SMLE No1 MkV

[Buccaneer]

Although not really a Troop Trials rifle as some 20,000 were made between 1922 & 1924 it never saw general use in the British Army. This particular example is from the later production being made in 1924, considering it is now 97 years old it is in pretty good condition. I have done nothing to it other than giving it a good clean, the knocks and dings are all part of its history.
Unlike the No1 MkVI it still looks like a SMLE but with the addition of the action mounted rear sight and the additional outer band to the rear of the nose cap, with no barrel mounted rear sight it also exhibits a full length rear hand guard.
The safety is special to this model and is marked with a "V". The rear sight can be held at 45 or 90 degrees by the spring operated ball held in the receiver but I have no idea why it needed to be held in the 45 degree position, any answers to that one??
The rifle is all matching and I have tried to show all of the relevant dates, numbers and marks, the butt disc is unmarked on the outside but the underside is marked with a broad arrow and an inspection stamp.

Information

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[capt14k]

That is a nice example. I am still looking for one.

[browningautorifle]

Very nice rifle, beautifully kept. You'd have to ask the designer why the angle on the rear sight, they'd have had a very good reason...in their mind.

[hayboy]

Hi all, throwing my two pennorth into this - isn't the 45 degree angle setting to allow the sight to be tilted forward to better read the range markings on the side when changing elevation?
The number 4 and P14 sights both do the same I think.

Jon

[BigBadDog]

Mk V surely?

L of C SS A1635 - A1690, 31st May 1926. Skennerton P191.

A Beaut anyway.

[husk]

That’s a very nice MkV! The pin holding the rear sight to the body is not a screw and should be tapped out for removal or it will end up damaged as seen here.

[Surpmil]

Given the aperture sights and higher quality peace time production, you have to wonder why these weren't issued for sniper or marksman use, particularly early WWII. They have a reputation for high accuracy.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Many of them seem to have been shipped to India.

An interesting twist is that post WW2, Indian troops, apparently many toting MK V rifles, went to "French Indo-China" to deal with the surrender / repatriation of thousands of Japanese troops. Some of these Mk Vs seem to have been "mislaid" and ended up in the hands of Ho Chi Minh's 'Viet Minh" troops. There are a few (probably posed") photos of them "in the wild" in those parts, in the hands of suitably grim-looking Viets. Probably used for drill and propaganda purposes because of the limited availability of .303 ammo and appropriate spare parts, until they fell to bits and were scrapped

[Alan de Enfield]

Many of them seem to have been shipped to India.

An interesting twist is that post WW2, Indian troops, apparently many toting MK V rifles, went to "French Indo-China" to deal with the surrender / repatriation of thousands of Japanese troops. Some of these Mk Vs seem to have been "mislaid" and ended up in the hands of Ho Chi Minh's 'Viet Minh" troops. There are a few (probably posed") photos of them "in the wild" in those parts, in the hands of suitably grim-looking Viets. Probably used for drill and propaganda purposes because of the limited availability of .303 ammo and appropriate spare parts, until they fell to bits and were scrapped

Maybe the best known picture :

[Surpmil]

Many of them seem to have been shipped to India.

An interesting twist is that post WW2, Indian troops, apparently many toting MK V rifles, went to "French Indo-China" to deal with the surrender / repatriation of thousands of Japanese troops. Some of these Mk Vs seem to have been "mislaid" and ended up in the hands of Ho Chi Minh's 'Viet Minh" troops. There are a few (probably posed") photos of them "in the wild" in those parts, in the hands of suitably grim-looking Viets. Probably used for drill and propaganda purposes because of the limited availability of .303 ammo and appropriate spare parts, until they fell to bits and were scrapped

There was probably plenty of Japanese-made .303 around, not to mention the vast stocks captured in 1941 and probably little used by the Japanese. The battlefields would have been gleaned by the locals too whenever possible as there has surely been a black market in arms and ammo there for centuries. They would have been quick to pilfer after Japan folded up as well.