Show your Enfields

[Don458]

I've always had a thing for Enfields, the P14/M17's and the " Smellies "....I can't remember how many smellies I've had over the years ( still have three at the moment ) and a 303/270, 25-06, 308 Norma, 9.3x74R in the 14/17's ( currently building a 416 Taylor on an M17 )...so lets see your custom Enfields, professional or homemade, doesn't matter....whip 'em out and lets see 'em...

Roger

No 4 mk 2 1950 Fazakerley. When I bought this it was wrapped up like a mummy . Could not open wrap had to buy as is. $199.00

 

[Tintin]

Took my No. 5 22LR conversion out for a play today and remembered this thread, so thought a few pics were in order.

I had a 'smith (Tom @ T-Bone for the Australians here) fit a liner and do associated work and a bit of a tidy up on an old, pretty rough rifle he had on hand.

Came up well and is great fun and plenty accurate for a plinker.

^ 5 shots today on the 100mm (4") gong at 50m offhand with the ladder sight up (it has a smaller aperture than the battle sight). I've got a font sight adjustment tool - must get around to fine tuning it to move POI left a bit.

Must also get around to getting a sling and bayonet one of these days.

Like the issued No 1 Mk III .22 trainers, it's single shot, with empties dropping into the magazine box (spring and follower removed).

In these harsh inflationary times, the single shot set up makes a packet of crackers last longer - 'more bang for your buck 8 bucks'

 

[Hunter-Habib]

During my wartime service (1971)

During my water buffalo culling days under the Department of Forests (1979)

 

[PCC600]

Here is a photo of my BSA & M Co Limited 303 Lee Speed rifle in their Pattern No1 configuration . It is a totally original rifle. 24.5 inch barrel with full length machined rib . Fixed and folding rear express sights to 300 yards with an additional ladder sight from 400 - 1000 yards . Original optional 10 shot magazine with a magazine cut off . Bolt has a dust cover . No safety fitted at all . The stock has a trap containing the pull through for cleaning . All metal work has a nice low key engraving . Happily shoots 215grain round nose bullets at 2100 fps . This is a very early example made in 1897 . Got another Pattern One Lee Speed which was retailed by Army & Navy on the way over from the UK .

 

[PCC600]

Trying to send pic again

 

[serdog]

Other then the strap my No.5 Carbine basically the same as the day it came off the line at ROF Fazakerley in October of 1944. My dad rifle for close to 70 years many many moose bear,Caribou and one or two sheep
First centre fire I ever shot (Ouch Ouch Ouch its has a terrible recoil in part because of the stock ) and yes I have an original 10 shot mag sadly to stripper clip or Bayonet

 

[PCC600]

Finally able to load pic . To recap on earlier post it is a Lee Speed 303 rifle made by BSA & M Co Limited in their Pattern No1 configuration . This is the highest grade finish . The barrel is 24.5 inches and features a full length machined rib . The barrel has fixed and folding express sights to 300 yards and a ladder sight from 400 - 1000 yards . The barrel has very good Metford rifling . Action has a magazine cut off , bolt has a dust cover fitted . The rifle has no safety fitted and never did have . Stock is 14 inch LOP with gold disc - nice wood . A trap fitted with engraved metal butt plate with trap door containing pull through . All metal work features low key engraving . This is a totally original rifle made in 1897. It happily shoots 215 grain bullets at 2100fps . It is a gem . I also have another BSA Pattern 1 from circa 1904 on the way from the UK . It has a 5 shot magazine . It was retailed by Army & Navy CSL.

 

[Sarg]

Finally able to load pic . To recap on earlier post it is a Lee Speed 303 rifle made by BSA & M Co Limited in their Pattern No1 configuration . This is the highest grade finish . The barrel is 24.5 inches and features a full length machined rib . The barrel has fixed and folding express sights to 300 yards and a ladder sight from 400 - 1000 yards . The barrel has very good Metford rifling . Action has a magazine cut off , bolt has a dust cover fitted . The rifle has no safety fitted and never did have . Stock is 14 inch LOP with gold disc - nice wood . A trap fitted with engraved metal butt plate with trap door containing pull through . All metal work features low key engraving . This is a totally original rifle made in 1897. It happily shoots 215 grain bullets at 2100fps . It is a gem . I also have another BSA Pattern 1 from circa 1904 on the way from the UK . It has a 5 shot magazine . It was retailed by Army & Navy CSL.

