Nope; not any more.
Lee Metford.
- Thread starter wrangler4867
- Start date
Lee-Metford's were phased out of service as obsolete infantry rifles starting in 1895 and removed fully from all front-line issue and service in 1899.
This was not a WW1 issue rifle. It did last see war service in the Boer War although.
The story about it being her Grandfather's WW1 issue rifle is just a story. Especially if is was made in 1896 which was the last year of manufacture and these were all civilian purchased target rifles.
The Lee-Metford rifle was used by Canadian forces for a very short period before being replaced by the Lee-Enfield in the late 1890s. The switch was made because the Lee-Enfield's rifling was better suited to the new cordite issue ammunition, which was more powerful but caused excessive wear on the Lee-Metford's barrel. While not the primary rifle of Canadian service, some Lee-Metford carbines may have been in circulation or privately owned.
In British service the Lee–Metford action and rifle was also upgraded to the standards of later rifle patterns (e.g. to charger loading and Short Rifle, like the SMLE pattern), though the barrel was almost always switched to one with Enfield pattern rifling to be able to use issue Cordite loaded ammunition.
The Lee–Metford was still produced commercially until 1896 and used by civilian's for target shooting until the outbreak of World War I, as it was considered to be inherently slightly more accurate than the Enfield pattern of rifling but not with Cordite ammunition as the hotter burning Cordite would completely wear the shallow Metford rifling out in as little as 3000-6000 rounds.
Civilian target shooters would still use black powder .303 ammo in their Lee-Metfords until stocks of this ammo started to run out around 1904.
It did remain as a home-guard only issue rifle in small numbers in some countries up until WW2.
This was not a WW1 issue rifle. It did last see war service in the Boer War although.
The story about it being her Grandfather's WW1 issue rifle is just a story. Especially if is was made in 1896 which was the last year of manufacture and these were all civilian purchased target rifles.
The Lee-Metford rifle was used by Canadian forces for a very short period before being replaced by the Lee-Enfield in the late 1890s. The switch was made because the Lee-Enfield's rifling was better suited to the new cordite issue ammunition, which was more powerful but caused excessive wear on the Lee-Metford's barrel. While not the primary rifle of Canadian service, some Lee-Metford carbines may have been in circulation or privately owned.
In British service the Lee–Metford action and rifle was also upgraded to the standards of later rifle patterns (e.g. to charger loading and Short Rifle, like the SMLE pattern), though the barrel was almost always switched to one with Enfield pattern rifling to be able to use issue Cordite loaded ammunition.
The Lee–Metford was still produced commercially until 1896 and used by civilian's for target shooting until the outbreak of World War I, as it was considered to be inherently slightly more accurate than the Enfield pattern of rifling but not with Cordite ammunition as the hotter burning Cordite would completely wear the shallow Metford rifling out in as little as 3000-6000 rounds.
Civilian target shooters would still use black powder .303 ammo in their Lee-Metfords until stocks of this ammo started to run out around 1904.
It did remain as a home-guard only issue rifle in small numbers in some countries up until WW2.
