SMLE No1 Mk VI

[birdhound]

Interesting rearsight, obviously similar to but not the same as the standard singer sight. Wonder if its the same as the sight fitted to the trials No4.

[Surpmil]

5thBATT, have you posted about your MkVI on Milsurps?

[5thBatt]

5thBATT, have you posted about your MkVI on Milsurps?

No, i dont believe so but i think its been posted by its previous owner.

[Surpmil]

And ain't she a beauty?

Together with the other re-numbered "A" suffix No1 MkVI rifles, this one seems to me to indicate that all the No1 MkVI rifles were sent to Fazakerly in 1940 along with all the spare parts etc., not just the uncompleted bodies and spare parts.

75A; that's pretty damn early for a Fazakerly number! I doubt we'll ever see an earlier one.

It would have made sense to send the whole lot together with the all the spares from the No1 MkVI and No4 MkI trials rifle programs. They were all in storage at Enfield presumably in 1940 and they needed the space for their Bren Gun production and No4 sniper conversions, among other things.

I wonder if the rifles were refurbished when they came back from troop trials or if they were left 'as is'? If they were left that way, it would have made sense to send them to Fazakerly for a going over, or perhaps it was just done so that they all stayed together in view of interchangeability issues.

What we've yet to see AFAIK, is a WWII photo of them actually in use by troops?

[Peter Laidler]

After troop trials, equipment is cleaned but remains as it is, regardless of its condition and then returned to Ordnance. This is because it can be inspected again in the future for various post trials tests and comparisons. We used to do this on a regular basis.

[Surpmil]

After troop trials, equipment is cleaned but remains as it is, regardless of its condition and then returned to Ordnance. This is because it can be inspected again in the future for various post trials tests and comparisons. We used to do this on a regular basis.

Thanks Peter, I suspected that might be the case.

[Buccaneer]

I have now managed to purchase this rifle at not an inconsiderable cost but I think it has been worth the wait and the financial outlay.
I have now been able to strip clean and photograph all of the relevant differences that make the MkVI special.
It is obvious from the baring out of the original serial number with the "A" prefix to the new serial number with the "A" suffix that this rifle was one of those reworked after Dunkirk. It can also be seen from the "England" mark on the butt socket that it has also spent some time across the pond in the US at some point in its life. The rear sight at first glance appears to be the standard "Singer" type but it is different, it has six turns per revolution and it turns like a Swiss watch. the battle sight aperture is smaller the normal and is more robust in construction. The plunger although in the same place is a rounded end post rather than the flat top post that is now used on the No4. The difference to the action and fore sight protector are obvious and I have found that the fore end woodwork is numbered to the rifle in the same font as the new serial number on the butt socket. I have tried to show all of the differences and the various markings and stamps that are not apparent when the rifle is all together.