What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

[TomcatPC]

Hello

I'd love to have any Lee-Enfield(or Lee-Metford) Rifle that Served with the Somerset Light Infantry Regiment. That could be a Boer-War era "Long Lee", a S.M.L.E. Mk.III* from the Great War, or a No.4 Mk.I that was at Hill 112...etc.
My Dad's family is from the Mendip Hills and Chew Valley region of North Somerset, that is where the interest comes in at.


The other Lee-Enfield/Metford that I'd love to have someday would be any of the Victorian era "Long-Lee" Enfield/Metford Rifles. Living in the U.S. I have only seen two or three in "real life", one was at the Staffordshire Yeomanry Museum in Stafford, Staffs., and two were at large gun shows here in the U.S. Needless to say, in my current financial situation, it will be many decades before I can even think of purchasing one. Meanwhile I am grateful for the few "run of the mill" Lee-Enfield Rifles I do have.

I also have a growing interest in the commercial made "Lee-Speed" rifles.
Thank you
Mark

[manitou210]

Made for LT Col at longbranch plant 1944

[neal455]

Now thats nice ..........

[Brit plumber]

I got this rifle about 20 years ago here on Vancouver Island.
I think I paid about $300.00 for it back then. To date it is the only one like it I have seen but on the Island the number of Milsurps available is a bit limited.
I did at one point consider selling it…for about half a second but dismissed the thought as just plain foolishness.
As for photos OK here you go;
BSA (M47C) unissued No5MK1:


And with my 1947 Faz:


Receiver markings:


Butt socket:

I've got a Unissued M47C too, Serial No.BK1632, very close to your own, there must have been a batch of BK numbered guns that were unissued.

[No4Mk1(T)]

I've got a Unissued M47C too, Serial No.BK1632, very close to your own, there must have been a batch of BK numbered guns that were unissued.

I would have to agree. I have seen two or three more recently. I seem to remember someone else here on Milsurps having one in the same Sr.# range as well.

[Southerner]

Well, One of my holy grails turned out to be the first Enfield I ever owned. In 1965 while a cadet at military school, I bought my first minty bolt action centerfire rifle and bayonet from a fellow cadet for $15. He told me it was an Enfield. I shot hundreds of rounds through it at the local gravel pit never paying any mind to the surplus ammunition shot that I could buy for $3 per 50 rounds...least of all the fact the rounds had different colors painted on some of them. Sometimes at 100 yards, the hole in the side of the bank would be small. Sometimes not. Sometimes the bullet would leave a color trail while others did not. So much for shooting mixed WWI surplus.

Anyway, back to the rifle. I had this rifle and proudly showed it off as a SMLE until the 1990s when I met someone who actually knew something about Enfields took one look, began drooling, and then promptly told me what I had was a No.V trials rifle dated 1922. Though I have never since seen one for sale since, it was the first of many Enfields.

I have 15 SMLE rifles to include one made in 1907 by Enfield (bad headspace/bolthead issue), a 1913 Lithgow with original buttstock, but with bulged barrel (also dated 1913), a 1914 with original sling, barrel, complete and functional volley sights/dial, and bayonet, two SSA rifles separated by a single serial number, a NRF Enfield, a 1916 Lithgow w/ heavy barrel dated 1932 or 1933, a 1904 LE refurbished and reconfigured into an SMLE with a 1941 barrel (Dispersal, I guess) unfired, 1919 & 1920 Lithgow SMLE rifles, a 1911 .22 Naval service built from a #1MkI, a Martini Enfield dated 1886 on one side of the receiver and 1890 on the other complete with bayonet and shot out bore, Remington P-14, Winchester Model 1917 dated 1918 but also marked with the orange band when sent back to England during WWII Lend-Lease, a few SMLE rifles in between 1914 and 1918, and a #2 pistol dated 1934 marked RAF that is a dead shooter. I shoot all of these except the Martini-Enfield (and the 1907 Enfield and 1913 Lithgow).

SMLE rifles are still mesermising and I will not pass a decent or an unusual/restorable one if I can help it. Is there an Enfields Anonymous?

[No4Mk1(T)]

Is there an Enfields Anonymous?

Even if there was would you go???
Not me brother

[Southerner]

Even if there was would you go???
Not me brother

Just spoofing....Enfields, particularly the older ones can sometimes be read like a book, but every once and a while, some mark or symbol will appear on one of them that defies translation..not even found in Skennerton's book. Love it!

[ozzielee303]

Hmmmm
I have to say my holy grail,would be a Lee Enfield/Metford MLM rifle,came close to getting one,but sadly did not have enough cash
But will get one!
One holy grail that I have got,which is probably not related to this topic,is my Martini Enfield MKII in .303 with my States stamps on it,before Victoria was in the Federation of States,got it I did and am pleased with it. In very good condition.
Have a
Lithgow NoI MKIII* 1942 Excellent condition
Lithgow NoI MKIII* 1943 Very Good condition (With Heavy Barrel,no forearm wood or nose cap)was given this rifle by a friend (deceased)
Savage No4 MKI* 1942 Very Good condition
Fazerkerly(Sp) No5 MKI* Jungle Carbine 1945 Very Good Condition
1904 Martini Henry Citadel .303 In Good condition
Martini Enfield MKII .303 (Converted in 1900) from an 1875 action made in Enfield,Very Good Condition.

I adore the .303 and the rifles,wish I could get one of each,but?

[GRF]

Gentlemen, awesome pictures of some beatiful rifles! Some of my American freinds think the enfeild is ugly, shame on them. My dream; any enfeild sniper version for my son (21 years), or the rifle pappy carried in WW2 until they made him the bren gunner in France.