lee enfield serial number
4 Mk I* and No. [31], The SMLE Mk III* (renamed Rifle No.1 Mk III* in 1926) saw extensive service throughout the Second World War as well, especially in the North African, Italian, Pacific and Burmese theatres in the hands of British and Commonwealth forces. 4s. The initial BSA batch of L1A1 rifles for the quarter ending December 31 in 1957 was UB57 A1 - A870. 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. Right Handed or Ambidextrous. Stratton (see list of references at the end of this post) stated that everywhere but at Enfield a given range of numbers was limited to five digits (Enfield limited its range to only four digits), so that when 99,999 was reached, the next series would begin with the letter "A" through . Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. Later on when Avrakotos asked Michael Vickers to revamp their strategy, he stopped the Enfield system and, with the large amounts of money available thanks to Charlie Wilson, replaced them with a mix of modern weapons like AK-47s and mortars. VIEWS British "Enfield" rifles are some of the most iconic small arms in the world. The action features helical locking surfaces (the technical term is interrupted threading). It is one of 2500 out of 25,000 made by BSA. p. 372. Visits: 75. An SMLE owned by Maoist rebels in Nepal, 2005. Serial number on barrel is 5349 then on bolt entrance that number. [98], A number of British Service Rifles, predominantly the MartiniHenry and MartiniEnfield, but also the various LeeEnfield rifles, have been produced by small manufacturers in the Khyber Pass region of the Pakistani/Afghan border. 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. 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and in service for a relatively short period during the later period of the First World War, but was subsequently withdrawn from issue due to reliability problems with its quite complicated loading and feeding mechanism. Recently acquired a Lee Enfield Mark4 1/2.303 ser # 52Y20xxx in good condition, & a early Lee Enfield SMLE.303, ser# 21xxx, Does Anyone Know the. 5 Mk I (the 'Jungle Carbine'). 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 200800 yd (183732 m) in 100 yd (91 m) increments. the bolt was replaced. The Australian Army modified 1,612[51] Lithgow SMLE No. The serial number and the year of manufacture were marked on the receiver ring of the weapon. 32 3.5 telescopic sight. 1 Mk. Back to Blog Lee Enfield Serial Number Database Joseph Strickland 1944present (produced 19441947) BSA-Shirley produced 81,329 rifles and ROF Fazakerley 169,807 rifles. It was published in 2007, available now from Aust., N.Z., US and UK distributors. Along with this will be the model designation, and below this, the serial number. Serial number- 95L5837. The LeeEnfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed, repeating rifle that served as the main firearm used by the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century. Both Savage and Long Branch started off by making No4 Mk1 rifles (with bolt catch) before moving production to the slightly simplified 1* version. The wood shows scuffs and bruises from handling - may clean up even nicer, metal is 90+ condition original finish. Nepalese Police constables may also be usually seen equipped with SMLE rifles. I A (a transitional model), Mk. 5. 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. I assume it's a Canadian longbrance, but I am a bit confused as a web post puts this serial number around 1950? 3. Sliding ramp rear sights, fixed-post front sights, 'dial' long-range volley; telescopic sights on sniper models. De Lisle, was effectively an SMLE Mk III* receiver redesigned to take a .45 ACP cartridge and associated magazine, with a barrel from a Thompson submachine gun and an integrated suppressor. All 7 of my Lee Enfields (2 SMLE No. Observed examples are dated 1931 and 1933. This sight line like other aperture sight lines proved to be faster and more accurate than the typical mid-barrel rear sight elements sight lines offered by Mauser, previous LeeEnfields or the Buffington battle sight of the 1903 Springfield. If no one knows, then is there a place where I could go to figure out the manufacture date? [42], Later in the war, the need for a shorter, lighter rifle forced the development of the Rifle, No. [103], Many Afghan participants in the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan were armed with LeeEnfields. The demand of new ENFIELD SMLE MARK 3 rifle's has risen 2 units over the past 12 months. 4 Mk 2 with the ladder aperture sight flipped up and 5-round charger. L59A1 Drill Rifles were rendered incapable of being fired, and of being restored to a fireable form, by extensive modifications that included the welding of the barrel to the receiver, modifications to the receiver that removed the supporting structures for the bolt's locking lugs and blocking the installation of an unaltered bolt, the removal of the striker's tip, the blocking of the striker's hole in the bolt head and the removal of most of the bolt body's locking lugs. The products were marketed under alliterative names e.g. Markings on Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk 1* Bryan Brown Dec 2, 1996, 12:00:00 AM to Among the markings on the No. The 12 month average price is $625.64 used. 4 Mk. L42A1 sniper rifle chambered