In the Beginning
Around 1860 the
breach loading rifle was being adapted by the European powers. The
British, being thrifty, adapted the muzzle loading the .577 Snider into
a breach loader as a stop gap measure. Development and testing led to
the .450 Martini-Henry rifle in 1871. Technical advances in rifle
design lead to a little arms race and development and trials went on
and on, until all the major powers had some sort of magazine fed
rifles, Lee Enfields, Mausers, Mosin Nagants, Springfields, to name a
few all came out of this arms race. Small Colonial Wars of the time
saw these rifles employed against each other and against older rifles.
Such as the Americans with their Krags against the Spanish with
Mausers, the Americans suddenly found themselves outclassed. The Boer
War pitted the Enfield up against the Mauser, and lead to some further
developments of the Enfield Rifles. But these events would take a
series of books to describe in any detail�. So back to the Enfield
rifle development.
In 1888 the
first British bolt-action magazine rifle was the Magazine Rifle Mark
I. This rifle was the Lee-Metford, or Magazine Lee-Metford (MLM) it
was chambered to the new .30 caliber round (.303 British), and had a
30.2� barrel. Minor changes led to the adoption of the MLM MkI* in
1892, many of the MkI rifles were converted. More minor changes led to
the MLM MkII in 1893, and the MLM MkII* in 1895. The first Carbine was
approved in 1894, it had most of the same mechanical features of the
MkII* but with a 20.75� barrel. Finally the last of the Metford line
was the CLLM MkII, many of the earlier Metfords were converted by
adding a charger bridge and removing the dustcovers and safety
catches. But this occurred around 1906 and these rifles were not
considered first line weapons but issued to Reservist, Colonial Forces,
and the Navy.
1895, the
introduction of smokeless ammunition saw more changes to the Enfield
rifles. The first Lee-Enfield the Lee-Enfield Magazine Rifle Mark I,
or Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) was adopted. This change in naming
reflects the rifling used in the barrel the old Metford 7 groove
somewhat rounded pattern was found to wear out quicker with the new
ammo, and the deeper more square shouldered Enfield rifling was
adopted. Again changes, in this case the removal of the cleaning rod,
and led to the MLE MkI* in 1899. At this time a few carbine versions
were developed, it seems that the 49.5� long rifle was too long. The
Calvary got the Calvary Carbine MkI (LEC MkI) in 1896, and MkI* 1899
(without the cleaning rod). Carbines with Bayonet lugs were also
produced, used by Artillery and other specialist troops. There were
also versions for the New Zealand contract, with a heavier barrel, and
the Royal Irish Constabulary, which used the lighter profile Calvary
Carbine barrel.
Charger loading,
and cutoff plates. Originally the cutoff plate was installed at the
insistence of the General Staff that the average British Tommy would
waste ammo given a magazine. How this worked was soldiers were to load
rounds singly and save the rounds in the magazine, until ordered, for
rapid fire, (to repel Calvary charges) . Now at cross purposes to the
general staff, ammo was being loaded on charger clips that were used to
rapidly reload the magazine. Now as a soldier I can guess that the
cutoff was not a popular feature. So not using the cutoff and
reloading using chargers would be the preferred method, and what they
don't know won't hurt them. The first charger loading Enfield
conversion was the 1905 India Pattern, which used a different bolt
head. Using a larger bolt head, a slot was cut to accept the charger.
This was a fairly short lived modification, as receiver mounted charger
bridges were quickly adopted and retrofitted on the older rifles giving
us the Charger Loading Lee-Enfield (CLLE) MkI and MkI*. Carbines were
never fitted for charger loading. All this went on as the New ShtLE
was being trialed, modified and adapted. Colonial forces in India were
also issued locally converted Rifles. These Rifles differed from the
CLLE MkI, MkI* and were given an extra designation of I.P. denoting
India Pattern. There are also ShtLE MkI's that were converted to the
MkIII standard that are marked I.P. And this brings us to the next step
in the evolution of the Lee-Enfield Rifle.
The Short Magazine Lee-Enfield, ShtLE, SMLE, No1
Trials began in
1901 to develop single rifle to replace both the Magazine Lee-Enfield
Rifle (MLE) and the Lee-Enfield Carbine (LEC). The Short Magazine
Lee-Enfield Rifle, or ShtLE, was developed, the short refers to the
rifle, not the magazine. These rifles featured a 25.2� barrel, bayonet
that attached to the nose cap, rear ramp site that was windage
adjustable, volley sights and safety on the left side of the receiver,
and the Magazine cutoff. These rifles were designated ShtLE MkI MkI*
MkI** I.P. and MkI***, Older MLE were converted and were marked ShtLE
COND I, II, and II*. The common feature of these rifles was that like
the 1905 India Pattern the charger was integral to the bolt head.
