Lee Enfield help
- Thread starter Kaos646
- Start date
Your rifle was once a long Lee with a 30 inch barrel. As noted above, a Lee Enfield Mk.I.
Your rifle was one of 40,000 purchased by the Canadian Govt in 1896 (serial number tells me).
What is interesting to me is that the Canadian contract was very early production of this model of rifle. In fact, it was the first time that a new weapon was used to arm an overseas army. The Brits had armed its standing army with the Mk.II Lee Metford rifle only four years earlier and had not yet upgraded. This meant that for a short while, the Canadian Army was armed with a more up to date weapon than the British Army.
Yours has had extensive modifications to convert it into a sporting rifle.
Your rifle was one of 40,000 purchased by the Canadian Govt in 1896 (serial number tells me).
What is interesting to me is that the Canadian contract was very early production of this model of rifle. In fact, it was the first time that a new weapon was used to arm an overseas army. The Brits had armed its standing army with the Mk.II Lee Metford rifle only four years earlier and had not yet upgraded. This meant that for a short while, the Canadian Army was armed with a more up to date weapon than the British Army.
Yours has had extensive modifications to convert it into a sporting rifle.
What you have and what it looked like originally ...
1896 Mk1 MLE (Magazine Lee-Enfield) Long Leehttps://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=180-1896-Mk1-MLE-(Magazine-Lee-Enfield)-Long-Lee
(Mfg by BSA&M Co. - Birmingham Small Arms & Machine Co.)
Regards,
Doug
1896 Mk1 MLE (Magazine Lee-Enfield) Long Leehttps://www.milsurps.com/content.php?r=180-1896-Mk1-MLE-(Magazine-Lee-Enfield)-Long-Lee
(Mfg by BSA&M Co. - Birmingham Small Arms & Machine Co.)
Regards,
Doug
Deciphering the markings on the butt plate tang....6th Canadian Mounted Rifles.
