SMLE Barrel Band

[5thBatt]

But, we all know the Number 4 isn't an SMLE, right?

Don't know about that it depends if you use stripper clips & not Chargers ito load your No1 Mk1 even more so if your No1 Mk1 has the 30 inch barrel & no Charger guide

[Son]

Some interesting conversation here... if you want to get to the bottom of it, go to God's Book... the LoC and look up the Sht LE MkV and see what the two bands are officially called.

[Buccaneer]

I never ceased to be amazed at the direction that some of these threads go. To the lesser mortal with no military background the SMLE has only one barrel band and a nose cap regardless of what the "official" designation is.

[Peter Laidler]

That's all very well until someone asks '.....the band on my SMLE seems to be very loose when it is tightened up. Is there a method of tightening it up without having to strip the rifle further?' So you go into how to gently tighten the hinge point and then pack the whole band out with a strip of non absorbent paper and............. Only to find that he's talking about the BARREL band and you're talking about the fore-end one!

Talking of the Mk5 rifle. I searched high and low for a parts list for this/these two variations of this rifle but couldn't find one anywhere. Nor could the old P-Room as was. Does anyone have an official one. I don't think that one existed

[Brian Dick]

Everyone should invest the tidy sum of $10 for a copy of Skennerton's Small Arms ID series booklet, (No.1 for the SMLE), which have the illustrated parts catalog included within. I have the same problem frequently when people place orders for parts with the wrong nomenclatures.

[Peter Laidler]

I was going to suggest the same in a more impolite and less diplomatic way Brian. But from my experience here it is clear that some of the more learned owners/contributors/scribes don't have them either. The BEST $10 worth owners, contributors and scribes can invest in. And yes, even though it's 50 years ago tomorrow (December 17th 1965) that I passed out from Carlisle as a newly qualified Armourer I still have to refer to the parts lists and still learning.

I can see where you're coming from regarding selling parts Brian. You can understand about answering technical queries now!

[5thBatt]

Everyone should invest the tidy sum of $10 for a copy of Skennerton's Small Arms ID series booklet, (No.1 for the SMLE), which have the illustrated parts catalog included within. I have the same problem frequently when people place orders for parts with the wrong nomenclatures.

But you need EVERYONE to order from the same list you have, as i have said above i can find the band being called three different names.

As for my search (had visitors so interrupted) i can find it referred to as a lower band but find more reference to outer band, as for the book i mentioned earlier i cannot find it at the moment & need to see if what i remember is correct or a case of 'for the sake of this study we'll call it...' or i just got it plain wrong.
I will refer to it as a outer band for now as i now strongly believe i might be wrong & Peter & Son are correct.

[Peter Laidler]

It's not really a case of rite and rong 5thBatt. If the part is described correctly then what the heck! it's just that as the examples show, it can be very confusing at times........... just like wot my spelling is