rayg Posted 12 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 12 February , 2011 Super nice rifles Fred. I'm just happy to own one and here you have four beauties, Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitedog Posted 12 February , 2011 Share Posted 12 February , 2011 Thanks! You used to own another didn't you Ray? Did you sell it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayg Posted 13 February , 2011 Author Share Posted 13 February , 2011 Yes I sold it Fred. Hated to do it but I needed money for another purchase. Always hate to sell something to buy something but such is life when you're not a millionaire, Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted 13 February , 2011 Share Posted 13 February , 2011 Hi, Does anyone know who used Long Lee enfields at gallipoli? TZhanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 13 February , 2011 Share Posted 13 February , 2011 54th East Anglian Division did not get SMLE's until August 1917, so they used them in Gallipoli, on the Suez Canal, and their activities during 1st and 2nd Gaza. I believe, but am prepared to be corrected they were the last 'European' Division to be so armed. Most Territorial Battalions were still using LLE's at Gallipoli. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitedog Posted 13 February , 2011 Share Posted 13 February , 2011 Yes I sold it Fred. Hated to do it but I needed money for another purchase. Always hate to sell something to buy something but such is life went you're not a millionaire, Ray I know how THAT is Ray. I'm having to sell my MLE Mk I* made in 1900 and my CLLE with the stenciling on the stock in order to buy something else too. I really don't need anything else, but I want to get an early ShtMLE with all the early features that I've had my eye on. Can't have it all so I'm culling out the gun rack. An added note, I didn't know that there were CLLE's used at Galipoli. Very interesting Photo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangeRover Posted 13 February , 2011 Share Posted 13 February , 2011 That's a beautiful MLE, Ray. Amazing condition, and with the original clearing rod to boot. If you'll indulge me, I also have a Canadian MLE, an 1896 Enfield-production rifle in not nearly such great condition, but s/n 1336, so an early one, and I'm just thrilled to have this single example. Has the Canadian property marks on the buttstock: ...and limited markings on the buttplate tang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sksvlad Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 What is clearing (not cleaning) rod, what's the purpose/difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitedog Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 When the Lee Metford first came out, it held a Cleaning rod under the barrrel that was 27.5 inches long. It had grooves cut around the head to aid in holding a cleaning patch. Later, the concept of a cleaning rod under the rifle barrel was dispensed with and pull through cords were issued to be stored within the butt traps of the new rifles along with the oilers. The rifles still had a rod under the barrel, but it was now only 17.2 inches long. It had a head whose grooves were now cut length wise to aid in grasping it to turn it out of it's threaded nut within the stock. This rod, when screwed into another rod from another rifle, (the buddy system), was no longer used for cleaning but was intended to be used to clear out stuck cases from rifle chambers by running the two joined rods down the muzzles to drive out the stuck brass cases. These rods are refered to as Clearing rods. Later, stuck cases became a rare event if at all because of improved ammunition. Also, the idea of eliminating the rod was meant to lighten the weight of the rifle a bit, and so as of May of 1899, the rods were ordered to be removed from all rifles. They were thrown out or buried I'm told and are quite rare to this day. Rifles made after this time were made without provisions for such rods (rod channels cut in forearms, holes drilled in front bands, rod retaining nuts emplaced in stocks). These later rifles made without rods are called Magazine Lee Enfield Mk I* . The * meant to signify the lack of a rod. Actually, all of the rifles that had the rods removed were technically called Mk I* too. Original Clearing rod on a MLE Mk I Target Rifle. Note the screw threaded into the tip to protect the threads from dirt? The screw head is brass and the threads are steel. The threads are Enfield Thread which are impossible to find taps and dies for today. The rifle has no stacking/piling swivel or provision for one. I've never yet fired this rifle, so I can't attest to it's accuracy, but the bore is mint and without wear, suggesting it was well cared for and seldom used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitedog Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 What is clearing (not cleaning) rod, what's the purpose/difference? Hi Vlad What are you doing here, I thought you lived on the IAA forum? Anyway, welcome to the Forum. I hope to see you in St.Louis in April, All the best, Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 Hi, Does anyone know who used Long Lee enfields at gallipoli? TZhanks Chris See this recent thread Chris, particulary Posts #26 and 29. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=157360&st=0 Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitedog Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 See this recent thread Chris, particulary Posts #26 and 29. http://1914-1918.inv...pic=157360&st=0 Regards TonyE Thanks for the link Tony! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 I found a butt plate from Long Lee Enfield on the Somme 1916 area, but it does not have any marks on it, was this common? How rare is it to find this rifle in use on the Somme 1916? Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 14 February , 2011 Share Posted 14 February , 2011 I would say not that uncommon for two reasons. Units were certainly still armed with CLLEs in 1916. There is an IWM picture (Q1202) of the British West India Regiment on the Albert-Amiens Road in September 1916 so armed. Also, how do you know it is from 1916 and not 1915 for example? Plenty of Territorial units were in the area armed with MLE/CLLEs in the early part of the war. Not all MLEs and CLLEs were marked on the butt plate either, so it is difficult to state with any certainty where it came from. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRKY Posted 15 February , 2011 Share Posted 15 February , 2011 Hi Tony, I found it near Bazentine an area not taken until July 1916. Thanks for help so far. