR Numrich Gun Parts Corporation 226 Williams Ln. A super nice example exhibiting many L over B marked parts and early features - low side fore wood and rounded cocking piece. 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