Favorite Lee–Enfield

I'm a fan of these old warhorses. Currently have a No. 4 Mk 1/2. Fun, fun, fun. Even with open sights makes me look like a decent shot. I shot a sporterized version as a kid that was my father's. I miss that gun. Buddy has an SMLE that we took to the range earlier this year and when I shot it we just connected. That got me on a search for one and I found my current No. 4. I am on the lookout for an SMLE now. I think The SMLE is going to be tougher to find in good condition. Good luck with your quest!

If you're Lucky (like me ) you'll find an Australian SMLE that is in unfired condition ...



Well ... actually ... it WAS in unfired condition.

Having spent a good portion of my early years in Canada, I developed odd ideas of what constituted a great rifle. While the SMLE (Short,magazine,Lee Enfield, No. 1 MkIII) was pretty common up there, I really took to the No4 Lee Enfield. Lucky for me, I picked up a few when folks here in the US thought they were junk. Here's some of my "shooters."

I've got a No 4 Mk 1 BSA made in 1944



The blue is an artifact of the cheap camera.

I was a huge fan of my No. 4 Mk 2 I had. wound up selling it when I needed some money. I still have a No. 1 Mk 3 (I think...) stamped 1918, that my dad let me buy from him. I cleared some land for him so he sold it to me for what he paid, $40. He said they had them stacked in 55 gallon drums in a hardware store in the early 80s.

Both are veryou accurate with the iron sights out to 200 yards or so.

I had a No.1 MkIII* SMLE that would have been the same type carried by my maternal grandfather at the Khyber Pass (1919-1931), but sadly it had to be sold to supply the needs of a growing family. I now have a No.5 Mk1 ROF Fazakerly "Jungle Carbine" that is a hoot to shoot.

Along the way I had an Ishapore 2A1 that came with a rotted stock. I cut it down, put a new sporter stock on it, and turned it into a Psuedo Scout. I sold it when a Gunsite Ruger Scout came my way.

This is one heck of a deal if anyone can get to this guy. (Face to face only I think.) About 1/3rd what Blue book lists them for.

http://www.armslist.com/posts/6126437/georgia-antiques-for-sale--new-enfield-rifles-no-4--mk-2


I also know it is not a SMLE, but close and a very fine rifle that many on here seem to like.

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I have trimmed my collection down to 11 Enfields. One 1917 BSA #1, two #5mk1's, one P14 (#3mk1), and the rest #4mk1's and mk1*'s, My favorite is the 8/45 Fazakerley #5mk1, but my shooter is a Fazakerley #4mk1. I prefer the #$/#5/P14 sights to the #1mkIII.

Had an Enfield No.5 Mk.1 that I was very fond of. Got it for a great price and I really liked the shorter configuration to that of the No.4 Mk.1. Ended up selling it and another gun to get something else I wanted at the time.

andrewdl007 said:

... What I wanted to know is for those who own a SMLE, what version do you have and how much do you like it? If you own multiple models, which is your favorite to own and shoot? ...

Click to expand...

I just checked my Firearms Index ... I still have 11 Lee-Enfields, but only 2 of them are SMLEs; a 1951 India GRI and a 1943 Lithgow (not a JJCo "import" so that I know it to not be a parts gun assembled in a warehouse in Brooklyn).

Aside from one Nº5, the rest are Nº4s(all MkI*s) ... 1 Savage, 3 Longbranch, 1 POF and 3 assorted GBs.

Of these, I have never felt any favoritism towards any of them. I enjoy shooting them all.

With my Enfield I've got both the spike and the blade bayonet.







I'd like to find a length of No 4 barrel with the bayonet lug that I could make into a attachable grip.

I don't collect British Commonwealth rifles, but some how I have managed to acquire a few of them. My Lee Enfields include a Mk1** originally made in 1903 and upgraded a couple of times, the last time to a MkIII.




Second is an original condition No4Mk1 made by BSA in 1943




I also have the correct bayonets for both rifles.

A No. 4 Mk 1/2 nor its older brother the No. 4 Mk I or Mk I* or its younger brother the No.5 Mk.1 is not an SMLE. ONLY the No. 1 Mk whatever is an SMLE.
Personally, despite having been a CF RSO, I dislike all of 'em except the No. 7. A No. 7 Lee-Enfield can drive tacks with the cheapest crappola ammo.
"...I've got both the..." There were a total of 7(or 9, I forget) different bayonets that went on a No. 4 Rifle.

I have a nice shooter that was refinished by parker&Hale. The action says England 1941 kinda hard to see in the pic.

Of Course Sunray is correct that the No4MK2 is not a SMLE, but while we're talking about Enfields, I do like this one:

1953 No4MK2 Fazakerley, except for the magazine, in pretty much new condition.




Tinpig

I have 20, I think, or 22. Of all of them the one I like the best I haven't even fired. It's a New Zealand drill rifle, and the bolt matches. It was also made by Savage. And it is still in firing condition.

A Savage/Stevens series # 4L, No 4 Mk1 (no *) should also have a commercial 6-groove barrel. If your gun hasn't been FTR'd you have a quite rare specimen. New Zealand often relegated "obsolete" but perfectly functional weapons as "DP" but check it over vary carefully as some of them have a hole drilled into the chamber from underneath. Either take it apart and look it over or have a competent gun smith do that for you.

I have a few No1 MkIII that I picked up 10-15 years ago when they were cheap. Two of them have been sporterized, I would like to take one back to original but the other I would like to put a scope on.
My problem is I can not find a good scope mount, all I find are cheap ones. Anybody know of a good solid mount for a No1 MkIII?

My Enfield Rifle No.4 Mk2, Fazakerley 1949, FTR 53. The spike bayonet is a Savage.
A really nice rifle to shoot.

I had one that was stamped( us property ) It shot well but I didn't now anything about them and I sold it really cheap that was 20 years ago.

I was just thinking. Maybe this thread would be better titled: "Favourite Lee-Enfield".

Curator said:

Having spent a good portion of my early years in Canada, I developed odd ideas of what constituted a great rifle. While the SMLE (Short,magazine,Lee Enfield, No. 1 MkIII) was pretty common up there, I really took to the No4 Lee Enfield. Lucky for me, I picked up a few when folks here in the US thought they were junk. Here's some of my "shooters."

Click to expand...

Those magazines look a bit odd?

Merle1:

Those are 7.62 Enfield magazines. The rifles are; top to bottom Long Branch 1/3 DCRA 7.62 NATO, 2nd from top, Parker Hale T-4 target rifle7.62 NATO, A.J. Parker "Excell" 7.62 NATO, and L39A1 military target rifle, 7.62 NATO. Contrary to what is posted all around the internet, these 7.62 NATO conversions can really shoot.