ShtLE No1

[gsimmons]

My 1907 Mk I*** wire wrapped serial no. G538 has the inletted type swivel. But the rest is MkI.

[butlersrangers]

My ShtLE MkI*** was built by Sparkbrook in 1904. All numbers are matching, but, it has a later type of rear handguard and rear sight protector. I have had the rifle for 44 years. The bore is excellent. The stock and front handguard wood nicely match. It has some arsenal wood repairs. The magazine appears original to the rifle. Serial# is CR814. The rear sight was replaced and its number cancelled. Barrel is marked 'HV' behind rear sight. The rifle still has the 'volley sights'. A good honest well used rifle.

[butlersrangers]

My Aunt's Father, Jimmy Miller (from Wick, Scotland), served in the British Army during the Boer War and again was drafted during the 1st W.W. I was allowed to copy this picture of Jimmy Miller, over 40 years ago. It was said to have been taken in South Africa. It must date from around 1903-04. Jimmy is holding a SMLE Mark I. The rear sight guard and the 'charger guide' on the bolt head are visible.

[gsimmons]

Great picture! Looks like a recess under the cutoff? If so it could be a converted Lee Metford. Is that an SMLE ConD I or is it still an SMLE ConD II? Or it could just be a shadow and I'm seeing things. The M1903 bandolier is a touch!

[butlersrangers]

gsimmons: Regretably, the original of this picture of Jimmy Miller, Scottish Soldier, may have been lost with my Aunt's death four years ago. I have tried a detail shot of my copy. It appears this picture may date after 1906 changes were made to the MarkI Short L.E. (there appears to be a cut-off, there is a front stacking-swivel, the raised rear sight has a windgage, there appears to be a sling swivel lug in front of the magazine). I don't think its a converted stock and it lacks finger groves.

[JerryB08]

Not to get off subject. Nice rifle by the way. I didn't know the Irish had a navy back in the day.

[GUTS]

At the risk is sounding like an idiot, how in the heck did the volly sights work, and is mine missing any of the volly sight parts?

[Maxwell Smart]

To use the volley sights goes sort of like this:

Set the front "dial" part by moving the pointer around until it points at the desired range marked on the plate.
Then flip up the aperture sight arm which is next to the safety catch lever.
Look through the hole in the aperture, and raise the rifle muzzle until you can draw a bead on the lug on the dial pointer. The muzzle will be well up in the air.
Your rifle should then be set for INDIRECT lobbing fire at a target at that range. You don't actually sight at the target object itself with the volley sights.

Your rifle seems to have all the relevant parts still fitted.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Note that volley sights were not used by individuals, but rather by platoons or companies to blanket an area either where enemy troops were assembling or advancing. The Vickers made the volley sight irrelevant as it was far better at doing that.

[Beerhunter]

Based on what I have been paying I'd say you made a bit of an understatement there.

I'm English. That's what we do.

BTW, ref a previous post. The volley sights are not necessarily for "Indirect Fire". Volley sights can and were used for "Direct Fire".

John's description of the use of volley sights is a good one.