"very rare prototype enfield ww1 spare mag. Carrier for smle rifle" (?)

[Ridolpho]

What I was suggesting is that it may not be WW1 vintage. From the list of Changes regarding the Magazine Lee Metford (actually Rifle, Magazine, Mark I): "One magazine is attached to each rifle, being secured from loss by a chain link; a spare magazine is also issued with each arm". That spare would have to be carried somewhere.

Ridolpho

[jona]

I think it is a civilian fabrication. Probably for a hunter who had no access to chargers.

[5thBatt]

What I was suggesting is that it may not be WW1 vintage. From the list of Changes regarding the Magazine Lee Metford (actually Rifle, Magazine, Mark I): "One magazine is attached to each rifle, being secured from loss by a chain link; a spare magazine is also issued with each arm". That spare would have to be carried somewhere.

Ridolpho

The Mk1 Metford was originally issued with a spare magazine but they were ordered returned to stores in late 1890.

[Roy]

Is there any anecdotal evidence of soldiers who used MLE's 'acquiring' spare magazines and keep end them to speed up the rate of fire in an emergency?

[CINDERS]

Ease of digging really Jim as the hole was already there you just had to place your holey shovel on the ground and there you go Ref: Page 32 of Field Operations Manual Hole Digging Physical By Major Longdrop......

[RobD]

Is there any anecdotal evidence of soldiers who used MLE's 'acquiring' spare magazines and keep end them to speed up the rate of fire in an emergency?

As far as I know, spare magazines were not used during the Anglo Boer War.
From what I have gathered, during independent fire the idea was for the soldier to load rounds singly with the magazine cutoff in the "closed" position. Then in an emergency (rapid fire), the cutoff would be opened and the magazine used. I have no idea how well this worked in practice, but from the number of live MkII .303 rounds I have picked up on ABW battlefields, I would say a hell of a lot of ammo was fumbled and dropped.

[Ridolpho]

Not Lee Enfield, of course, but it's progenitor the Remington Lee was advertised as being used with multiple magazines and, according to Myszkowski ("The Remington-Lee Rifle") was used in this manner in combat. As per the LoC, the concept was initially somewhat similar in British use but rapidly "evolved" to easily removable, but not to be removed, magazine, initially with no facility for stripper clip use.

Ridolpho

[Roger Payne]

I have no axe to grind here, & I do not know for sure whether it is what it claims to be, but the general standard of manufacture of the steel box does not look to be what I would have expected on a WW1 (or possibly pre WW1) piece of equipment.
The tensioning spring at one end is a SMLE mag auxiliary spring (though I suppose that could have been found satisfactory & used).
But what I find most surprising of all is that something so 'hard & pointy' would be accepted into service to be used by Tommies who would risk at best bruising ribs, if not breaking them, when throwing themselves around with something that rigid on their belts.
I have seen the approved 20 round magazine pouches, & these were made of leather - much more suitable.
The EFD stamp does look good, but it could have been copied, or a redundant & already marked piece of brassware could have been used in the manufacture of this piece......just as a SMLE mag spring was.

[Robert303]

I have very little knowledge on officially issued stuff but is it possibly a 'Private Purchase' item? Catalogues of places such as the Army and Navy store were full of 'Campaign Gear'. Officers bought their own revolvers and speedloaders and I have seen a few 'Private Purchase Rifles that were returned to the families of the deceased.

[Brit plumber]

I think this could be adapted from something else, the brass part looks genuine enough but I doubt anyone would rivet brass to steel.