1916 Shortened SMLE Enfield?

[Terry Hawker]

Son,

Forgot to mention, please don't assume that the Pattern Room collection has one of everything ever officially made in the Mother Country. I'm sure I am not the only collector that has personal proof that dear old Herb didn't live long enough to get it all, bless him.

Terry

[harry mac]

A couple of years ago in the news letter of LERA (Dispaches), there was a short article reprinted about an officer in the trenches who shortened a couple of SMLEs to 12" barrel length for use in trench raiding and "bombing" parties. I don't have my copy handy at the moment because I'm at work so I can't tell you the guy's name. The rear sights were removed and a notch filed in the charger bridge to act as a sight, and the fore-end was shortened and then reprofiled to reattach the nosecap so that a "sword" could still be fitted.
He and another officer tested them at 100yds and he said that accuracy was acceptable. I think he also said he submitted the modification for consideration, but that the Americans arrived with their "sawn off shotguns" and the idea went no further.
I've often wondered what such a rifle would handle like, but never wondered enough to take a hacksaw to my SMLE!

[Peter Laidler]

Just a couple of observations on the subject. The muzle is properly crowned, rounded as per usual and not a quick bubba hacksaw job. However, the muzzle does protrude about .025 - .030" further that you'd normally expect but doesn't foul a bayonet. But so does one of our Mk5s protrude about the same too. The fore-end patch patch (just visible in the pic) looks a bit rough but it's perfect in real life and the glue LOOKS to be the old animal bone stuff. There is no internal band there obviously and there IS a fore-end stud and spring under the nose cap too!

No bodgy bubba type work and visually, you have to do a double take to a) note that it is shortened and b) where exactly it is shortened. Your comments will all be recorded in the weapon file...........now all being computerised!

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Harry, I can just imagine the amount of flame from such a short barrel! Even if you missed, you would incinerate the german!

[jmoore]

I built one very similar about 16-18 years ago. The worst part was cutting the taper on the barrel for the front sight base without removing the barrel from the action! (Ended up doing it on a tool and cutter grinder with a short headstock.) Shoots flat base bullets ok, but boat-tails every one keyhole in an 8" - 10" pattern at 100 yards. Handles nicely and recoil isn't all that bad.

[Peter Laidler]

I thought that the SMLE foresight base/diameter was parallel, prevented from rotating by the key and keyway. It could be soft soldered in place, as is the L42

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Peter, I had assumed that the front sight seat area was parallel, until I got my sticky paws on a barrel drawing.

Scanner is currently US, so I am stuck with text. The drawing is : A.I.D. 1318A, circa, I believe 1938. Sheet 2 of 4 has the goods.

Referring to the front sight base: "Taper of barrel hole, .008 per inch. decrease. Hole to be reamed out to suit barrel when assembling."

Referring to the barrel, it simply shows nominal diameter at 7 inch intervals. Interestingly, the keyway is shown as having a .004" per inch taper.

And just for good measure, the keyway on the barrel and front sight block band are offset .015" to the left, as are the sight block itself and the ears on the nosecap.

The .015" offset may have had something to do with compensating for the effect on the bullet of the left hand twist rifling and / or torque during bullet travel in the barrel.

The drawing also shows no sign of a slot for the fixing pin. I suspect that this was jig drilled once the sight bed was in the correct place. The key, however, is shown with a radiused slot for the pin.

It would be interesting to see what the No4 drawings show in the same region.

Cheers,
Bruce

[jmoore]

Indeed, the keyway is parallel to the O.D., near as I could figure. Never did recalibrate the sight markings, but Mk VII ball matched the existing markings to 300 yards, maybe due to the shorter sight radius making up for the lost velocity.

[Bindi2]

There was one sold from Queensland from an online site recently. It still had the yellow cadet paint on the nose cap. Dont remember what maker.

[Digger]

Drool.