in 7.6251mm NATO. 9, all .22 rimfire trainers and/or target rifles based on the Lee action, were adopted or in use with Cadet units and target shooters throughout the Commonwealth, the No.8 as of 2017 has been replaced among cadet forces due to obsolescence. [14] LeeEnfield rifles are used by reserve forces and police forces in many Commonwealth countries, including Malawi. It featured a ten-round box magazine which was loaded with the .303 Britishcartridge manually from the top, either one round at a time or by means of five-round chargers. Anschutz target rifles fall into this category, and their system is given on the page for these rifles. [35], In 1926, the British Army changed their nomenclature; the SMLE became known as the Rifle No. 5) have serial numbers stamped on the rear face of the bolt handle with no indication of any numbers having been stamped or struck out on the bottom of their bolt handles. I (T) and No. MAGAZINE LEE RIFLES & CARBINES Lee-Metford Lee-Enfield Note: Charger loaders and conversions are family. Yours falls into the category of having a low serial number and one of 917,000 produced. A very collectable rifle indeed, but by no means rare. No4 serial numbers too. A transitional model the No. 4 Mk. 4 Mk I, because the Lithgow Small Arms Factory was producing the SMLE Mk III. James Purdey and Sons fitted special buttstocks later in the war. It is essentially an updated N0. Your rifle had the left sidewall ground down, quite roughly in spots. 4 Mk I, chambered in the same .303 . 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 LeeEnfield No. [23], 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. 32 and its bracket (mount) were matched and serial numbered to a specific rifle.[54]. [61] They were generally single-shot affairs, originally using Morris tubes chambered for cheap .22L cartridge and some larger types, circa 1907. I/L bayonet, which has a rotating handle and a large ring on the cross-guard was not for the No. (HT standing for 'Heavy Barrel, Telescopic Sight),[14] which saw service in the Second World War, Korea, and Malaya and was used for Sniper Training through to the late 1970s. II and Mk. The LeeEnfield family of rifles is the second oldest bolt-action rifle design still in official service, after the MosinNagant. Over 1,500 conversions were made, including a handful by Electrolux using Lithgow SMLE Mk III* rifles.[79]. 4 rifles, except for the new barrel (which still retained the original No.4 rifle bayonet lugs) and magazine. Maybe something similar is going on with the No.4? During the 1960s, the British Government and the Ministry of Defence converted a number of LeeEnfield No. An alternative developed during this period was to be used on the No. There were three main batches of conversions. All those marks, taken together, tell a story of who made the rifle, who repaired it, who owned it, who used it and where it went. Italy: post-World War II Italian Army and Navy. I do remember reading something by Peter Laidler, so forgive me if I dont recall it correctly. Replaced by M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbines. The gun itself is in very good condition. 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 "year" is stamped in a non-matching font and the metal work looks to have been refinished. Ottoman Empire: Captured rifles, used as reserve weapons. [77] Similar developments were the South African Rieder and Charlton of Australian/New Zealand origin. 1s, 4 No. [70] Commercial gunsmiths in Australia and Britain converted both MkIII and No4 rifles to .410 shotguns. 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. [25][27][28][29] 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. 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. Thanks for all you answers. Again, thanks for the help! 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. [75][76] During the Second World War, the majority of New Zealand's land forces were deployed in North Africa. Where are the serial numbers on a Lee Enfield? I* (T) sniper rifles were converted to this new calibre and designated L42A1. Rack number?, club inventory number? 95L9081 1950, CMk3 sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock, Magazine serialed to rifle. SMLE serial numbers. [96] AIA also offered the AIA M10-A1 rifle, a Jungle Carbine-styled version chambered in 7.6239mm Russian, which uses AK-47 magazines. 4 Mk I Long Branch aperture sights, LeeEnfield No. 32 telescope sight to the left side of the receiver. All SNs appear to be matching but the original serial was crossed out and reserialized most likely when it reentered service during WWII. 5 iron sight line was similar to the No. The British military switched over to the 7.6251mm NATO round in the 1950s; starting in 1970, over 1,000 of the No. III, largely due to its heavier barrel. 5 rifles served in Korea (as did the No.1 Mk III* SMLE and sniper 'T' variants, mostly with Australian troops). Note the block-style S of the J. Stevens Company. 32 Mk. (E.A.L. First debuted in November 1895 as the .303 calibre, Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield, the rifle has still found use today in military, sporting and ceremonial roles - over one hundred years since its inception in its original form. 1* is functionally the same as the Mk.1, but various changes were made in the design to make the manufacturing process faster. 