Is the No4 series of rifles still considered SMLE's in British Army jargon, as the No1MkIII's are?
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Is the No4 series of rifles still considered SMLE's in British Army jargon, as the No1MkIII's are?
No. It is a different series.
Have to disagree, if it's still in the family from SMLE No,1 on to 8 or whatever in the same basic body shape, than it's still a smellie.
Just got off the phone yakking to my 92 year old uncle, we were talking while I was answering this post. He considers my reply to be a bit rude, therefore I must apologise, If it's English it's a pommie smellie, if it's Yank, then it's a damn smellie, and if it's Canuk, SAF, Indian or Aussie than it's just got to be a BLOODY GOOD SMELLIE.
My apologies, I'm in the kitchen cooking, so I'm just stirring the pot,,,,,,SORRY
I am afraid that history disagrees with you. The Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield was renamed between the wars as the Rifle, No.1. The No4 is not a Rifle No.1 (its a No.4) and so it is clearly not an SMLE.Quote:
Originally Posted by muffett.2008
If you were in the Canadian forces back in the 1960s and you referred to a Number 4 Rifle as anything except a Number 4 Rifle, you were in for a couple of hours of extra close-order drill....... or running aound the parade-square with a packful of sand and your rifle at High Port..... or some other exercise designed to make you mind your words a little closer.
Besides, there WAS a Mark IV SMLE once upon a time. One came walking in here a couple of weeks ago, a conversion from a Long Lee, 1894 date and 1908 Conversion markings, 1943 barrel and all. The owner has a very acute sense of smell, so he detected the cyanide in the coffee and took the precious thing home.
The 1941, and 1944 Dispersals are still SMLE's, technically speaking?
That's one way I guess, I'll have to try that one.Quote:
Originally Posted by smellie
Don't forget, there were predecessors to the SMLE.
ie ... MLM, CLLM, MLE, CLLE. Same family, different names. I know some of these were converted to SMLE MkII and MkIV rifles and I know that the prototype No4 was called a No1 MkVI. But it was never SMLE MkVI. I have never seen a SMLE converted to No4 spec., because it is so different.
I s'pose someone is now going to show me one.
Yes and no. Numerical designations were adopted in 1926(?) and at that point current service rifles were no longer "short this" and "pattern that" but rifles No.1, 2 and 3.Quote:
Originally Posted by Garandrew
muffett.2008
If you were to refer to the Number 4 Lee Enfield as a SMLE, the immediate wrath of the Regimental Sergeant-Major would decend upon your unworthy head, and you would then learn the history and the difference of these two rifles. An instructional period would be punctuated by being addressed as "You horrible little man, you," and various exercises would be assigned as an incentive to properly learn about these Small Arms systems. Worst of all, was that the RSM now knew YOUR name, and when he had various unpleasant chores that needed performing, guess who was the chosen one. But, after a month or so, during which you alternated between contemplating suicide and transferring to the Artillery so you could drop a 25 pounder into the RSM's privy, (with him in it,), someone else usually found themselves the object of the RSM's attentions, and you were off the hook.
What SMELLIE is referring to is the SMLE Mark IV Converted. This was an upgrade program by Enfield approved in June, 1907 to Convert and Upgrade Mark 2 and Mark 2* Lee Metfords and Mark 1 and Mark 1* Lee Enfield Rifles to the SMLE Mark III standards. They were not converted to Number 4 specifications.
These were known as SMLE Mark 4 Cond. rifles, and are a very scarce collectors rifle. The odds are if you looked at 700 SMLE rifles, you MIGHT find ONE was a SMLE Mark IV Converted. And when you add that mine is Royal Navy marked, it is even more of a gem.
I could show you one of these, but every time I bring it out I am stalked by SMELLIE. It is really distrubing the little old ladies in the Village here. As far as the Arsenic in the Coffee, George, have you checked your Parrot lately. I dumped my coffee in his water dish!
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