Lee Enfield SMLE Research

[mousewallrat]

I bought an old Lee Enfield SMLE .410 conversion, and am wondering if there is any way to research it's history beyond the Ishapore and Manchester stamps? Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[mokin]

Try Googling Lee Enfield SMLE or some variation of those terms. If you prefer to go the book method, try looking in a "Small Arms of the 20th Century" type book as a place to start. For very detailed information North Cape Publications of Tustin, California, (www.northcapepubs.com) prints a series of books about the different variations of this firearm. These books will probably explain everything about the marks found on your gun.

 

[Ron James]

But if you are asking if it's possible to know who it was issued to, no.

 

[shotgunjoel]

Can't help, but sounds like a fun gun. Where did you get it I want one.

 

[mousewallrat]

What I was hoping to find out (realizing it might well be impossible), was what units it had been issued to, through the serial numbers. It's a great gun. Built in 1918, converted in 1930. It has the unit markings painted on the right side of the stock, 23/172. I found it for $280 at a local gun shop, and had to have it. The proper bayonet arrived today........it looks wicked with that 18" of steel on it!

 

[BHP FAN]

from Wiki

Numerous attempts were made to convert the .410 Shotgun model (which was single shot, and generally manufactured by the Ishapore arsenal) to a bolt-action repeating model by removing the wooden magazine plug and replacing it with a standard 10-round SMLE magazine. None of these is known to have been successful, however, a compromise was reached by fitting a Stevens/Savage .410 magazine into an original SMLE magazine housing.

The .410 conversions were mostly used for crowd control as riot shotguns in India. They are chambered for a 2" British .410 shotshell, basically a blown out .303 British cartridge. As these cartridges have not been manufactured for several years, ammunition is strictly a "roll your own" prospect. Many of these conversions have been reamed out to accept modern 2 1/2"-3" .410 shotshells in the United States. As the pressure for even high velocity .410 ammunition are well below standard .303 British pressure ranges these conversions, when done by a competent gunsmith, are quite safe to shoot.

hope this helps...

 

[lavenatti]

I picked one of these up myself a while back. I took it to the trap shooting area of the range I belong to and proceeded to blast a couple of clay birds out of the air with it. After a few minutes I realized I was the only one shooting anymore.

Everyone was staring at the guy shooting clay birds out of the air with a "rifle".