Ass in an Enfield Sling

East03

East03

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Help!

I just finished cleaning and reconditioning a P-17, and now I realize I forgot which way the sling mounts should be put in, as they're offset to one side. Can anyone post a pic' of their '17 showing the sling mounts or offer me a good reference site? Thanks!

P.S. I wasn't drunk when it did it, just an idiot...
 
Offset (longer side) to the right actually. Same side as the bolt handle. The long range volley sights were fitted to the left (side opposite the bolt) on the P-14 from witch the M-17 was developed. They offset them to the right in order to keep the sling clear of the sight.
Also be careful calling your M1917 a P17. The P for pattern was applied to the British P14. The Americans called there rifles Model or “M”. Some folks get quite bent when they see “P17” posted.
 
#4mk1(T) said:
Offset (longer side) to the right actually. Same side as the bolt handle.
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Correct... I was looking at it from the muzzle end... oops. :redface:

#4mk1(T) said:
Some folks get quite bent when they see “P17” posted.
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Those folks are pedants.

Either 'M' or 'P', anyone in Canada who knows about these rifles will know what a P17 is. The U.S. is a different story, obviously.
 
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Actually I got it wrong, The proper, offical name is "The U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, Model of 1917."

Incidently, the proper offical name for the P14 is "The Pattern 1914 Magazine Rifle." Neither had Enfield in their name. Latter it was changed to the No. 3 Rifle.

Call it what ever you want!
 
The P17 is related to the P51, right?

Oh, never mind...

Neal

(Who gets all bent out of shape when people call the rifle, Number 4, a "SMLE".)

:)
 
Frankly I don’t care what you want to call it. P17, M17, U.S. Rifle, Cal. .30, Model of 1917 or Bessie for that matter. I’ve just seen a few relative new comers to the milsurp forum virtually attacked for this same supposed transgression. My comments were a warning. Not an attempt to chastise.
Now calling a Number 4 an "SMLE", that’s a whole other story!
 
nelly said:
The P17 is related to the P51, right?

Oh, never mind...

Neal

(Who gets all bent out of shape when people call the rifle, Number 4, a "SMLE".)

:)
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Hi

Actually I think it's related to pages 16 and 18 :D ...

To me calling a No. 4 a SMLE is a bit different than P17 on an M1917. I can't explain it well, but one is calling the rifle something its *not* and the other is calling it by a nickname. I also don't have as much trouble with "45 Long Colt" or "38 Super" as some people do.

I'm not sure that Model of 1917 is a whole lot more un-ambiguous. We have a *lot* of stuff that's labeled with years. You have to include at least the "rifle" to make it specific.

Now if we just had come up with a system where the mark was first and the number was *second* :runaway: :runaway: :runaway:.....

Bob
 
No kicking of ass

East03 said:
Will I get my ass kicked for that transgression? Actually you raise a point that I would like to clear up. I had a bubba'd SMLE (dated 1918) for decades now and only ever called it an SMLE .303. What is the proper term for such a beast? A #1 Mk. 4?
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SMLE 303 I would say was at least partly correct.
If you were describing it in pre 1926 terminology it would have most likely been a Mk.3* (star)
In post 1926 terminology it would have been a No. 1 Mk.3*

pa guns said:
To me calling a No. 4 a SMLE is a bit different than P17 on an M1917. I can't explain it well, but one is calling the rifle something its *not* and the other is calling it by a nickname.
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Technically SMLE isn’t a nickname. It stands for Short Magazine Lee Enfield. The term was applied to the then new short Mk.1 in order to help differentiate it from the Lee Enfield Mk1 (later called the Long Lee). As the No4 was not a “shorter” version of another Lee Enfield to apply the SMLE nomenclature to the No.4 can not be considered correct. By the time of the adoption of the No.4 the SMLE terminology had been dropped. It’s kind of like calling every small SUV a Jeep even if it is a Sidekick.
But hey know what….I’m done being the terminology police! I’ll say it again……Call it what you want! I just don’t care that much and chances are we’ll all know what your talking about…..maybe.
 
#4mk1(T) said:
.....
Technically SMLE isn’t a nickname. It stands for Short Magazine Lee Enfield. .....
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Hi

I think we're saying the same thing. P17 is a common nickname for the M1917 rifle and no other weapon. It's slang, but it's specific. The SMLE is a proper name for a rifle that is *not* a No. 4.

The very simple problem I see with using the "Model of 1917" or M1917 description for the US rifle is that there is a "Model of 1917 Heavy Machine Gun". Like the rifle, it's more proper nickname is the M1917. To me P17 is the less confusing way to refer to the rifle.

Bob
 
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