What’s your Lee Enfield Holy Grail?

[eggwelder]

Canada issued the Ross MkIII (and photographic evidence suggests MkIIs made it to England as well) to the troops heading to Europe in WW1.

I believe the PPCLI was the only Canadian regiment not issued Ross Rifles, as they were privately funded and raised. I could be wrong, and will graciously concede if i am, but have sent that question to others who keep this knowledge close. i will post results and if I'm wrong, i`ll change my holy grail.

[eggwelder]

as promised, here is the answer from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, 1914-1919 / by Ralph Hodder-Williams (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1923; 2nd ed. Edmonton: PPCLI, 1968).

PPCLI was the first Canadian Regiment in the field, arriving at the front in late December 1914. However, they were attached to the British Army, not the Canadian Expeditionary Force, until about March 1916. They were issued Ross rifles. While awaiting the formation of a convoy at Levis, near Quebec City in September 1914, they spent some time training, and testing the new Ross rifles. They found them inadequate (they were notorious for their tendency to jam during combat situations, although they may have been superior for sniping). Most of the men were veterans and preferred the Lee-Enfield, which had been used by the British Army for years.

While training in Bustard Camp, England in November they replaced the Ross rifles with Lee-Enfields. I don't have a specific reference, but I understand that one of the senior officers sent his wife to Boston to buy up all the Lee-Enfields she could find.

So i guess it will have to be one of the rifles they took from England to France, most of which are probably ground into the mud of Flanders.

[JerryEAL]

How would you know it was a PPCLI rifle? I have a '14 matching receiver, barrel, rear sight. Its been inspected 4 times. 27,33 35.37. Brass disk has 688. No C/|\s

[eggwelder]

i wouldn't`t, just like a few other`s holy grail. but if it could be proven....and i`d want one of the Originals rifles... its my holy grail

[olskool]

that is some nice wood!

[jona]

For Sparkbrook looking for his Grandfather's rifle:

There might be hope. Some years ago while I was set up at a gunshow, an English friend showed up with his father who had just immigrated from England. He wanted to know if it would be possible for him to buy a rifle as he was used to the regs in England. We convinced him could with proper ID and a NICS check. He wanted to get the kind of rifle he carried in WW II. He went off looking and in about 30 minutes he returned carrying a No. 4. He said while it was not the best looking one he found, it somehow "spoke" to him. At the next show, he comes to my table and informed me that after he got home he pulled his records from the war and discovered the rifle he had acquired WAS the rifle he was issued during the war. He even was able to describe how a number of nicks and bumps got onto the rifle from his using it.
So miracles do happen, don't give up.

[ThunderPants]

Nice very nice, nice

[Micheal Doyne]

I would like an No4 Mk1 (t) N32 Mk2 or 3 all matching with full accessories and capable of shooting sub moa... an L42A1 on the same basis would also be nice..

[Roy W]

I would like an No4 Mk1 (t) N32 Mk2 or 3 all matching with full accessories and capable of shooting sub moa... an L42A1 on the same basis would also be nice..

Sub MOA? They were never that good when new. You might be waiting a loooong time!

[Micheal Doyne]

Sub MOA? They were never that good when new. You might be waiting a loooong time!

Agreed, I count my self pretty luck to have a No4 that shoots at 2.2, but we are talking holly grail aren’t we