An Odd Characteristic of the SMLE

[5thBatt]

Major EGB Reynolds makes a comment on pages 137 & 138 of his book "The Lee-Enfield Rifle" about how the Lee Enfield action "compensates".

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[5thBatt]

Here is what Reynolds says on page 137 involving the No1 MkVI trials

"The question of whether the Mark VI rifle "compensated" in the same way as its predecessors was the subject of trials which, unfortunately, were never brought to a definite conclusion. When a rifle is fired, the barrel vibrates in both the vertical and horizontal planes, the vibrations being largely due to friction between barrel and bullet. A rifle is said to "compensate" when, due to the barrel vibrations in the vertical plane, bullets of higher velocity leave the muzzle on a lower line of departure, and those of lower velocity leave on a higher line of departure. The distance at which the trajectories of the two bullets will cross is called the "compensating range" of the weapon.
The following quotation from the Text Book of Small Arms, by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, describes the "compensation" of the earlier Lee-Enfield Rifle: "The Lee-Enfield Rifle vibrates in such a manner as to reduce the difference in height between the points of mean impact of ammunition with different velocities. for example, a Lee-Enfield Rifle fired with ammunition giving 2,235-f.s. velocity, shoots 12 ins. lower at 200 yards than with ammunition giving 2,000-f.s. velocity. At 390 yards range the points of impact with both classes of ammunition are at the same height. At 1,000 yards the 2.235-f.s. ammunition shoots 7 ft. higher than the other. We see, therefore, that the bullets of the high velocity ammunition leaves the barrel when the muzzle is at a much lower point in its curve of vibration, and therefore shoots low at 200 yards, but their trajectory being flatter than that of the 2,000-f.s. ammunition, it crosses the trajectory of the latter at 390 yards range, and keeps above it at all other ranges..................."

[5thBatt]

I thought the biggest problems to over-come for Aussie bowlers was ground effects & friction

[Bindi2]

I thought the biggest problems to over-come for Aussie bowlers was ground effects & friction

That was a bit grubby wasnt it, even for an Aussie but then we were playing the kiwis so any thing to win.

[muffett.2008]

Our biggest problem is getting free beer out of Demo.

[Bindi2]

There is action at the station D day has been named the day will be warm and the BEER cold

[bow]

I had a Steyr ssg 69 , Austrian sniper rifle frrom 1970. It is locked rear, also. But out to 900 meters it shoots well, no lateral dispersion : it guaranted sub moa accuracy with his own ammonitions.
I think the same principle will apply to our loved Lee Enfield.