GRANVILLE Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 Have just got my SMLE back and thought I'd take a closer look at some of it's numbers etc. The first hurdle is it's date - any thoughts? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerhunter Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 I'd go for 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 Me too. What is the serial prefix that may help (although Enf. produced so many in 1916 (or the only other real competitor 1918) that it may not narrow it down much. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc2 Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 Could be 1918, but I'll agree with Beerhunter that it is most likely 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 8 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2014 Thanks chaps. I could not make my mind up so thought some of you experts might like a guess. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 This one looks the same and is captioned 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5thBatt Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 I have both a 1916 & a 1918 ENFIELD made SMLE & i would say it's 1918 but they are so unclear i cant say it with 100% certainty but i am pretty sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 I have both a 1916 & a 1918 ENFIELD made SMLE & i would say it's 1918 but they are so unclear i cant say it with 100% certainty but i am pretty sure. So as movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn said "that's a definite maybe" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 experts might like a guess Most experts don't guess!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 experts might like a guess Most experts don't guess!! Actually they do all the time - never heard the term "an expert guess"? google it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 This one looks the same and is captioned 1916 1916_lee_enfield_5 (2).jpg Actually I wouldn't say it looks the same at all! look at the * for example, different style is being used. I too have both so I will go and look now - this, and 5th Batt's comments have shaken my guess. Edit: ahh well here is an 1918.....same style of lettering Going to have to dig more to get to the 1916, but it's looking more this 1918 style... I may have to change my guess to I don't know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dman Posted 8 October , 2014 Share Posted 8 October , 2014 I'd make a rubbing of it - put piece of paper over serial number and rub with pencil or crayon to see if can bring out number Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 9 October , 2014 Share Posted 9 October , 2014 First glance, (sometimes the best) 1916 khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 9 October , 2014 Share Posted 9 October , 2014 Actually I wouldn't say it looks the same at all! look at the * for example, different style is being used. I too have both so I will go and look now - this, and 5th Batt's comments have shaken my guess. Edit: ahh well here is an 1918.....same style of lettering WWIMkIIIstar.jpg 1918.jpg Going to have to dig more to get to the 1916, but it's looking more this 1918 style... I may have to change my guess to I don't know! If asked to choose at gun point I think I'd agree with you that it looks like 1918 ........ buuutttt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjohn Posted 9 October , 2014 Share Posted 9 October , 2014 Knowing little about these only what I have read in these threads, if you took the front hand guards off, Won`t there be a date on the barrel ? Unless it has been refurbished and rebarreled ? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRANVILLE Posted 9 October , 2014 Author Share Posted 9 October , 2014 Knowing little about these only what I have read in these threads, if you took the front hand guards off, Won`t there be a date on the barrel ? Unless it has been refurbished and rebarreled ? John I would suspect mine has been re-barreled in it's life time, there are various stamp marks & numbers under the top hand guard, one indicates it's been a '410 in its time. Can anyone anyone advise which mark would pin down the date of the barrel? Also, is there any particular reason why the last digit of the date stamping is often so hard read? If one assumes it was 1916 is it simply a reflection of the speed & haste with which they were being turned out at the time? David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 9 October , 2014 Share Posted 9 October , 2014 (edited) I would suspect mine has been re-barreled in it's life time, there are various stamp marks & numbers under the top hand guard, one indicates it's been a '410 in its time. Can anyone anyone advise which mark would pin down the date of the barrel? Also, is there any particular reason why the last digit of the date stamping is often so hard read? If one assumes it was 1916 is it simply a reflection of the speed & haste with which they were being turned out at the time? David The date on the barrel is usually low down on the left hand side of the barrel (as you hold the rifle) - it is usually visible but is sometimes below the wood line of the fore-end. (Edit: it is in the same format as appears on bayonets etc '17 = 1917, '18=1918 etc) On the stamping - I think out of all of mine the date stamp is in question on just a few. (fewer than 5%) so I am not sure I agree that it is "often" an issue... I think speed of production is one factor in the general sloppiness of markings, also the degree of wear (in service/use this area is in contact with hands etc quite a lot), and the surface they are stamped on is also slightly curved so towards the edges it is "lower" which I think often means the first and last parts of the stamping are sometimes fainter (this is more noticeable on E nfield D) - and these things are 100 years old or thereabouts after all! On WWII produced No1 rifles (manufactured under the dispersal scheme) the last two digits (year) were added separately by hand so the main (roll?) stamp is crown / 19__ /ShtLE/MkIII* and then 40/41/42/43/44 are added by hand - in these cases the hand stampings (which vary in neatness!) are often more obvious than the rest. Chris Edited 9 October , 2014 by 4thGordons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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