Enfield No 3 - Page 2

Capt'n Mil Coll · 04-18-2008, 12:18 AM

You have a Lee-Enfield No.1 Mark III. Mine has the same markings as yours. Except mine says QE where yours says BNP which may be the Manufactures code. I cant find any listings of these. Its funny because my stamp looks like SNTLE as well. But I know it is SMLE which is what the brits used to call them, their "Smellies". A great Rifle probably used in both WWI and WWII.

SwedeSteve · 04-18-2008, 12:26 AM

Someone told me that it is a good chance this is an Australian rifle based on the serial#! I don't see how this is true, unless there is a serial # range that they accepted! Anybody have a clue on this! I would beEXTREMELY proud if this was a fact! But like a lot I read on line, MooseFeathers!

timberlord · 04-18-2008, 04:08 AM

It's ShtLE ( Short , Lee Enfield ) Same as the SMLE ( Short , Magazined Lee Enfield)
GR is for King George , The father of Queen Elizabeth ll
The rifle was made at RSAF Enfield , Enfieldlock England .
( RSAF = Royal Small Arms Factory )
This is the factory where the Lee Enfield began.

irish murphy · 04-18-2008, 06:46 AM

If it says SHTLE it is an old one.My 1923 smle 303/25 has that marking on the band.

SwedeSteve · 04-18-2008, 11:13 AM

Thanks for the info guys! Anyone have a link for dating by serial #?

Mooseman684 · 04-18-2008, 12:10 PM

Congrats on The Enfield !!!
Here is a link with some info...Nothing on serial numbers yet
Modern Firearms - Rifle Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (SMLE)
Rich

Oh and the Crown over BNP is a Birmingham Nitro proof Stamp...Gr.Britain !
Rich

SwedeSteve · 04-18-2008, 01:07 PM

Thanks Moose!

timberlord · 04-18-2008, 03:43 PM

Lots of info found here :
The Lee-Enfield Rifle Website

SwedeSteve · 04-18-2008, 04:32 PM

Thanks TL!

jackar · 04-25-2008, 09:48 AM

In reading the Wikipedia on Enfields, they say that those rifles made after 1915 (maybe during and after) were called Mk1III*. (Three star) I believe they differed from the MkIII's in that the magazine cutoff was eliminated and windage adjustment was eliminated from the tangent sight. My 1918 Mk1 III* doesn't have the magazine cutoff, but the tangent sight does have windage adjustment. Proving that nothing's absolute.

SwedeSteve · 04-25-2008, 11:44 AM

jackar- How did you find out what the date was for your rifle?

jackar · 04-25-2008, 03:52 PM

Steve,

Excellent question. I think I may be getting senile. I haven't looked closely at my rifle for a couple years, that is, looking at the markings. I would have sworn the marking 1918 was right under the GR and SMLE.
I now know I was thinking of my Webley MkVI revolver. It has 1918 stamped on the frame. The Enfield doesn't.

Which may explain why, though this rifle definitely is a No.1 MKIII*, it does have the windage adjustment on the tangent sight. The serial number is 36XX and may be one made during the transition from No.1 MKIII to the revised No.1 MKIII*.

Someone who knows may be able from this serial number to tell the approximate date of manufacture. Sorry for the mistake.

I'm not senile but I must be blind. I found with a magnifying glass the date which IS 1918. From top down is: Crown, GR, Enfield, 1918, III*. Sorry again for the error.

SwedeSteve · 04-27-2008, 08:39 AM

Now I feel stupid! Mine is a 1917!

publius · 05-10-2008, 12:52 AM

I've had three No 1 Mk III's over the years. Still have two of them. The first one I owned however, I eventually sporterized and traded it in on a H&R Trapdoor .45-70 in about 1974. This particular Enfield I bought in 1961 when I was a junior in HS, for $12.95 out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Wish I wouldn't have sporterized it and wish I still had it. Hopefully it's still floating around out there. I still have the serial number somewhere.

SwedeSteve · 05-10-2008, 08:12 AM

I'm reallt startin' to like this rifle!

