Enfield VR 1900 L.E.C. 1*

[OtagoNZEF]

Hello this is my first post so here goes.
Some years age I bought an old 303 which I understood to be a cut down Long Tom Boer war rifle. After learning a bit on this site I would like to know more.
VR Enfield 1900 L.E.C. I* # 1647 C with stock disc 12 A 04
3
396
can anyone shed some light on this old girl
cheers

Information

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[jrhead75]

L.E.C. would indicate a purpose built cavalry carbine rather than a cut down rifle. Any chance of pics?

[OtagoNZEF]

L.E.C. would indicate a purpose built cavalry carbine rather than a cut down rifle. Any chance of pics?

[Jc5]

What a shame that someone bubba'd this beauty! And disappointing that no one is making repro wood or nosecaps for these!

Still, a fine old rifle that I'd be proud to own.

Can someone save me a hunt through the bookshelf and remind me how the barrel diameter on the LEC compares to the SMLE? I know it's thinner than the MLE, but was it identical to the SMLE?

[JerryB08]

I love it! beautiful rifle. Of course, if it's not originally supposed to look like that I would try to find what I needed to restore it as close back to factory as possible.

[bigduke6]

And disappointing that no one is making repro wood or nosecaps for these!

They are being made but only small amounts, and the fore ends etc are made to order. ( I,m waiting for a drawing of the nose cap so I can get some machined)

[OtagoNZEF]

Thanks for the feed back so far. Looking at the option of rebuilding to original and have found a guy who has made the fore wood before. All 8 units went fast.
What was the barrel length of the carbine? I think my barrel may have been cut down by an 1" or so. She still shoots well and feels good to shoot.
Birmingham small arms have advertised a Lee Enfield magazine Carbine No4 Sporting Carbine with leaf flip up sights? ( Posted on this sight.) Which looks the same but for the stock disc ? your thoughts !

[Jc5]

Birmingham small arms have advertised a Lee Enfield magazine Carbine No4 Sporting Carbine with leaf flip up sights? ( Posted on this sight.) Which looks the same but for the stock disc ? your thoughts !

That was something completely different. Yours was a military pattern, not a sporting pattern. Those express sights (even if you could find them) are not correct for this restoration, unless you just want to make a sporter out of it. I admire your plan to restore this thing. The cavalry carbines are just about coolest Enfields ever made, IMO. Hang tight until you find the wood and nosecap.

[bigduke6]

I think my barrel may have been cut down by an 1" or so.

Barrel looks fine, original OAL is 20.75"

[RJW NZ]

Does anyone have a pic of one of these in original format?
There's a kiwi gent mentioned on the front page of enfield resource.com who can do wood to order, could be an option?
Nice rifle, Otago NZEF, good to see you here on the forum, one of the greatest collections of Enfield brain cells on the planet. cheers rjw NZ

I found this site, interesting place, halfway down the page is some Irish carbine history history with pics of LEC's.

Firearms of the Irish Police - Gentleman's Military Interest Club

From writer Peter Mc
The Lee Enfield RIC Carbines (part 1 of 2)

Lee Enfield Mk1* carbines or Lee Metford cavalry carbines converted to Enfield rifling; 21 inch barrel, nose cap adapted to take the Pattern 88 knife bayonet. Small six-round magazines. 11,000 were supplied by the War Office as a free issue to the RIC between March 1904 and 1914.

The new carbine was first issued to the Reserve Force at Dublin's Phoenix Park Depot in March 1904, before being distributed across the county forces. It replaced the Martini Henry carbine and at the same time replaced the existing long bayonet with the shorter knife pattern.
By July 1904 the new rifle had been issued to counties Cavan and Carlow, and special training regarding the mechanism of the new rifles had been given to the RIC Musketry Instructors. In January 1905 Kings county had been supplied, and it was noted that Morris Tubes had been privately purchased by some of the men for practice. County Monaghan did not take possession of the carbines until April 1905.

In September 1920 the RIC wrote to the Ministry of Munitions of War to communicate their desire to sell as scrap approximately 10,000 of these carbines, which were to be replaced with the modern SMLE rifle. They were shipped to the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock around November or December 1920, together with around 1.1 million rounds of MkVI ammunition (ref: National Archives file MUN 4/6028).

The estimate for scrappage was 5d each, or £1 if sold (for LE carbines) or 10 shillings each (the Lee Metford carbines). I am led to believe that some of these carbines were taken into use by the South African Prison Service.

A Lee Metford cavalry carbine converted to Enfield rifling

21" brl with Enfield 5 groove rifling, military proofs at breech. Full walnut stock, nose cap with bayonet lug to accept the P88 knife bayonet. Butt with brass disk stamped 3.'04 R.I.C.1094. This specimen made up from a Lee Metford cavalry carbine which was re-barrelled. Vg o/a cond with high % finish, shooting grade bore. I have fired this weapon many times and it has a kick like a mule!