Lee Enfield Story (Wallaceburg Museum)

[the old gringo]

do i have this correct the US Navy adopted the 6mm version of this rifle and because of barrel wear or damage from ammo it was scrapped ? what years was this in? thanks for info

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[Patrick Chadwick]

do i have this correct the US Navy adopted the 6mm version of this rifle and because of barrel wear or damage from ammo it was scrapped ?

The 6mm Navy Lee was not the same as the British Lee Enfield. Both rifles had an action designed by Lee, but otherwise there is no connection. The actions were also different, the 6mm Navy Lee using a straight-pull action. Google it, and search these forums!

And then you will realise that this text, compressing 30 years of John Paris Lee's creative life into one sentence is grossly misleading:

"In 1878 James Paris Lee invented a rifle box magazine with the capability of firing a deadly 30 rounds per minute. Ten thousand of the rifles were sold to the U.S Navy, and it became standard issue in the British Army for the next sixty years."

I think the technical term is "hogwash". 1878 was blackpowder time. No single barrel action of that era could fire 30 rounds a minute. And a magazine can't fire anything at all! There were several patents for box magazines from 1875 to 1893. The very first Navy contract was for a rifle in 45-70, which was eventually manufactured by Remington. The 6mm Navy Lee was made on the basis of patents ca. 1893. etc etc etc...

If that is supposed to be a museum imparting technical knowledge, one can only despair.