Lee-Enfield Rifle 1942 No.4 MK1 "SMLE"

[luvmy40]

I just picked this up on a trade.





I traded a Steyr M9A1 for the rifle, magazine, sling, bayonet, half a dozen stripper clips and 90 rounds of new .303 British ammo.

I'm just now starting to pick up a little info about these rifles and I know the pistol was worth more but this rifle was talking to me. I've never handled one before and I was looking for an irons only rifle for local CMP shoots...

The PO had applied a liberal coating of cold bluing (the pics are after a little cleaning) and it will take some time and effort to get it cleaned up but it is in pretty good shape and the rifling is still decent.

Anyone have a favorite recipe for .303 British?

[rojocorsa]

Very nice!

Guessing this is an English made one, seeing that it's not a Mk*?





If you're interested in nomenclature, 'SMLE' technically refers to the No.1 Mk. III Enfield rifle, not the No.4 rifles.

[Mark/MO]

A nice clean looking rifle. Enjoy it. I have a No.4 Mk. 1* made by Savage that I got for Christmas when I was 16. It was my first "big" rifle and I shot the heck out of it.

[luvmy40]

I actually have no idea if this is an English made rifle or not. From the little bit of reading I've done it would appear to me to be the MK1 and not the MK1* as it does have the bolt head catch.

I thought that "SMLE" referred to any of the small magazine Lee-Enfields.

[LHS]

I thought that "SMLE" referred to any of the small magazine Lee-Enfields.

Technically, it was "Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield", to differentiate it from the earlier full-length Lee Enfield and Lee Metford rifles. "Short" describes the overall length of the weapon, rather than the size of the magazine.

[xrayoneone]

English Manufacture

ROF (F) Royal Ordnance Factory Fazakerley
ROF (M) Royal Ordnance Factory Maltby
B Birmingham Small Arms Co. Ltd
M47C Birmingham Small Arms Factory

Canadian Manufacture
Longbranch

United States Manufacture
Savage marked U.S. Property and any Savage made parts will have a single "S" stamped on them.

Pakistan Manufacture
POF

This info is either stamped on the left side of the receiver or on the rear receiver ring.

[luvmy40]

Well, after a good cleaning some numbers and roll marks are now visible.

Most of the parts that are marked are marked"B" This includes the barrel, receiver, rear sight assy., bottom metal/trigger guard safety/bolt lock and front stock band. The middle stock band is marked "SNA" but the A has no cross bar.

The serial nos. for the receiver and barrel do not match.

I am glad that I took the time to tear this down and clean the gunk off as it was covering a good bit of rust. I could not get the bolt completely dis-assembled but it appears to be in fairly good shape. I did order the break down and cleaning manual from Amazon. Hopefully it will guide me through dis-assembling the bolt.

Now a good rubbing of linseed oil on the wood and the blasphemy is complete!

[rojocorsa]

IIRC, you need an armorer's tool to take the bolt down completely.


To the list that was posted, shouldn't "Ishapore" (India) also be included?

[xrayoneone]

IIRC, you need an armorer's tool to take the bolt down completely.


To the list that was posted, shouldn't "Ishapore" (India) also be included?

No, Ishapore only ever made the SMLE No 1 Mk III type rifles and from what I have read the same goes for Lithgow (Australia)

A "B" on your No 4 indicates Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) manufacture.

[luvmy40]

IIRC, you need an armorer's tool to take the bolt down completely...

You are correct sir!

I found a couple different tools(one vintage one new mfg) on ebay and may pick one up. They are a bit pricy for what they are and I really don't see the need to take the bolt down unless the FP or spring is broken. I'll burn that bridge at a later date.

It also looks like the forward top wood is from Savage.

Any idea if that SNA marking is Savage also?