No. 2 Mk. IV S.M.L.E. Training Rifle

Angelswithdirtyfaces1944

Angelswithdirtyfaces1944

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Another one surfaces. Can anyone decifer the markings? If this one could talk...even has the long range Volley sites on it. Kinda cool.
I see it was marked DP then stiked out with PH. Is the PH Parker Hale?

















































 
These are very cool rifles, and deadly accurate. Special to have the early features like the volley sights. What is the original manufacture date. Can't quite make it out.

As the HV (high velocity) and SC (small cone) markings remain on the barrel from its .303 days, it would be sleeved as a .22.

Nice score.
 
I would assume the "DP" denotes "Drill Purpose." Parker Hale was a main factory that made .22 trainers, so "PH" does make sense as Parker Hale. RangeRover is assuming it's sleeved, but I'm not so sure. Look at that crown! Most sleeved crowns are very obvious, but I've not seen all of them, so it's possible. I suspect this is a 1920s conversion of one of the earliest No.1 Mk.III*. The volley sights were deleted early in the Great War, but this one must've been shot out early. That muzzle crown is very telling. You don't see that type of workmanship during the war. There was a commercial market in the 20s for target rifles based on the SMLE. Besides which, that Ross sight with the C-broad arrow wouldn't exist in England pre-WWI.
 
Thanks for the observations guys. I will take a few better photos in some proper light, especially of the barrel crown
And post them up including a few better shots of the markings.

I can't quiet make out the date, it's 191 something. Will try and figure that out this weekend.

Cheers
 
Interesting read. They refer to the rear volley sight being modified, designated the"Sight, Auxiliary, Aperture, Mk.I". Manufactured by modifiying the volley sight of
the Lee-Metford rifle. It shows it being graduated as mine is. Thats pretty cool. So safe to assume this would have been part of the earlier British rear sight to simulate the
rear aperture sight of the .303 Enfield No.3 rifle before the Cooey rear sight was installed?
 
RangeRover said:
The HV, SC and, most importantly, "DP" (Drill purpose) stamp are telling, as they denote a .303 barrel at the end of its useful life.

Lots of good information about the rimfire conversions, and the Cooey rear sight affixed to your rifle on this site out of the UK - http://www.rifleman.org.uk/Enfield_Rifle_No.2_and_.22RF_Mk.III.html.

Looking forward to seeing more photos.
Click to expand...

That's a great link. I didn't think to look there, lol! One of the photos displays a very pretty muzzle crown, so they must've done so. You learn something new every day.
 
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