1916 sniper 303 info?

[acepatt]

Hello.
I have added a 1916 sniper 303 to my collection and would welcome any info or history i can find on the arms.
Flip sights on the left side, slide on the top
On the rh side below the bolt The symbols are as follows
A crown stamp
GR
LSA CoLd
1916
Sht.L.E
III

Brass plate on the butt is only stamped with P.W.
Reciever topstamp 836
Bolt stamp 836
Saftey III
Trigger A3
Clip 4 on the front and 3 on the spring in side

There are various symbols stamped small on various spots on the reciever and such.
Thanks for any info.

Information

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[Son]

Hello acepatt and welcome aboard.

The info on the right side of the butt socket, under the bolt, says it was made by London Small Arms Co Limited in 1916 and is a Short Lee Enfield MkIII (Sht. LE III)
This model had a sight aperture post on the left side of the receiver at the safety lever pivot and a corresponding dial on the foreend. These sights were for long range volley fire, using the distances in yards under the pointer to set your range and then sighting through the aperture over the nib on the front dial. The purpose of this was for many rifles to lay down suppressing fire on an enemy position as the soldiers advanced under the volley fire. The feature was dropped from production due to the use of machineguns to provide suppressing fire, and to make manufacture of the rifles easier to speed up the process during wartime.

As far as being a sniper rifle, they were fitted with one of several telescopic sights or some had aperture sights with optical lenses. Genuine WW1 sniper rifles are a very rare item these days.

Can you post some pictures of your rifle? It sounds like a good original item, but pictures and a bit more description will help the guys here fill you in with more detail.

Have a cruise around the site here, you will find lots of relevent information in the Milsurps Knowledge Library to help you understand your rifle.

[PrinzEugen]

Yes as son says - pics please. Genuine WWI Enfield snipers are few and far between and there would be a lot of interested parties here, who'd also be able to tell you more about the rifle.

If you're stuck this thread: How do I show pics from Photobucket, Flickr, ImageShack etc. on milsurps.com? assists in pic posting.

Cheers

[Badger]

Without pics, I'm not exactly sure what you have, but check the MKL for an example of a WW1 Enfield sniper...

1916 ShtLE (Short Lee-Enfield) No.1 MkIII* Sniper Rifle
c/w Winchester A5 (5 Power) Offset Scope

Regards,
Doug

[acepatt]

Thank you for the info, I may be mistaken about the gun being a sniper set up, I assumed the side volley sights were used for that, the gun does not have any optics. it does apear to be all original and needs some wood work done but shoots very well and is solid other wise.

see photos

thanks again,
ps
where do i post questions reguarding a a old german scope i also have that was attached to my 1903 mark 1 springfield 30-06 with the side ejection port machined.

[Beerhunter]

I may be mistaken about the gun being a sniper set up, I assumed the side volley sights were used for that, the gun does not have any optics.

Yup. It's a regular Mk.III that some one has "sporterised".

The volley sights are used for quite the opposite of a sniper's shot. That is to say with volley sights, several riflemen point their rifles in the general direction of the target. The idea being to crate a "beaten zone" rather than to hit an individual.

Oddly enough, although the rifle has retained it volley sights, it appears to have lost its magazine cut-off and windage adjustable rear sight.

[acepatt]

I didnt see any bracketry or such for windage sights just a slot for a zip strip, what magazine are u refering to the release is by the trigger i didnt notice anything else.
not knowing much about the gun i do enjoy the history of it, hoping for something more rare i paid 300 for it.
thanks

[Beerhunter]

I didnt see any bracketry or such for windage sights just a slot for a zip strip, what magazine are u refering to the release is by the trigger i didnt notice anything else.

When originally built, Mk.IIIs (as opposed to Mk.III*s) had a windage adjustable rear sight. Yours has been replaced with a non-windage adjustable type.

Mk.IIIs also had a plate slotted into the right side of the receiver that pivoted over the top of the magazine well so as to force single round loading.

Here is a pic of a windage adjustable rear sight and a magazine cut-off - both in-use and out

[Surpmil]

Very nice SMLE, what's left of it. LSA is rare, and original looking finish and volley sights are rare. South African ownership marks relatively rare too. Must have had a quiet life in SA, rather than in the wars perhaps, until Minheer Bubba got hold of it. Well worth restoring if you can find a nice forend and handguards.

[acepatt]

Thank you both for the info
, i love the history and find myself looking for others to buy at gun shows. a few questions tho,'

how did u ?Id as south Afican, there is a whole series of small stamps on the top of the revicver by the wood behind the sights that i couldnt ,make out.
plus can you put me in contact with some one who will have the needed part to restore it?

Thanks again