mancpal Posted 22 February , 2016 Share Posted 22 February , 2016 I wonder if any experts out there that can tell me if an SMLE could be fired left handed. I have a distant memory that tells me that it couldn't but I can't remember why. If it is the case then I'd have been a hopeless sniper as I couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo right handed Thanks Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 22 February , 2016 Share Posted 22 February , 2016 They certainly could but it was just a bit more awkward operating the bolt. In my time in the 50s, left handers were given no extra training, they just had to get on with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 22 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2016 Thanks Phil, If I ever time travel back to the trenches I'll feel a lot safer! Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 22 February , 2016 Share Posted 22 February , 2016 Bring back the Martini-Henry that was good for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 22 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2016 Not sure drinking martini would improve my accuracy either left or right handed! As you may have guessed weaponry is not my strong point. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 23 February , 2016 Share Posted 23 February , 2016 They certainly could but it was just a bit more awkward operating the bolt. Can be seen fired left handed below: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 23 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2016 Andrew Thanks for the video. I now see what Phil means about being a bit awkward but obviously it's perfectly possible. Certain power tools have the same degree of awkwardness for left handers whilst others are impossible to use in any other way than right handed (safety devices and sometimes where the cable exits on some corded tools). Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 23 February , 2016 Share Posted 23 February , 2016 I recall hearing about SMLEs with the bolt redesigned to sit to the left, but I can't imagine every "lefty" being issued with one. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 23 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2016 I'm not an expert at all but that sounds like an expensive thing to achieve as presumably this would entail some re-tooling. I wonder how many were produced and if anyone still has one. Also to a collector surely the monetary value would far exceed that of a standard SMLE purely based on rarity. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 23 February , 2016 Share Posted 23 February , 2016 What was nice about them was that you could shoot the standard rifle off the left shoulder even if you needed to use the right eye - you can still get your face down far enough to line up with it. Of course, as noted above, bolt operation was less than slick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reese williams Posted 24 February , 2016 Share Posted 24 February , 2016 It's not uncommon to find a photo printed with the negative reversed, which gives the impression of a left-handed rifle. There were not any factory produced left-handed L-Es. You can work a right-handed bolt-action left handed. I do it all the time as I'm very left-eye dominant. It does handicap you some in the rapid fire strings in competition. That's why I hunt with a lever action. Remember, everyone's born right-handed. Some of us overcome it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 24 February , 2016 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2016 Reese I'm not sure where your last sentence leaves me as I'm actually ambidextrous! I can actually shoot either handed with equal results..... Poor. Dave seems to be sure that left handed versions existed, could it be that these were individually commissioned and adapted by a gunsmith rather than the manufacturer? Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 24 February , 2016 Share Posted 24 February , 2016 I am pretty certain that none were ever produced by the manufacturers or acquired by the British Army in any official capacity. In 25 years of collecting Enfields I do not believe I have ever seen or read about a left handed version but would be fascinated to see one or hear of a reference to one if it exists, as in so many things Enfield I am not prepared to say never!. I have seen "sporter" butt-stocks for US M1917 "enfields" which are designed for use by left handed shooters, with a wooden cheek pad/rest on the opposite side of the butt, but these were for fitting to right handed actions. As the various videos linked show, whilst manipulating the bolt is a little awkward it is certainly possible. A good friend of mine who is a professional in the field shoots my enfields left handed without issue and demonstrates (to my chagrin) that all of my rifles shoot better than I do! Whilst very different from the tools of his trade these days, in the hands of an expert he has shown that a 1896 MLE, a 1905 ShtLE MkI*, a 1916 SMLE and a 1916 Pattern 1914 are still capable of very tight groups indeed As someone who is a little mixed up in this regard (I bat/golf left handed etc but am right handed in most other things) I have always wondered if, in training and for musketry qualification etc soldiers 14-18 were even allowed to shoot left handed? does anyone know? It was not so far from the time when children were being forced to write right handed, and most of the musketry instructions are written for right handers - does anyone know what the army practice was in 1914-18? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 24 February , 2016 Share Posted 24 February , 2016 There was a tale, and I believe it only that, that nine left-handed Enfield No 4's were hand-built at Enfield for some 'special purpose' during the later stages of WW2, but by the time they were finished the need for them had passed. The tale then has two versions in conclusion, the first (and the more likely) is that they remained in storage, and were then broken up. The second that they were indeed in storage until almost the end of the Enfield factory, and were purchased by a firearms dealer who was in the know, and they went to very specialist collectors for very interesting amounts of money. This I don't believe as I am sure one would have surfaced by now. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
depaor01 Posted 24 February , 2016 Share Posted 24 February , 2016 I recall hearing about SMLEs with the bolt redesigned to sit to the left, but I can't imagine every "lefty" being issued with one. Dave Reading this (especially the bit about having to re-engineer the bolt sliding mechanism, not just the bolt) would seem to make my recollection faulty: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=16964 I blame old age. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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