Help to identify long held family rifle.
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Category: Enfields
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Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 6:30pm
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Topic: Help to identify long held family rifle.
Posted By: Cudas8me
Subject: Help to identify long held family rifle.
Date Posted: July 25 2023 at 9:03pm
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he!!o. I just received an old family rifle that I am trying to identify. The markings are as follows: S/N 1065 It is currently in its original, unrestored condition etc, with what appears to be a rather long factory barrel. Any help as to its date of manufacture, and it’s exact model etc etc would be highly appreciated. Google seems to have many conflicting “facts”.
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Replies:
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: July 26 2023 at 8:39pm
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this would be an MLE - magazine lee enfield mkI , also called the "long lee" and predecessor the the SMLE mkI , mkIII rifles , if , as you say unmolested original condition , a very desirable element of any respectable ENFIELD COLLECTION , congrats , would love to see some photos , there are anly a few of us here that collect/collected these colder rifles , one is terry lee - he has an extensive collection and if around can offer more info , my example was also an 1896
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Posted By: terrylee
Date Posted: July 26 2023 at 11:30pm
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This is how a LE Mk I should look. However, this example still has its clearing rod which is unusual.  |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: July 27 2023 at 7:41pm
| thanks terry , i knew you had a better photo than mine , BTW mine did not have its clearing rod as he points out |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: July 28 2023 at 5:57am
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Cudas8me, welcome to the site from Agassiz, BC. ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: July 28 2023 at 8:50am
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Welcome from North Carolina in the States. ------------- 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: Sapper740
Date Posted: July 29 2023 at 3:53am
| Welcome aboard from a former Vancouverite now living in the Great Independent Republic of Texas. Your Magazine, Lee Enfield MkI was made during the reign of Queen Victoria, hence the VR. MLE MkI's were converted to MkI* status by, among other things, removing the hole in the nose cap to store the clearing rod. Your nose cap, depending upon when it was manufactured could have the Rigby patent stamp on it from his design which allowed removal of the nose cap without removing the blade of the fore sight. As A Square 10 pointed out, any respectable Lee Enfield collector should have at least one "Long Lee" in their collection. I regularly shoot both my M.L.E. and my CLLE (Charger Loading Lee Enfield) which differs from the MLE in having the ability to use stripper clips (chargers) to reload the rifle quickly. The Brits soon realized during the Boer War that not being able to charger load their rifles was a huge disadvantage. If you choose to shoot your rifle, remember that it is most likely chambered for the Cartridge, Cordite MkII .303 British round that used the long 215 gr. bullet and shooting modern or even surplus MkVII ammunition may give you less than satisfactory accuracy. Enjoy your rifle and it's place in the history and development of the Lee Enfield family of rifles! |
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: July 29 2023 at 4:53am
| Welcome from Brandon, Manitoba, Canada! |