Before No. X system came in...
- Thread starter russian_babushka
- Start date
"Lee Enfield" = what we think of as the long lee.
"Sht. L.E." = What we think of as the SMLE.
"Lee Enfield Cavalry Carbine" = the carbine version of the "Lee Enfield" above.
Then there was a series of Mk numbers and "*" modifications.
"Sht. L.E." = What we think of as the SMLE.
"Lee Enfield Cavalry Carbine" = the carbine version of the "Lee Enfield" above.
Then there was a series of Mk numbers and "*" modifications.
Well, perhaps a wee bit more complicated than that .... 
When the Lee bolt-action rifle with Metford-rifled barrel was first introduced in 1888, it was described as simply "Rifle, Magazine (Mark I)" in the British War Department's List of Changes in War Matériel and Patterns of Military Stores. (The List of Changes was made up of official announcements of all new items - including firearms - adopted, once the official "pattern" for that item had been "sealed", and also of any changes introduced to existing patterns).
When the first set of official changes to that pattern were adopted, the new variant was referred to as the "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Metford (Mark I*)". As you are likely aware, different variants of a primary "Pattern" of item were denoted as Mark I, Mark II and so on, and lesser variations not deemed significant enough to refer to the variant as a new "Mark" were denoted by "stars" ... i.e. Mark I*, Mark I**, and so on.
And how about that cumbersome "reverse order" Bitish military terminology, by the way? I love such designations as "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Metford: Bottle, Oil, (Mark I)" and "Tools, Armourers', Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle: Implement, Action (Mark II)" ...
When it was determined that the Metford-type rifling was prone to excessive erosion with the cordite propellant adopted in 1892 to replace the original compressed black powder charge of the .303 cartridge, a new system of rifling was developed at Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield and, when it was officially adopted late in 1895, the weapon got the new designation "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (Mark I)".
Back then there were still carbine versions, referred to as "Carbine, Magazine, Lee-Metford" and "Carbine, Magazine, Lee-Enfield" respectively (with appropriate Mark and "star" designations, of course.)
The two main names are often abbreviated by collectors as MLM and MLE.
Experience, particularly during the Boer War, resulted in a decison to adopt a standardized, somewhat shortened rifle, rather than having separate rifle and carbine versions. That gave rise to the "Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (Mark I) ... thus SMLE ... in 1903, which eventually was re-named as the Rifle No. 1.
When the Lee bolt-action rifle with Metford-rifled barrel was first introduced in 1888, it was described as simply "Rifle, Magazine (Mark I)" in the British War Department's List of Changes in War Matériel and Patterns of Military Stores. (The List of Changes was made up of official announcements of all new items - including firearms - adopted, once the official "pattern" for that item had been "sealed", and also of any changes introduced to existing patterns).
When the first set of official changes to that pattern were adopted, the new variant was referred to as the "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Metford (Mark I*)". As you are likely aware, different variants of a primary "Pattern" of item were denoted as Mark I, Mark II and so on, and lesser variations not deemed significant enough to refer to the variant as a new "Mark" were denoted by "stars" ... i.e. Mark I*, Mark I**, and so on.
And how about that cumbersome "reverse order" Bitish military terminology, by the way? I love such designations as "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Metford: Bottle, Oil, (Mark I)" and "Tools, Armourers', Lee-Metford Magazine Rifle: Implement, Action (Mark II)" ...
When it was determined that the Metford-type rifling was prone to excessive erosion with the cordite propellant adopted in 1892 to replace the original compressed black powder charge of the .303 cartridge, a new system of rifling was developed at Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield and, when it was officially adopted late in 1895, the weapon got the new designation "Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (Mark I)".
Back then there were still carbine versions, referred to as "Carbine, Magazine, Lee-Metford" and "Carbine, Magazine, Lee-Enfield" respectively (with appropriate Mark and "star" designations, of course.)
The two main names are often abbreviated by collectors as MLM and MLE.
Experience, particularly during the Boer War, resulted in a decison to adopt a standardized, somewhat shortened rifle, rather than having separate rifle and carbine versions. That gave rise to the "Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (Mark I) ... thus SMLE ... in 1903, which eventually was re-named as the Rifle No. 1.
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