What is the history of this SMLE MK1***

[junkman]

I recently picked up a MK1*** Enfield Rifle. It is full wood and dated 1907. The wood has been coated with varnish but is otherwise in good condition. The bore has very good rifling with no rust or bad spots. The sight, barrel and receiver all had the same serial number at one time. The forestock has been repaired at one time with a piece of steel. It would be interesting to know where and what this old girl was used for over the years. I have included several pictures and hope I can learn something about the rifle.

Information

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[Badger]

We have one in the England - Milsurp Knowledge Library ...

1907 ShtLE (Short Lee-Enfield) MkI*** Rifle

There's some interesting information posted in that article by John Thorne.

Regards,
Badger

[RJW NZ]

That is one nice find...enfield no1's are considered the last of the rifles for a professional soldier, as they had all the extras a soldier could want, volley sights and a rear sight that adjusted properly. Enfields after this had less and less features as a way of streamlining the manufacturing process.
The no 1 is a very desirable enfield and if this is where you're starting, well done.
If you wanted to make it more authentic you could get rid of the varnish and the silver paint on the front volley sight, but then perhaps you'd also be better off not disturbing a nice rifle and shoot it as it is, its your call.
You could also look for the right bolt head for a no1. They had a sliding unit that did double duty as a stripper clip guide when reloading. I think you can find them at EFD in the UK, or by getting very lucky on ebay.
But in any case thats a nice find and worth quite a bit more than the average no1mk3.

[Bindi2]

Is that rear sight protector correct or is that a modification not in the Bible

[Trilux]

The rear sight ears are not original, the original type were attached to the upper rear handguard. The nosecap is also not original and the butt has been replaced. Still a very nice rifle as it is and a reasonably "easy" restoration as most of the bits are intact.

Good score.

[bradtx]

junkman, The general history ... The rifle originally was a Mk.I*. In 1914 an approval to modify them to near Mk.III status was issued. This seems more to do with the 'new' Mk.VII ammo.

While I'm a SMLE numpty, aside from the bolthead charger your rifle looks to me as it should. A very nice find, congrats.

Brad

[Frederick303]

To really give you an answer junkman, you must post the receiver ring and the serial numbers on that ring.

Most likely it is an Irish rifle, as most SMLE MK I *** rifles in the US of A are from this import lot. The expected serial numbers would be as follows:

CRxxxx (rebuild SMLE MK I*** rifles with mix of SMLE MK I and MK III forend features)

OR

ERxxxx (original SMLE MK I *** features)

OR

Gxxxx (grenade wrapped rifles, most with original SMLE MK I*** wood and fixtures)

This serial number would be on the bolt, receiver ring, barrel reinforce and in most cases on the nose cap. These numbers superseded the old serial numbers, which will be lined out.

Given that the front wood and nose cap are from a SMLE MK III, if it has CRxxxx on the receiver ring then it is an Irish rework. If it has either a ER or G prefix then it falls in a questionable status, as some of these rifles were made into sporting rifles in the 1960s, the forend being ruined. In the last ten years, folks seeking to restore these rifles have found that good SMLE MK I stocks are not common, and so in order to restore them they have had to rely on using more modern MKIII wood and metal bits.

One must say "questionable", as there are supposedly some rifles with a G or ER prefix that were later fitted with SMLE MKIII stocks when the MK 1 pattern forends broke at the middle band. I would expect it would be a lot more likely that the G prefix rifles fall in this category than ER rifles. The problem is that most such rifles out in circulation fall into the restored category, especially if the nose cap is not serial numbered to the action.

[jona]

If by "the fore stock has been repaired with a piece of metal" you that u bracket in the end, that is not a repair. It is original to the fore end. Its purpose is to lock the butt stock screw into place so it will not work loose. It looks like someone removed the butt stock before removing the fore stock. You are lucky that the fore stock did not split as a consequence.

[Edward Horton]

To really give you an answer junkman, you must post the receiver ring and the serial numbers on that ring.

Most likely it is an Irish rifle, as most SMLE MK I *** rifles in the US of A are from this import lot. The expected serial numbers would be as follows:

CRxxxx (rebuild SMLE MK I*** rifles with mix of SMLE MK I and MK III forend features)

OR

ERxxxx (original SMLE MK I *** features)

OR

Gxxxx (grenade wrapped rifles, most with original SMLE MK I*** wood and fixtures)

This serial number would be on the bolt, receiver ring, barrel reinforce and in most cases on the nose cap. These numbers superseded the old serial numbers, which will be lined out.

Given that the front wood and nose cap are from a SMLE MK III, if it has CRxxxx on the receiver ring then it is an Irish rework. If it has either a ER or G prefix then it falls in a questionable status, as some of these rifles were made into sporting rifles in the 1960s, the forend being ruined. In the last ten years, folks seeking to restore these rifles have found that good SMLE MK I stocks are not common, and so in order to restore them they have had to rely on using more modern MKIII wood and metal bits.

One must say "questionable", as there are supposedly some rifles with a G or ER prefix that were later fitted with SMLE MKIII stocks when the MK 1 pattern forends broke at the middle band. I would expect it would be a lot more likely that the G prefix rifles fall in this category than ER rifles. The problem is that most such rifles out in circulation fall into the restored category, especially if the nose cap is not serial numbered to the action.

Today, 01:50 PM

I hope your not taking Greg on a long lunch break.

Signed
Greg's Dad

[Son]

Just a few quick observations, none of the woodwork is original to the rifle, the foreend is actually Lithgow marked... The nosecap is also MkIII.
If this rifle was in Australian hands, the second hand woodwork could have been fitted in service, but not likely at a full rebuild. There has been some work done obviously not in service, such as the sanding and varnish. The rear sight also has had it's cap changed to allow the windage adjustment to operate again after it was set by staking in service.
I still like the rifle, shame about the varnish, of course. As said above, an original bolthead would make the action complete. The original woodwork rarely comes up, so be happy- it's a much better example than if it were sporterised. (you never know, original wood may come up one day, in the meantime, it isn't eating any grass)