In 1907 another major
step was made with the introduction of the MkIII. Changes in design
made it easier to manufacture, and the familiar charger bridge was
added. Older ShtLE�s were converted to the MkIII standard and were
marked MkI*** and COND II**, II***, and IV. All really rather
confusing. Production of the Mk III began in 1907 at Enfield, BSA Co.,
and LSA Co. in 1909 at the Ishapore Rifle Factory in India and in 1913
at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory in Australia.
In 1910 the MkVII ammo
was introduced. The 215grn round nose projectile of the previous Mk's
was replaced with a lighter 174grn pointed projectile. This new round
was significantly faster, about 400 - 500 feet per second faster then
the older rounds. This meant a flatter trajectory and the rearsite
ramps had to be adjusted for this ammo. Rifles were recalled and
modified and stamped HV just behind the rearsite to denote that they
were calibrated for the new High Velocity MkVII ammo.
Also in 1910, further
developments lead to a bit of an offshoot to the Enfield family, the
development of a new rifle similar to the German Mauser or American
Springfield, with a one piece stock, front locking bolt, and a rimless
cartridge was began. This resulted in the 1913 trial rifle, the
Pattern 13 (Patt�13, P13 later the No3) chambered in .276. The P13
development is halted when WWI breaks out, the War Office wisely
decides that switching to a new rifle with new ammo at the start of a
war is not a good ideal.
Now its 1914
and we find WWI in progress, the P13 rifle development is abandoned and
current stocks of ShtLE MkIII�s are in use. The Germans are finding
out that the Enfield rifles can lay down an impressive weight of fire
and mistakenly attribute this to light machineguns. However by 1915
there is a shortage of rifles (this may have been partially caused by
Canadian soldiers abandoning their issued Ross Rifles, and reissuing
themselves borrowed British rifles) so the British do 2 things. First
they simplify the manufacture of the MkIII leading to the MkIII*.
Production commenced in 1915 at BSA, with official approval of the
MkIII* in 1916 RSAF Enfield and Ishpore begin making the MkIII* and LSA
and Lithgow follow in 1918. Changes to the rifle included the windage
adjustable rear site and volley sites being omitted, and the magazine
cut off was finally discontinued. This was to be a temporary measure.
They also set up the peddle scheme rifles at a new factory, SSA
(Standard Small Arms Factory, 1916) which was mismanaged and closed in
1918, later that year it was reorganized and reopened as NRF (National
Rifle Factory No1, 1918). This factory began producing parts for
rifles, and these parts along with parts form other contractors were
assembled into rifles by the BSA and Enfield factories to produce
rifles. Total production of SSA and NRF marked rifles remained very
low, markings are found on the left rear of the receiver. Secondly they
purchase rifles from other countries for the Navy and second line
units. These include Japanese types 30 and 38, Canadian Ross MkIII
(perhaps these were left for the borrowed rifles), and American
Winchesters, and Bannerman Springfield conversions. They also bring
out the P13 plans and the Patt�14 or P14 chambered for .303 is produced
in the USA.
The P14 story is
another story all together, Few MkI's were produced in 1914 and there
were some problems with interchangeably of parts between the
factories. By 1916 the MkI* without volley sites was being produced
and production continues till 1917. In 1917 the blueprints are once
again dusted off as the Americans enter into the War and find
themselves short of Model 1903 Springfields. In 1917 the P14 is
redesigned to chamber the 30-06 round and produced as the US Model 1917
.30 caliber, or M1917, M17. The P14 and M17 rifles were after WW1
placed in warstocks and used again in WW2 by second line troops, the
RAF, and Home Guard units. After WW2 they were considered obsolete and
sold off, many were modified and used as sporting rifles.
Another side note on
the Ross Rifle. The Ross rifle was designed by Sir Charles Ross, and
built in Canada by the Ross Rifle factory. The Ross was designed with
a straight pull bolt and was built to higher tolerances then the
Enfield. This resulted in a more accurate rifle but when it came to
use in the trenches and rapid fire the Ross tended to heat up and jam.
Rapid fire could also cause the bolt to heat up till it was to hot to
touch, and the bolts on occasion would blow back out of the receiver
into the rifleman's face causing injury or death. This blow back was
caused by a series of flaws, improper assembly, and repeated stresses
put on the rifle. It is noted that soldiers would use their boot heals
or entrenching tools to open stuck bolts in battle. One solution was
to ream out the chambers to the larger Enfield standard, and to pin the
bolts so that they could not be disassembled. In June of 1916 the
Canadians finally (officially) traded in their Ross rifles for
Enfields. It should also be noted that 1 in 4 Canadians was already
carrying a borrowed Enfield rifle, and that grenades, mortars and
machine guns were the Canadians weapons of choice for trench fighting,
not rifles.