Very nice, I'm more then slightly crazy on the BSA/Lee Speed sporters & have dozens of them now.

Just yesterday I bought a Lee Speed actioned sporter conversion, not from any maker, I bought it mainly as I have never seen a Lee Speed mark action with a Charger Bridge attached, I may fit a side safety & quick take off scope mounts at some time, I think it will be a 375Ex or 405Win, on that only just fitted a 38/55Win barrel I found to a old Parker & Hale conversion, it looks like I would need to do some magazine work so might just rechamber to 375EX as well .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Very nice, I'm more then slightly crazy on the BSA/Lee Speed sporters & have dozens of them now.

Just yesterday I bought a Lee Speed actioned sporter conversion, not from any maker, I bought it mainly as I have never seen a Lee Speed mark action with a Charger Bridge attached, I may fit a side safety & quick take off scope mounts at some time, I think it will be a 375Ex or 405Win, on that only just fitted a 38/55Win barrel I found to a old Parker & Hale conversion, it looks like I would need to do some magazine work so might just rechamber to 375EX as well .

View attachment 573752
View attachment 573753

@Sarge
I wouldn't rebarrel a Lee speed to 405 win unless you would like to have surgery to remove a rifle bolt removed from your forehead. The action wouldn't handle the strain.
The SMLE No4 Mk1 will tho.
Bob

 

[Sarg]

@Sarge
I wouldn't rebarrel a Lee speed to 405 win unless you would like to have surgery to remove a rifle bolt removed from your forehead. The action wouldn't handle the strain.
The SMLE No4 Mk1 will tho.
Bob

Thanks @Bob Nelson 35Whelen but as I remember the .303 Brit has more chamber pressure than the 405Win does with same head size, plus I would be reloading any way .

I have a barrel in .400 British which is a straight .303 Brit case so will be using that I think & rechamber.

A lot of misinformation on the strength of these & early actions but I have had 100s & shot thousands of rounds out of them even absolute rubbish rifles & never a problem with the action, in massive over loads its normally the case that fails, this could be from action stretch but mine have been from crappy cases.

Actually I have never seen a blowen up MLM/MLE-SMLE but plenty of Remington Tikka Sako & Rossi's !

Also I don't think the No4 MK1 Enfield is a SMLE is it ?

 

[PCC600]

No 4 mk 2 1950 Fazakerley. When I bought this it was wrapped up like a mummy . Could not open wrap had to buy as is. $199.00 View attachment 502359View attachment 502363View attachment 502360

What a find !

 

[PCC600]

View attachment 488415

Just arrived yesterday. LIthgow SMLE in the mighty 22LR.

Awesome fun and a little brother to the BSA No 1 Mk III*

We used to shoot these in an underground range below my classroom in Brisbane in early 1970s. We also used to travel with our rifles on public transport . No one ever got shot . How times change .

 

[PCC600]

Took my No. 5 22LR conversion out for a play today and remembered this thread, so thought a few pics were in order.

View attachment 573396

I had a 'smith (Tom @ T-Bone for the Australians here) fit a liner and do associated work and a bit of a tidy up on an old, pretty rough rifle he had on hand.

Came up well and is great fun and plenty accurate for a plinker.

View attachment 573395

^ 5 shots today on the 100mm (4") gong at 50m offhand with the ladder sight up (it has a smaller aperture than the battle sight). I've got a font sight adjustment tool - must get around to fine tuning it to move POI left a bit.

Must also get around to getting a sling and bayonet one of these days.

