My other SMLE

[iringtwice]

This was my first SMLE I bought a few years back for $125. It's a '54 No.4
Mk2 all matching #'s ,even the bayonet. Looking to buy the right sling someday.

Information

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[madcratebuilder]

The post war rifles sure are nice looking.

[gunner]

Nice looking rifle! I bought my rifle sling from an commerzial dealer at ebay. An original one for only $12.

Regards

Gunner

[Brit plumber]

I like the beech wood (I think its beech) almost as much as walnut. Another wood I like is the Aussie Lithgow/slaz wood, it can have a nice red tinge to it. By the way, you can't really call it a SMLE as thats what the earlier rifles were called. These are just known as a Lee Enfield No4 rifle.

[iringtwice]

That's one more thing I love about this forum! So when did they drop the SMLE from the description?

[jmoore]

More or less w/ the adoption of number designations post WWI, but the No1s seemed to retain the SMLE moniker. Mid twenties , I think, during the SMLE MkV builds or just after.

[Jollygreenslugg]

G'day Iringtwice,

Sorry about diverting your thread at the other page. You do have an excellent example of late No4.

The SMLE designation was dropped in 1926. According to Skennerton (p1910;

"The nomenclature of British service small arms and some other equipment was changed and updated on 31st May 1926 so as to simpify the ever-increasing number or marks and such variation in war material."

The then-existing types of rifles had their designation changed. Briefly, the SMLE MkIII became the No1 MkIII and so on.

There were a number of rifles which were no longer in inventory so they never received the No1 designation. The SMLE MkI was such a rifle which is why it isn't correct to refer to a 1902-1907 SMLE MkI as a 'No1 MkI'.

The No1 MkVI, which was part of the development process which would later result in the No4 was first produced in 1929, after the change of designation. For this reason, the SMLE designation was no longer in use and the No4 was never officially designated an SMLE, even if it is sometimes referred to it in popular non-military use.

Just to throw a spanner into the works, the markings on the SMLE/No1 rifles didn't always reflect the change of 1926. Aussie-built rifles *started* to be stamped with SMLE on the wrist in 1926, and were made this way until the final production run dated 1953. British production SMLE/No1s continued to be stamped with the earlier SHTLE designation on the wrist/buttsocket until the end of BSA production during WW2. Indian rifles started being stamped with No1 MkIII* sometime during WW2 (IIRC), a decade and a half after the 1926 change.

Anyway, we don't call a No4 an SMLE, even if it is technically a short rifle with a magazine and of a Lee-Enfield design.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Matt

[iringtwice]

No problems! The basis of knowledge is the admission of ignorance, and boy am I ignorant about LE's! But that is starting change as I read more and more on this forum from great folks who are wiling to share their time and knowledge with others. The one thing about LE's is the wide variations in them from Model to model and even country to country. So thanks for your input and help, cheers!

[Jollygreenslugg]

Pleasure. We're all on a learning curve, just at different points. I know that I've barely scratched the surface of Lee-Enfield knowledge, I just hope to be able to feed the addiction!

Cheers,
Matt

[RJW NZ]

I like that they are really smle's even if we don't call them that any more, although would a enfield no5 mk1 jungle carbine be called a 'short short magazine lee enfield' - ssmle', or perhaps 'really short magazine lee enfield' - rsmle?', although I'm sure someone would call it the royal short lee enfield before long.
lol, too much time on my hands...