83L3414 1945, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Grooved, un-serialed stock, Lower 1945 serial number than currently listed in your survey. The wooden cheek-piece was attached with two screws. Ishapore 2A and Ishapore 2A1 receivers are made with improved (EN) steel (to handle the increased pressures of the 7.6251mm round)[89] and the extractor is redesigned to suit the rimless cartridge. But here is the thing, that number on that No 4 is stamped in an area where some manufacturers stamped the year it was made. 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. It was a simplified version of the Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield rifle that served the Empire so well in the first unpleasantness. [14] LeeEnfield rifles are still popular in the region, despite the presence and ready availability of more modern weapons such as the SKS-45, the AKM, the Chinese Type 56 assault rifle, and the AK-74. 4 Mk. For the No. What does Smle stand for? The No.4 (T) rifles were extensively employed in various conflicts until the late 1960s. United States: Used by units of the American Expeditionary Force attached to British and Australian units during the First World War. With an S prefix, this was about the 196,800th rifle produced by RSAF Enfield in 1916. Greece: Used by Hellenic armed forces during World War II and post-World War II period. I am afraid I must disagree with Shane's opinion on Lee Enfield rate of fire. 4 rifles to 7.6251mm NATO as part of a programme to retain the LeeEnfield as a reserve weapon. 4 Mk I/3. These were converted in late 1941 and into the later part of 1942. can anyone help with solving the question of dates and serial numbers not adding up? I rifles were made for Trials. The carbine subsequently was down graded to. [107] LeeEnfield rifles have also been seen in the hands of both the Naxalites and the Indian police in the ongoing Maoist insurgency in rural India. Volley Sights Arabic butt disc marked ( Ottoman Empire captured) This has come out of the 'Hans Gnter Collection' 890.00. 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 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. 4 action was similar to the Mk VI, but stronger and most importantly, easier to mass-produce. Bermuda: used by the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps. Could it be some other sequential number? 3s and Mk. BOLT HEAD 4 Mk II rifle, which they marketed as the AIA No. For example, BSA Shirley is denoted by M47C, ROF(M) is often simply stamped 'M', and BSA is simply stamped 'B'. [28] It was produced in very limited numbers and an experimental folding stock version was made. such a low number. 1 Enfield rifle was adopted by the United Kingdom in 1941. The magazine cutoff was also reintroduced and an additional band was added near the muzzle for additional strength during bayonet use. A super nice example exhibiting many L over B marked parts and early features - low side fore wood and rounded cocking piece. [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). III (Mk. Bangladesh: extensively used during 1971 war. Aug 18, 2010 seial # My very first rifle was a #4 Enfield 83CXXXX. Forum for discussion by serious collectors of Lee Enfield arms, accessories, ammunition, and accoutrements Smoothbored shotguns could be legally held with far less trouble. The Lee-Enfield No. De ransel op de rug deel 2. Identifying Serial Numbers Hi guys, A friend just inherited his father's Lee Enfield and doesn't know anything about it. Some rifles (such as LongBranch) had very finely marked serial numbers done with an engraving pen on the receiver wall. 2 3 rd Edition, Lee-Enfield No.4 and No. The No. Such rifles would have 5-digit serial numbers with either an "E" or an "F" serial number prefix, and the serial number would be stamped on the rear of the bolt handle and on the bottom of the fore-end, as well as on the receiver ring. 4 Mk. 5 Mk. Short Magazine Lee Enfield Two crossed swords pointing down with the letters M and O on either side. Despite this, the British learned from the results of the L8 test program and used them in successfully converting their stocks of No. Serial numbers are found on the inside right, front of the body while.303 conversion numbers used the left side. [39] The No. 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.? [33], Due to the poor performance of the .303 British cartridge during the Second Boer War from 18991902, the British attempted to replace the round and the LeeEnfield rifle that fired it. Best to get an appraisal though, and like all things, firearms values fluctuate, more so here in Canada lately. 4 Mark I rifle was adopted on Nov. 15, 1939. This updated and expanded edition also has a ready model identification chapter and colour plates. Often he would be given a batch of rifles to refurb. The MosinNagant the initial BSA batch of L1A1 rifles for the quarter ending December 31 in 1957 was UB57 -. A reserve weapon month average price is $ 625.64 used reserialized most likely when it service! Ottoman Empire: Captured rifles, except for the new barrel ( which still the. Crossed out and reserialized most likely when it reentered service during WWII UK distributors 15,.. Head 4 Mk I Long Branch aperture sights, 'dial ' long-range volley telescopic. 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