No4Mk1 SMLE?

[Garandrew]

Is the No4 series of rifles still considered SMLE's in British Army jargon, as the No1MkIII's are?

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[limpetmine]

No. It is a different series.

[muffett.2008]

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.

[muffett.2008]

My apologies, I'm in the kitchen cooking, so I'm just stirring the pot,,,,,,SORRY

[Beerhunter]

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.

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.

[smellie]

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.

[Garandrew]

The 1941, and 1944 Dispersals are still SMLE's, technically speaking?

[browningautorifle]

he detected the cyanide

That's one way I guess, I'll have to try that one.

[bouletbill]

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.

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

The 1941, and 1944 Dispersals are still SMLE's, technically speaking?

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.