Ok back on topic.
Jump
ahead a few years, WWI is over and there are lots of spare rifles
around, and not a lot of serious development. Production at some
factories returns to a modified MkIII standard, the cutoff plate is
once again installed on rifles. Other improvements were made to the
MkIII, MkIII* in 1922, resulting in the MkV rifle, only 20000 of these
rifles were ever made. Volley sights were omitted, rear site was a
folding aperture site fitted on the receiver behind the charger bridge,
and the magazine cut off was reinstated. Further development in 1924
saw a variety of trial rifles and the final product of these limited
trials was a troop trial of the MkVI in 1930-33.
Nomenclature of
British service rifles also gets revamped in 1926. The ShtLE
MkIII/MkIII* become the No1 MkIII/MkIII*. The .22 caliber trainer
rifles ShtLE MkIV and other .22 caliber converted Enfields (which I
have not addressed) became the No2 MkIV, MkIV*. The Patt�14 or P14
became the No3. and out of the MkVI trials came the No4 rifle. Some
of the trial rifles are marked as MkVI while others are marked as No4
Mk1, later these rifles were upgraded to the No4 Mk1 standard, but
because they had non standard parts were all marked with the letter A
as a suffix to the serial numbers. It is interesting to note that the
MkVI rifles had magazine cutoffs, and the No4 rifles do not but still
retain the magazine cutoff boss on the right side of the receiver.
The cutoff boss is only eliminated later on the No5 rifle. Also of
interest is that the thread pattern on the screws were standardized and
the screws from the No1 SMLE series rifles do not fit the No4 or No5
rifles.
Other Projects in the
mid to late 30�s were self loading versions of the Lee Enfield rifles
and shortened and lightened versions, but as before these projects were
interrupted by war and would have to wait.
While the No 4 rifle
was adopted in 1939 the production of No1 MkIII and MkIII* continued
until well after WWII, Lithgow in Australia ceased production in 1963,
and it is reported that the Ishapore factory in India continued
production until 1987. Changes in metallurgy and manufacturing
continued in both countries and resulted in other variations of the
MkIII. Lithgow produced a series of heavy barreled rifles as well as
some trial shortened and lightened rifles. Ishapore produced a .410
shotgun based on the MkIII action, the 2A and 2A1 versions in
7.62x51mm, as well as some trial shortened and lightened rifles.
Enfield No4
The No4 MkI rifle was
adopted Nov 1939 but production of the No4 rifle only starts in earnest
in 1941. 2 new factories were set up to produce these rifles, ROF
Fazakerley and ROF Maltby. BSA Co. set up the Shirley plant, and
additional plants, Longbranch in Canada and Savage in the US were set
up to produce rifles. Output of all the plants in 1941 was low perhaps
only 25000 rifles. But by the end of WWII over 4 million No4 rifles
were produced.
Even though new
production methods were used and many of the parts simplified the
demand for rifles was higher them production. Various shortcuts were
developed and implemented, the original button style cocking piece was
replaced with a slab sided cocking piece with vertical grooves. The
No4 Mk1* modification saw the simplification of the bolt head release,
a slot near the front of the receiver allowed the bolt head to be
rotated and removed rather than the plunger and spring behind the
charger bridge. A 2 position L shaped rear flip site rather than the
milled micrometer adjustable rear site. Many of the other parts were
made from stamped metal than machined parts, front site protector,
barrel bands, and trigger guard. Some of the other variations were
cocking pieces without the half cock notch (deemed unsafe and replaced
on most rifles) and cocking pieces without grasping grooves. Barrels
started out with 5 grooves left hand twist (Longbranch 5 RH, Savage 6
or 4 LH) and the simplified 2 groove barrel found mostly on Longbranch,
Savage and Maltby Mk1*�s. A British manufactured 3 groove barrel that
the knox is not forged as part of the barrel but is a heat shrink
fitted sleeve on a barrel tube, may be found, however these were also
determined to be unsafe and recalled. So we have 2,3,4,5 and 6 grooved
barrels some left hand, and some right hand twist. As the war went on
and things started looking brighter for the allies some of the
expedient parts replaced with better parts as rifles went through field
repairs (FR) or factory thorough repair (FTR).
After WWII further
design changes led to the No4 MkII, the trigger mounting was changed
to allow the trigger to be hung from the action body rather than from
the trigger guard. In addition, light-colored beech wood was officially
approved for rifle furniture. It should be noted that the Longbranch
and Savage factories made extensive use of Beech and Birch wood
throughout the war. It is reported that all but the first few sample
rifles produced by Savage were Birch. The British factories also used
Beech wood on war time production. The No4 Mk II (or Mk2) was adopted
in 1949, with production at ROF-Fazakerley in July, 1949 until 1955.
Fazakerley was the only plant to manufacture the No4 Mk2. At the same
time that the No4 Mk2 rifle was approved conversion of MkI and MkI*
rifles to the Mk2 standard was undertaken. The converted No4 MkI rifle
was redesignated the No4 MkI/2 Rifle, while the converted No4 MkI*
rifle was redesignated the No4 MkI/3 Rifle, these conversions were also
done at ROF-Fazakerley
Shortened and Lightened trials and the No5
Trials were started in
the late 30�s to produce a shortened and lightened version of the MkIII
rifle, these trials were abandoned when WWII became inevitable.
British trials began again in 1943 on a shortened and lightened No4
rifle, leading to the adoption in 1944 of the No5 MkI Rifle, commonly
referred to as the Jungle Carbine. Produced by ROF-Fazakerley and by
BSA-Shirley from 1944 until 1947. The No5 barrel is 18.7� long, 20.5�
with the flash eliminator, and it has 4 lightening cuts in the barrel
knox. The flash eliminator (more likely a flash directing cone) front
site, and bayonet lug are one piece, and pinned to the barrel. The
receiver was lightened by lowering the sides behind the charger bridge
and removal of the boss on the right side, the last holdover from the
cutoff plate. The bolt was lightened by drilling a hole in the bolt
handle, this modification is seen on many No4 rifles as well. The
trigger guard is also narrower and material is removed just behind the
front tang, these are also encountered on later No4 rifles. The No5
had a rubber shoulder pad to help reduce the recoil from the lighter
rifle.
Limited trials were
also conducted in Canada 1943 on lightweight rifles. These rifles were
designed with 22� barrels and a one piece stock. There also appears to
have been some produced as trial rifles that replicated the British No5
specifications. Few of these trial rifles were ever constructed.
Australian trials used the
MkIII* as the basis of a lightened rifle. In 1944 two trial rifles
were produced one with an 18.2� barrel and one with a 20.2� barrel.
These trial rifles were designated the No6 MkI, MkI/I. The MkI had a
ramp type rear site mounted on the barrel while the MkI/I had an ladder
type flip up aperture rear site mounted on the rear of the receiver.
Several hundred were manufactured for these trials.
Snipers, WW1 and WW2
Marksman were employed
by armies as far back as there has been armies, only the tools they
used changed. The Germans were the first to equip their
marksmen/snipers with a telescopic sight. The British followed suit
with scopes made by several different companies were mounted either
offset or directly above the rifles bore. Some of these were mounted
on MkIII and MkIII* rifles but it was found that the tighter tolerances
of the Ross and P14 rifles made for better sniper weapons. Many of the
P14's were modified for sniping with the addition of vernier fine
adjustable rear site, P14MkI*W(F). Or in 1918 with P14�s and 1918
telescopic sight combination P14MkI*(T) and P14MkI*(T)A using the Aldis
telescopic scope. It should also be noted that the Winchester P14 was
used for these conversions as they demonstrated and inherent accuracy
over the Remmington RE and ERA production rifles. The Ross on the
other had a poor reputation in the trenches, but Canadian Snipers liked
the rifle and used it till it was replaced by the Enfield, even then
some snipers continued to use the Ross for sniping. The Australians
started producing heavy barreled SMLE�s in the mid 1930�s, as marksman
or target rifles. These rifles were recalled in 1944 and were fitted
with an Australian made telescopic sights on medium or short bracket
mounts.
With the No4 rifle there was a
higher level of standardization with regards to sniping accessories.
The No32 telescope, originally developed for the Bren machine gun, was
mounted on No4 rifles as early as 1940. It was only officially
approved in 1942. Many or these No4 MkI(T) rifles were converted by
Holland and Holland, however prior to 1942 the conversions were done
mostly on earlier trials rifles at the Enfield plant. A No4 T rifle
was selected for its accuracy from a test firing at the plant, it was
then fitted with a high comb cheek rest, screwed on, and scope mount
pads that were screwed and soldiered on the receiver. The rifle came
in a carrying chest with a leather sling, a No. 32 scope, a scope
carrying case. Rifles and scopes were serial numbered together the
British rifles had the scope serial number stamped into the top of the
butt near the socket while Canadian conversions had the rifle serial
number engraved onto the scope. Rifles from all manufacturers were set
up as sniper rifles. In Canada the Long Branch factory produced No4
Mk I*(T) sniping rifles with C No. 32 scopes on R.E.L. (Research
Enterprises Ltd.) mounts and C No. 67 scopes using Griffin & Howe
mounts. Also civilian manufacture Lyman Alaskan scopes using R.E.L.
mounts.
I hope this information is helpful
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