5thBatt Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Just a picture thread of my early SMLEs enjoy 1904 EFD Mk1 Full matching original numbers, NZ marked. 1907 BSA MkIII Mis-matched barrel & rear sight otherwise matching, Aus marked 1909 EFD MkIII (Sht.22 MkIV) re-numbered bolt, full matching. no ownership marks 1911 BSA MkIII Full matching original numbers, Aus marked 1915 Lithgow MkIII Rebuild, only has original numbered bolt & numbered replacement barrel, Aus marked metal, NZ marked woodwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Very nice. Lovely woodwork. I assume all are live firers? TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 20 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2014 1915 LSA MkIII (Sht.22 MkIV) Full matching numbers (appears fully re-numbered when converted) un-numbered rear sight, Aus marked. 1916 Lithgow MkIII (No1 MkIIIH) Converted in the '30s to a H marksman rifle. H barrel numbered to match, mismatched rear sight, rest original numbers, Aus marked 1916 EFD MkIII (built on a Mk1 SMLE body) Full matching numbers, NZ marked 1917 Lithgow MkIII full matching numbers, Aus marked. 1918 Lithgow MkIII* with cutoff slot. Full matching numbers, un-numbered '40s barrel, Aus marked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Steady on now 5thBatt, there may be people on here with heart conditions or similar ailments.! Beautiful rifles ... and certainly enough to get the pulse racing.! Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 20 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2014 1918 BSA MkIII* Full matching original numbers, NZ marked 1918 BSA MkIII* (has a 1939 Lithgow replacement receiver) Full matching numbers, NZ marked 1918 LSA MkIII* Full matching numbers, '39 Lithgow replacement barrel numbered to match, NZ marked 1918 SSA MkIII* Full matching original numbers, NZ marked. 1918 NRF MkIII* Full matching original numbers, NZ marked. OK relax now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shippingsteel Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Sheesh ... lucky I'm sitting down.! All of a sudden I feel faint, haha ... no they are lovely rifles, and a wonderful collection. Awesome stuff. Cheers, S>S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 20 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Very nice. Lovely woodwork. I assume all are live firers? TT All live firers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Fantastic selection. I have equivalents (date/manufacturer wise) of most of them but much lower quality examples than these. [tips hat] Well played sir fantastic selection! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lancashire Fusilier Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 5thBatt, Truly, a collection to be proud of, and I am sure a lot of time and effort went into putting it together. Regards, LF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 One , no the best selection of SMLE s I have seen. Wonderful. It never ceases to amaze me the collections people have. A true love here. Thanks for taking the time to share. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eairicbloodaxe Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 If there's ever another war, I now know whose side I need to be on... Wow! Regards Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrylee Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Well done! The effort required to get them together is greatly respected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pmaasz Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Why are they called SMLE's (Short Magazine Lee-Enfield) when to my uneducated eye none of them appears to be made by Lee-Enfield? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peregrinvs Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Why are they called SMLE's (Short Magazine Lee-Enfield) when to my uneducated eye none of them appears to be made by Lee-Enfield? 'EFD' means RSAF Enfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 "Lee-Enfield" was not an organisation but the title of the weapon. The name derives from the action and magazine of the rifle which was invented by James Paris Lee and the rifling system which was designed at the Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) at Enfield Lock. Prior to the adoption of the Enfield rifling system for Cordite, the service rifle was the Magazine Lee-Metford which had Metford designed rifling suitable for black powder. Where ever the SMLE was made, Britain, Australia, India, it was still the "Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield". Regards Tonye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18th Battalion Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Fantastic collection; I feel totally inadequate now only having two SMLE's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscott Posted 20 January , 2014 Share Posted 20 January , 2014 Phenomenal collection 5thBatt - thanks for sharing. Which of those are your favourites? And which are the rarities (apologies if this is a silly question - I'm not really a rifle man!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 20 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2014 The first 1918 would be the only one you could really class as common but then it's uncommon because it's completely original to the extent i would class it as my best example of an original MkIII*. By far my favorite would be the 1907 BSA MkIII, it just seems to be in a league of its own Adding more details for each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrylee Posted 21 January , 2014 Share Posted 21 January , 2014 As I said, an excellent presentation. I don't wish to be seen as trying to hijack the thread, but if there is sufficient interest I can add photos of several more WW I era S.M.L.E.s which are appropriate to include. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 21 January , 2014 Share Posted 21 January , 2014 I would like to see them Terrylee. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 21 January , 2014 Share Posted 21 January , 2014 Here are my two, both de activated The one with the leather sling is a Enfield 1917 dated example with a J pre fix to the serial number. All numbers match. The other is a BSA example with matching numbers and a G prefix. The foresight circle that accepts the bayonet ring has however been ground down and re numbered. The butts have new wood spliced in ages ago...evidence of too many crashes on the parade ground. The wood is much nicer on the Enfield and is more shaped behind the front sling swivel. The web sling is a 1917 example made by Wrights. All wood matches however on both. The Enfield has the later slabbed cocking piece. Hope this picture is of interest, a poor retort to the original posters wonderful collection. TT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrylee Posted 21 January , 2014 Share Posted 21 January , 2014 1) S.M.L.E. Mk I*, Enfield 1906. Marked to the Natal Light Horse (German South West Africa) 2) S.M.L.E. Mk II*, Enfield 1905. Marked to the 1st Battalion of the South Staffordshire Regiment. 3) S.M.L.E. Mk III, Ishapore 1911. South African military markings and probably included in the batch received by S.A. early in W.W. II. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 21 January , 2014 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2014 As I said, an excellent presentation. I don't wish to be seen as trying to hijack the thread, but if there is sufficient interest I can add photos of several more WW I era S.M.L.E.s which are appropriate to include. Well you'll always get the interest from me, love to see photos of early SMLEs, please post away everyone, would love to see how many we can get posted in a single thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 22 January , 2014 Share Posted 22 January , 2014 Well mine are not going to be up to the quality of those displayed above... and I am going to have to use what photos I have on my laptop which are not up to much either but): (urghhh "sportered" 1904 hardly dared post this one) MkI*** supplied to Ireland (CR serial) NSW marked matching but with replacement unnumbered wood Has seen indian service with "Ishapore Screw" and trimmed wood (mismatched / renumbered bolt) Then a selection of pre/wartime rifles 1911 Enfield, 1912 BSA, 1914 LSA, 1915 LSA 1915 BSA (early MkIII*) 1917 LSA 1918 SSA and 1920 Lithgow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 22 January , 2014 Share Posted 22 January , 2014 couple of trainers / oddities (if these detract from the WWI SMLE theme I will happily remove them 5th Batt just let me know) 1896 Sparkbrook "range rifle" a MLE cut down to SMLE length to (I believe) allow it to comply with service match rules after the introduction of the SMLE NZ Cadet Rifle (on 1910 receiver) And some Indian oddments a 1930s conversion of a 1917 rifle to .410 musket an early India Pattern MkI IP and a 1915 dated 'Single Loader" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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