New from Oregon
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URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12136
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 2:51pm
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Topic: New from Oregon
Posted By: sadleupngo
Subject: New from Oregon
Date Posted: July 11 2022 at 11:54am
| Checking in from NW Oregon. We found a 1917 Enfield under the sofa of my Uncles cabin. My Aunt gave it to me as I remember it from my childhood. So now I’m wanting to learn more about it. |
Replies:
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: July 11 2022 at 8:45pm
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OK ................ lets see here there are a number of guesses that could be made starting with is it the 'american enfield model 1917' the rear sight will be on the receiver of these , or is it an enfield made in 1917 the rear sight will be mounted on the rear of the barrel on these , there were a number of producers in 1917 of enfield rifles , should be marked on the right wrist or in a couple instances behind the bolt race , good photos will get you good info ,
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Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: July 12 2022 at 5:52am
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Welcome from North Carolina. ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: sadleupngo
Date Posted: July 12 2022 at 6:00pm
Here are a few pics. I seem to be struggling getting these loaded. I will attempt to load more with full rifle.     |
Posted By: sadleupngo
Date Posted: July 12 2022 at 6:09pm
Further pics   |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: July 12 2022 at 8:49pm
| post in the enfield site please we need a revitalization of the once very active forum, |
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 4:00am
| Welcome from Brandon, Manitoba, Canada! |
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 6:20am
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It is not a US Model of 1917 Enfield; that is a different rifle. This is a Lee Enfield Mk III* made in 1917. The later designation for the same rifle is a No. 1 Mk III*. Is there a serial number on the bolt handle? I'm not as familiar with the No. 1 rifles, but this one seems to be intact and decent shape. Might be a bit of surface rust that could be attended to.
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Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 11:15am
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Agreed, also known variously as "SMLE", or "ShtLE". All just different naming conventions, the same rifle though. This is why the naming conventions are so important, even though it sounds petty. The "Rifle No3 Mk1" Is the "American Enfield, aka the P-14/M1917, but the rifle No 1 MkIII is the Lee Enfield SMLE. Confusing, huh?
 ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 11:28am
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This is similar to the confusion with the No. 4 vs Mk 4 rifle. There is such a thing as a "Mk IV", but not at all the same rifle as the No. 4. There is no such rifle as the "Mk 4". No mater how many times you correct someone who calls it a "Mk 4", they just can't seem to use the right nomenclature. Back to the OP, this is indeed a Short Magazine Lee Enfield, often abbreviated to SMLE. The right side wrist identifies it as a SHTLE.
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Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 11:32am
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Welcome to the forum. You rifle appears to be one of the "Peddled Scheme" rifles from WWI. These were assembled at either Standard Small Arms or the National Rifle Factory. Other makers have their name on the wrist (Enfield, BSA,LSA etc). As the "Peddled Scheme" rifles are assembled from parts made by various manufacturers; the rifles do not have the manufacturer stamped on the wrist. There will be either SSA or NRF stamped on left rear of the receiver, adjacent to the bolt orifice.
------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 12:08pm
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To add a bit more background that may be of interest to the OP, the SMLE was identified as such to distinguish it from its predecessors: the Magazine Lee Enfield (MLE) with a 30 inch barrel and the shorter Lee Enfield Calvary Carbine with a 21 inch barrel. The idea of the SMLE was to produce one rifle of intermediate barrel length (25 inches) that would serve both infantry and cavalry. It was in 1926 the nomenclature changed that introduced the Numbered rifles into British service. The SMLE MK III became the No. 1 Mk III Rifle. .22 Cal conversions of the SMLE MK III became the No. 2 Rifle. The Pattern 1914 Enfield became the No. 3 Rifle. It was the Pattern 14 that became the basis for the US Model of 1917 in Cal. .30-06 used extensively by US troops in WW I; which we initially thought your rifle was. Confusing huh??? |
Posted By: The Apprentice
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 7:52pm
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Welcome Dean 👏 it’s awesome to have another Oregon member 🤛 I think there is 3 of us listed from the bever state 😀 just like you when I started with a Enfield rifle I knew so very little till I got on this forum and got a great education 😉 many of these members are extremely knowledgeable and very helpful, Your Aunt sure treated you well and it looks like your uncle had great taste in a cabin rifles Welcome to the forum and I look forward to seeing some target shots. ------------- New to Enfield’s |
Posted By: sadleupngo
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 8:57pm
Thank you all for the welcome and the information. I’ve read it all three times over and my head is swimming. I did check the bolt and sure enough there was a stamp. I’ve included picture.
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Posted By: sadleupngo
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 9:06pm
Underside of bolt stamp. Previous pic of stock number 4580 which matches other numbers.
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Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: July 13 2022 at 9:29pm
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It's ok, We were all there once.  ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: July 14 2022 at 12:18am
 
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sadleupngo wrote:Posted By: sadleupngo
Date Posted: July 14 2022 at 5:38pm
| Thank you all for info. From the replies I have since found more markings thanks to you. As per “A square 10” I will repost this in the “Enfield” forum with more pics included. There is a lot to learn and understand here. |