04-18-2008, 12:18 AM	#21
Capt'n Mil Coll Military Rifle Collector Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Right behind you. -NRA Member- Posts: 2,260 Images: 10	You have a Lee-Enfield No.1 Mark III. Mine has the same markings as yours. Except mine says QE where yours says BNP which may be the Manufactures code. I cant find any listings of these. Its funny because my stamp looks like SNTLE as well. But I know it is SMLE which is what the brits used to call them, their "Smellies". A great Rifle probably used in both WWI and WWII. __________________ Let's light this fuse and see what happens!

04-18-2008, 12:26 AM	#22
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	Someone told me that it is a good chance this is an Australian rifle based on the serial#! I don't see how this is true, unless there is a serial # range that they accepted! Anybody have a clue on this! I would beEXTREMELY proud if this was a fact! But like a lot I read on line, MooseFeathers! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

04-18-2008, 04:08 AM	#23
timberlord Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 299	It's ShtLE ( Short , Lee Enfield ) Same as the SMLE ( Short , Magazined Lee Enfield) GR is for King George , The father of Queen Elizabeth ll The rifle was made at RSAF Enfield , Enfieldlock England . ( RSAF = Royal Small Arms Factory ) This is the factory where the Lee Enfield began. __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...LongStamp1.jpg

04-18-2008, 11:13 AM	#25
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	Thanks for the info guys! Anyone have a link for dating by serial #? __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

04-18-2008, 12:10 PM	#26
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 9,638 Images: 2	Congrats on The Enfield !!! Here is a link with some info...Nothing on serial numbers yet Modern Firearms - Rifle Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (SMLE) Rich Oh and the Crown over BNP is a Birmingham Nitro proof Stamp...Gr.Britain ! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM! Last edited by Mooseman684; 04-18-2008 at 12:25 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

04-18-2008, 06:46 AM	#24
irish murphy Banned Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 1,028 Blog Entries: 5	If it says SHTLE it is an old one.My 1923 smle 303/25 has that marking on the band.

04-18-2008, 01:07 PM	#27
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	Thanks Moose! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

04-18-2008, 03:43 PM	#28
timberlord Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 299	Lots of info found here : The Lee-Enfield Rifle Website __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...LongStamp1.jpg

04-18-2008, 04:32 PM	#29
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	Thanks TL! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

04-25-2008, 09:48 AM	#30
jackar Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 110	Steve In reading the Wikipedia on Enfields, they say that those rifles made after 1915 (maybe during and after) were called Mk1III. (Three star) I believe they differed from the MkIII's in that the magazine cutoff was eliminated and windage adjustment was eliminated from the tangent sight. My 1918 Mk1 III doesn't have the magazine cutoff, but the tangent sight does have windage adjustment. Proving that nothing's absolute.

04-25-2008, 11:44 AM	#31
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	jackar- How did you find out what the date was for your rifle? __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

04-25-2008, 03:52 PM	#32
jackar Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 110	How did you find out your rifle was made....... Steve, Excellent question. I think I may be getting senile. I haven't looked closely at my rifle for a couple years, that is, looking at the markings. I would have sworn the marking 1918 was right under the GR and SMLE. I now know I was thinking of my Webley MkVI revolver. It has 1918 stamped on the frame. The Enfield doesn't. Which may explain why, though this rifle definitely is a No.1 MKIII, it does have the windage adjustment on the tangent sight. The serial number is 36XX and may be one made during the transition from No.1 MKIII to the revised No.1 MKIII. Someone who knows may be able from this serial number to tell the approximate date of manufacture. Sorry for the mistake. I'm not senile but I must be blind. I found with a magnifying glass the date which IS 1918. From top down is: Crown, GR, Enfield, 1918, III. Sorry again for the error. Last edited by jackar; 04-25-2008 at 04:31 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost*

04-27-2008, 08:39 AM	#33
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	Now I feel stupid! Mine is a 1917! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

05-10-2008, 12:52 AM	#34
publius Banned Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 45	I've had three No 1 Mk III's over the years. Still have two of them. The first one I owned however, I eventually sporterized and traded it in on a H&R Trapdoor .45-70 in about 1974. This particular Enfield I bought in 1961 when I was a junior in HS, for $12.95 out of the Sears and Roebuck catalog. Wish I wouldn't have sporterized it and wish I still had it. Hopefully it's still floating around out there. I still have the serial number somewhere.

05-10-2008, 08:12 AM	#35
SwedeSteve Bullet Maintenance !! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The anchor point, Alaska Posts: 10,300 Images: 1	I'm reallt startin' to like this rifle! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers