1918 Enfield Small Arms Factory made SMLE No.1 Mk.III* converted back to No.1 Mk.III

[Peter Laidler]

I'm not sure that the numbers/letters on the bolt and nose are those put there at Enfield! Look far, far to modern format to me.......... Others might have other views

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[owengun]

Interesting, how about the stock stamp below the front bayonet boss? I think the rifle was refitted with the mag cutoff and new stock in 1944, maybe they fitted a new bolt and nose cap at that time, as there appears to be a 44 proof stamp on the left side of the receiver.

I'm not sure that the numbers/letters on the bolt and nose are those put there at Enfield! Look far, far to modern format to me.......... Others might have other views

[Ridolpho]

owengun: Interesting rifle. Have you pulled the wood off to look at the markings on the barrel? Quite a history of trips back to the factory in evidence on the left cheek. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't re-proof for a bolt change (which was often done by field armourers) so maybe the barrel was replaced. You mention blueing but in the photos, to my eye, it looks like some kind of parkerizing. Maybe some more knowledgible type can comment on parkerizing during refurb in Great Britain. Finally, weren't '18 Enfield SMLE's manufactured without cutoff slot? That leads to another question: were cutoff slots milled in Factory repair post WW1? Is there any chance the original date is 1916? Threads like this are great as they usually help me ratchet my way a tiny little bit further up the learning curve.

Ridolpho

[owengun]

owengun: Interesting rifle. Have you pulled the wood off to look at the markings on the barrel? Quite a history of trips back to the factory in evidence on the left cheek. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't re-proof for a bolt change (which was often done by field armourers) so maybe the barrel was replaced. You mention blueing but in the photos, to my eye, it looks like some kind of parkerizing. Maybe some more knowledgible type can comment on parkerizing during refurb in Great Britain. Finally, weren't '18 Enfield SMLE's manufactured without cutoff slot? That leads to another question: were cutoff slots milled in Factory repair post WW1? Is there any chance the original date is 1916? Threads like this are great as they usually help me ratchet my way a tiny little bit further up the learning curve.

Ridolpho

I haven't taken any of the wood off yet but will take the top wood off the rear of the barrel and take some more pictures.

From what I have always understood was that the original metal finish on the British military issue, WWI-era SMLEs was just the black oil quenched surface treatment finish and not the high gloss rust bluing of their commercial versions. Parkerising is more of a rough and grey treatment that was done during WW2.

It is indeed clearly 1918 dated on the socket, some manufacturers were still milling the slot for the mag cutoff after they were omitted with the Mk.III* model but post WW1 they went back to using them until they settled on the No.4 Mk.1 rifles. Even some of the very first No.4's had mag cutoffs fitted.