My New Irish No. I, MkI***

[rayg]

Here a couple posts that were on gunboards with a bit of info and history on the Irish rifles with some referrence to the G series,
These posts helped me to Id what mine was, Ray

Lee Enfield Mark I*** questions

Irish SMLEs?

[rayg]

Well I have a three day inspection of the rifle and with two of them gone already I figured I better take it out of the stock to check for any defects under the wood while there is still time to return it. I started to take it apart and to my surprise I found the horzonal screw on the front sight protecter staked fast, and it would not budge. After a bit of doing I finally freed it so it would unscrew. There were several other old stake marks there. Apparent they didn't want any one disassembling the rifle in service.
Anyway I got it apart and found that the underside was just packed full of cosomoline. But everything looked ok so it's a keeper, Ray

[gsimmons]

It's a nice rifle,glad you're keeping it.

[Son]

Well I have a three day inspection of the rifle and with two of them gone already I figured I better take it out of the stock to check for any defects under the wood while there is still time to return it. I started to take it apart and to my surprise I found the horzonal screw on the front sight protecter staked fast, and it would not budge. After a bit of doing I finally freed it so it would unscrew. There were several other old stake marks there. Apparent they didn't want any one disassembling the rifle in service.
Anyway I got it apart and found that the underside was just packed full of cosomoline. But everything looked ok so it's a keeper, Ray

Staked screws and cosmolene go towards it being as was when it left service... good decision to keep it, I think. Congrats on the pick up, I forgot to say earlier it's a good looking piece!

[rayg]

Son, did you read this thread I linked? It has some good detailed discussions on the "G" question, Ray, Irish SMLEs?

[mdrim13]

Nice rifle and it still has it's original rear sight. Yours also had the original stock replaced with a MkIII one as mine did.

What makes you think the stock has been replaced? I was under the impression that the MkIII stock did not have the marking disk as mine did. Is this correct or not? It was my understanding that the marking disk was done away with in the MkIII upgades becuse it was giving info to the enemy. Let me know if Im off on this? Thanks.

mdrim13

[gsimmons]

Mk III stocks had the marking disks. It wasn't until later(1916 or so) that the disks were supposed to be discontinued.

[rayg]

It looks like it once had the charger bridge cutout that was filled in. At least that's what it appears in the photo, Ray

[teal]

Has anyone ever called for info on G prefixed MkI*** rifles? There is a lot of interest in the model here, so maybe a quick survey is an option to try to get a broader sample?

congratulations with your find RAYG, many happy years of happy enjoyment to you. we irish had only one CW 1922/23 after the treaty with the UK,any other conflicts since were mainly sectarian

[RCS]

This Enfield 1904 Mark 1*** is on the third serial number which is G 839 while the bolt is G 837. There appears to be faint marks on the rear handguard from a wire wrap. There is a good chance that this was converted from a grenade launcher back to a normal issue rifle.