Michael Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 My recently acquired 1917 SMLE has a four figure number. It is an Enfield manufactured rifle. Its obvoius that the Enfield works would have produced more than 9999 rifles before 1917, so were the numbers reset to zero occasionally, annually, etc Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 Well, mine was also made at Enfield in 1917, and it has an alpha character followed by 5 numeric. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 18 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2005 This one has 8185 on the body and the fore site Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 18 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2005 I have a list of rifle numbers from a platoon of the Buffs in 1917. There are only numerics. The lowest is 2, the highest is 89355. There are 48 numbers listed. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
priv Posted 18 February , 2005 Share Posted 18 February , 2005 This is a vey complicated issue - I have a Mk III dated 1915 with a serial number of S293. I am aware that there have been lots of studies on this issue and there are various websites detailing theoutcome - though in a Nutshell it is a very difficult thing to be sure of. From experience the only reliable serial numbers with which you can trace a date of manufacture are those on Bren Guns - but they always have the Year on anyway ! Good Luck !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 19 February , 2005 Share Posted 19 February , 2005 According to my book about enfields: Each year they used the complete alphabet as prefix to the numbers. Every letter = 0 - 9999. In Some years the used the alpha bet several times!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 19 February , 2005 Share Posted 19 February , 2005 Numbers run form 1 to 99,999 but Enfield produced rifles are restricted to 9999. After this it will be A1 etc. The alphabet would have been over, . Letter prefixes obseved on Enfield SMLE's: 1913: ABCE 1914: HIJMOPR 1915: ACDFGKLMNRUVZ 1916:ABCEGHIJKOPQRSTUVZ 1917:ABCDGHIJLNOPRSTWXYZ 1918:ABCEFGIJKLMNOQRSTVXZ Hope that helps... This is from Enfield research data. (with ref to Howard Williamson) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2005 Thanks for the help everyone. I suppose I have an early 1917 rifle if it has no prefix. It's nearly as complicated as service numbers. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 20 February , 2005 Share Posted 20 February , 2005 Michael, Until I checked your personal details, I was hoping you would be an American poster, with a working SMLE which you could fire. No so, I see, unless you are a member of a proper full bore club. But I am intrigued. Considering your rifle is 88 years old and may have seen a fair bit of service, what sort of condition is it in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2005 Angie My SMLE has been deactivated. I think the condition is fantastic. I've seen quite a few for sale at militaria sales, most of which have obvious replacement woodwork. I guess that bits and pieces have been replaced given its age but it certainly looks the part. I'm not sure about the sling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 20 February , 2005 Share Posted 20 February , 2005 The sling is ok, can be WW2 too, but it is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2005 The sling is ok, can be WW2 too, but it is ok. That's good, thanks Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 20 February , 2005 Share Posted 20 February , 2005 Angie My SMLE has been deactivated. I think the condition is fantastic. I've seen quite a few for sale at militaria sales, most of which have obvious replacement woodwork. I guess that bits and pieces have been replaced given its age but it certainly looks the part. I'm not sure about the sling Angie My SMLE has been deactivated. I think the condition is fantastic. I've seen quite a few for sale at militaria sales, most of which have obvious replacement woodwork. I guess that bits and pieces have been replaced given its age but it certainly looks the part. I'm not sure about the sling 'Ere, 'ow many times yer bin told to leave yer rifle bolt uppermost, an' not bleedin' cocked! Double-drill an' no canteen! That is a good-looking example, though. Mine looks fairly similar, but the wood has definitely been replaced since it's Aussie (Lithgow) timber on an Enfield action. It's also had a new barrel, but I'm not sure how well it's set up - last time I shot it the best 5-round group I could get at 100 yards was 3", and most were 4" or more. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 20 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 20 February , 2005 'Ere, 'ow many times yer bin told to leave yer rifle bolt uppermost, an' not bleedin' cocked! Double-drill an' no canteen! Please excuse an ex matelot Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 'Ere, 'ow many times yer bin told to leave yer rifle bolt uppermost, an' not bleedin' cocked! Double-drill an' no canteen! Please excuse an ex matelot Mick Only joking . You can do things like that with a deac - that's what they're for. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piscator Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 Just checked the .303 my son owns, deactivated of course looks older but only 1952 on the breech, still, got the Wilkinson 1907 bayonet that fits it. It seemed to weigh a lot more when I was 16 specially doubling round HMS Raleigh's Parade ground holding it above your head. Len Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
303man Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 Just checked the .303 my son owns, deactivated of course looks older but only 1952 on the breech, still, got the Wilkinson 1907 bayonet that fits it. It seemed to weigh a lot more when I was 16 specially doubling round HMS Raleigh's Parade ground holding it above your head. That will be a No4 with a 1952 date Bet it has a serial No like PF345xxx or UF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 21 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 21 February , 2005 doubling round HMS Raleigh's Parade ground holding it above your head. You're showing your age there Len. It was an SLR in my day Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 You're showing your age there Len. It was an SLR in my day Is that what we call an FAL ??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 21 February , 2005 Share Posted 21 February , 2005 SLR = Self Loading Rifle. Or single lens reflex for us photographer types... Not sure if that term is used in Belgium Kristof? FAL is (Fusil Automatique Legere) as you will know. Is that now a generic term in Belgium for a self-loader? The FAL FN was adopted by us Brits as the L1A1 I am reading here... Might not be famous for much the Belgians ( ) but they are not bad at making arms... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted 7 May , 2006 Share Posted 7 May , 2006 The term "FAL" is only applicable to the one series of weapons, that designed by Dieudonne Saive and which was derived from his work at Enfield with the EXP-1 rifles and progressed through the 1947 prototype in 7.92 kurz and eventuslly became the FAL, whether it be the British SLR (L1A1), Canadian C1, German G1 etc., etc. Other FN produced weapons have their own acronyms, CAL, FNC, MAG etc. Regards TonyE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwenMartin Posted 27 August , 2022 Share Posted 27 August , 2022 Hi there, I don’t think anyone will see this as no one has been on for quite a while but I’ve had my 1918 Lee Enfield Mk3* for around 6 years now it’s in incredible condition and it still has the flanders flap, it’s serial number is 9423 but unfortunately the bolt is a replacement. thanks Owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ellin Posted 27 August , 2022 Share Posted 27 August , 2022 Hi Owen, I think you're post deserves a photo. Best Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrEd Posted 15 September , 2022 Share Posted 15 September , 2022 Post a photo @OwenMartin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OwenMartin Posted 16 September , 2022 Share Posted 16 September , 2022 Hi, sorry for the late response Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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