Like the issued No 1 Mk III .22 trainers, it's single shot, with empties dropping into the magazine box (spring and follower removed).

In these harsh inflationary times, the single shot set up makes a packet of crackers last longer - 'more bang for your buck 8 bucks'

Not bad shooting .

 

[Tintin]

We used to shoot these in an underground range below my classroom in Brisbane in early 1970s. We also used to travel with our rifles on public transport . No one ever got shot . How times change .

The good old days

At a mate's school they used them on the cricket oval one afternoon a week - also without incident

 

[Tintin]

Not bad shooting .

It does OK - no 'wandering zero' on this No. 5

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I have a P14 junker taking up space in my safe. Thought about building it into a thumper but just couldn't get past the guppy belly ugliness. And carving off the ears is a major undertaking. But looking at some of these photos has me rethinking. I hate cocking on closing. Good to know that can be fixed. Legend has it they shoot faster but I think that's BS. My Springfield and 98 Mauser cock on opening and they cycle like lightning.

Many military models had the barrels forged securely in place on the receiver. The idiot "gunsmith" who attempted to remove two-land barrel from my Springfield 03A3 wrecked his equipment before figuring out he needed to cut the edge of receiver away from barrel before unthreading.

 

[Forrest Halley]

My Frankapore rifle. Aussie long stock to replace a cracked one. Steel butt plate to conquer empires. Trigger job to make it livable. Click adjustable for windage rear sight from a .303.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Thanks @Bob Nelson 35Whelen but as I remember the .303 Brit has more chamber pressure than the 405Win does with same head size, plus I would be reloading any way .

I have a barrel in .400 British which is a straight .303 Brit case so will be using that I think & rechamber.

A lot of misinformation on the strength of these & early actions but I have had 100s & shot thousands of rounds out of them even absolute rubbish rifles & never a problem with the action, in massive over loads its normally the case that fails, this could be from action stretch but mine have been from crappy cases.

Actually I have never seen a blowen up MLM/MLE-SMLE but plenty of Remington Tikka Sako & Rossi's !

Also I don't think the No4 MK1 Enfield is a SMLE is it ?

@Sarge
The No4 is definitely an SMLE.
The nomenclature for it in AUS and England is SMLE No4 Mk1 or Mk2 and even Mk2*
The Mk2 * has the trigger mounted on the but socket instead of being pinned to the trigger guard.

I have personally seen a bent bolt from an overload in a No1 Mk111. With that massive long right hand locking lug it's more common to bend the bolt with an overload or case failure than the bolt coming out the rear. My father was an armourer for 21 years in the RAAF so I learnt a thing or 3 about them and how to get them to shoot.
The SMLE is a very underrated weapon by a lot of misinformed people. Easy to operate as well as extremely fast, quick to reload with 2 x5round charger clips and basically idiot proof.
The No1s with the metallurgy of the time limited the pressures they could safely withstand. Australia had the idea of setting them up as 7.62x51 but found the action couldn't stand the strain. The No4s on the other hand were successfully converted to 7.62x51 but underwent factory proof testing At Lithgow arms before being re issued. Even No4 civilian range rifles had to be reproofed before they were allowed to be used on the range.
The exception to the above was the Indian made Ishapore No1 Mk111 that was a beefed up version specifically designed for the 7.62x51. Even the designation for that was Ishapore SMLE No1 Mk111* calibre 7.62x51.
I am a bit of a SMLE need after growing up with them.
Bob

 

[Piet Brood]

My grandfather’s old rifle. I try to use it annually when my cousin and I do an open sighted hunt but my 7x57 has seen preference of late.

 

[Hunter4752001]

In Australia, in days gone past, SMLEs were one of the few actions available. A great many were converted to all sorts of calibres. Reloading knowledge and powders were also limited. Many people had the attitude that if a bit of powder was a good thing, then lots more was even better. At the ballistics section in the old Russel St Police HQ, there was an entire hallway with photos of blown up Lee Enfield actions, together with the photos of the shooters. Don't ever be quick to push them beyond their design limits.