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VALERY Posted 5 July , 2011 Share Posted 5 July , 2011 Not necessarily. On the Western Front the majority probably would have been, but not, I think, all. In addition there are plenty of pictures of training units and service Battalions in early days with unconverted rifles. I am far less familiar with operations outside the Western Front but I think it highly likely that unconverted rifles also served elsewhere. Chris Bonjour, Sorry to dig up this thread, but I discovered this picture: Am I right to assume that these rifles are LEI* : I don't see the charger bridge of the CLLE. Do you know this picture? Unfortunately, I found it in a late 70's french weapons magazine but unfortunately, the caption is far from accurate : british soldiers in 1914 with a likeable mascot! The major cap badge and the OR titles are unreadable for me. Cheers Valery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 6 July , 2011 Share Posted 6 July , 2011 Bonjour, Sorry to dig up this thread, but I discovered this picture: Am I right to assume that these rifles are LEI* : I don't see the charger bridge of the CLLE. Do you know this picture? Unfortunately, I found it in a late 70's french weapons magazine but unfortunately, the caption is far from accurate : british soldiers in 1914 with a likeable mascot! The major cap badge and the OR titles are unreadable for me. Cheers Valery Bonjour Valery I have not seen this picture before. It does appear to be a posed propoganda picture although I suppose the date could be correct, but I suspect it is not actually a front line pic! I am using a very small monitor at the moment so the picture is not great for me, even were this not the case I would hesitate to distinguish between a MkI and a MkI* in a photo like this! But 1) you are correct definitely not CCLE however 2) think I can see grasping grooves on the rifles' forestocks (look in front of the corporal's gloved hand and on the 4th rifle back) which probably means that these are earlier rifles (possibly Lee-Metfords (the magazine on the closest rifle is obscured but looks rather deep compared to the trigger guard), or the earliest Lee-Enfields, or Lee-Metfords rebarreled - Metford and Enfield refer to the rifling in the barrel) Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Story Posted 13 July , 2011 Share Posted 13 July , 2011 An original Metford Mk 1* that came out of Afghanistan within the last ten years, heavily worn and modified. No unit markings anywhere. Lost by an Indian unit? Lost in Mesopotamia, traveling overland passed hand-to-hand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 30 July , 2011 Share Posted 30 July , 2011 Kings Liverpools photographed "in the trenches" in April 1916, from "Twenty Years After", p. 726. All the men have Long Lee Enfields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 30 July , 2011 Share Posted 30 July , 2011 Kings Liverpools photographed "in the trenches" in April 1916, from "Twenty Years After", p. 726. All the men have Long Lee Enfields. Yes but although I cannot see sufficeint detail on the picture I would suggest they are likely to be of the Charger Loading variety (CLLE) (with the charger bridge added) as opposed to the earlier types. Still, this is one of the latest reliably dated photos I have seen of MLEs in service with a front line unit. It might be interesting to see what the latest photographic record of these in service with a front-line unit the forum can come up with Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wainfleet Posted 30 July , 2011 Share Posted 30 July , 2011 Yes but although I cannot see sufficeint detail on the picture I would suggest they are likely to be of the Charger Loading variety (CLLE) (with the charger bridge added) as opposed to the earlier types. Still, this is one of the latest reliably dated photos I have seen of MLEs in service with a front line unit. It might be interesting to see what the latest photographic record of these in service with a front-line unit the forum can come up with Chris Chris That's correct, on the original you can see on the only rifle where the bolt area is showing that it has the charger bridge. W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RodB Posted 1 August , 2011 Share Posted 1 August , 2011 #2 What's the round gizmo with what looks to me like a lever on the front left side of the stock ? My research indicates that my grandfather's division, the Territorial 42nd, was armed with these until they arrived in France from Egypt in early 1917, when they acquired SMLEs. Hence they would have used them at Gallipoli. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 1 August , 2011 Share Posted 1 August , 2011 What's the round gizmo with what looks to me like a lever on the front left side of the stock ? My research indicates that my grandfather's division, the Territorial 42nd, was armed with these until they arrived in France from Egypt in early 1917, when they acquired SMLEs. Hence they would have used them at Gallipoli. I think you are referring to the long range "volley" sight. This is a metal disk inset into the forend, and it is a pointer rather than a lever. The base has a scale on it to set the range. At the rear of the rifle there is a tall "peep" sight arm on the left of the receiver. The purpose of this arrangement was to allow the rifle to remain on the shoulder whilst sighted at long range (ie high elevation). These (and their usefulness or otherwise) are oft discussed on the forum - a search for volley sight should give you more than you want to know! They were retained on SMLEs but deleted with the introduction of the MkIII* in later 1915/early 1916. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayg Posted 16 August , 2014 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2014 I was looking up some of my old posts and ran across this one were I posted a LE I just bought and I looked through the thread and saw there were a number of other nice LE's posted by other members as well as a lot of interesting info posted about the LE's so thought I would bring it back up and also mainly because I forgot to post a close up of the bayonet that I had gotten separately/not connected with the LE so that I could find out what unit stamp is on it. Now I tried everything trying to upload a photo of it but it kept coming back as error, possibly because the thread is so old. So minus the photo can someone tell me what unit it could be, maybe an Artillery unit? I think it's worth bringing the thread back up anyway just to see the other rifles that were posted by other members. Here's the unit numbers. Now I'm wondering if I didn't post them some time before on the bayonet thread. boy this getting old is not fun. "38 RGA 119" Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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