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 Skennertonicon (p1910;

"The nomenclature of Britishicon 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