SMLE family photos

[Claven2]

Thought I'd post a current family photo of my No.1 series Enfields (the SMLEs) since I had them out for cleaning and inspection today.

I've owned many of these over the years, but these ones are the examples I currently have of the No1 series rifle. I didn't include the 2A1 in the photos (technically not a No.1).

The No.1 is my favorite Enfield - not sure why. They definitely feel better in hand to me than the No.4 rifles do, though I do like a nice light No.5.

From top to bottom:

-1937 BSA MkIII
-1942 Lithgow MkIII*
-1916 RSAF Enfield MkIII* (i.e. MkIII Con'D)
-1948 Ishapore MkIII G.F.
-1945 Ishapore MkIII* (converted from MKIII)
-1913 BSA MkIII
-1960 Ishapore MkIII D.P.

And on left, a MkIII cutaway trainer (formerly an LSA MkIII)

Let's see the other SMLE family photos out there

 

[Arcosdad]

My minty 1929 Mk III from the Enfield arsenal. Sporter unfortunately, but matching! The No 1 has been my favourite since I was a kid. Both grandads packed them with the CEF in WW1.

 

[hogie]

Nice, my favorite Lee Enfield as well. What got my started in collecting.

My Dad would go visit an old farm hand that worked for them. The farm hand was a WW1 vet, he had a SMLE hanging on his wall. Alway wanted one, and eventually acquired a few.

 

[hobophobe]

No1 mk3 is my fave too.

And no1 sporting rifles like lee speeds and the nice parker hales.

 

[Jon9021]

Absolutely my favourite as well. Great collection!

 

[Claven2]

Thanks, I’m still adding to it.

Would love to see other people’s collections too!

 

[5THBATT]

All out for a visit from another forum member last weekend
On the table
1892 LSA MLM MkI*
1896 LSA MLE MkI
1901 BSA MLE MkI*
1902 LSA MLE MkI*
1904 EFD SMLE MkI
1907 BSA SMLE MkIII
1908 BSA SMLE MkIII (No2 MkIV*)
1909 EFD SMLE MkIII (Sht.22 MkIV)
1909 EFD SMLE MkIII
1910 EFD SMLE MkIII (No2 MkIV*)
1911 BSA SMLE MkIII
1912 EFD SMLE MkIII
1915 LSA SMLE MkIII (No2 MkIV*



Leaning on chair
1916 Lithgow MkIII (No1 MkIIIH)
1917 BSA SMLE MkIII*
1918 EFD SMLE MkIII* (No2 MkIV*)
1918 LSA SMLE MkIII*
1946 Faz No5 Mk1


Container of Bayonets

 

[Claven2]

Some really great pieces there!!

 

[Claven2]

Took the top rifle (i.e. at the top of the picture I posted above) to the back 50 today for some fun. Old girl performed admirably and can still hold a 2 or 3" group at 100 if I do my part

This one is a 1937 BSA made for export. It has no British army acceptance stamps and commercial firing proofs. Definitely been through maintenance in a foreign land somewhere, as the bolt and nosecap match, but are in a different (still antique serifed) font than rest of the rifle and some of the small bits are not BSA made. Stock disk has arabic on it, so I'm assuming it was in the middle east for much of its service life.

Still a cool gun with really well fitted wood - 1930's british made SMLEs are not exactly common.

 

[Riflechair]

 

[Riflechair]

Hi Claven - it's nice to see someone also restore their DP Indian SMLE rather than use it for parts. It is still a historical lee enfield... Those are some beauties!
---------------------------------------------
Thought I'd post a current family photo of my No.1 series Enfields (the SMLEs) since I had them out for cleaning and inspection today.

I've owned many of these over the years, but these ones are the examples I currently have of the No1 series rifle. I didn't include the 2A1 in the photos (technically not a No.1).

The No.1 is my favorite Enfield - not sure why. They definitely feel better in hand to me than the No.4 rifles do, though I do like a nice light No.5.

From top to bottom:

-1937 BSA MkIII
-1942 Lithgow MkIII*
-1916 RSAF Enfield MkIII* (i.e. MkIII Con'D)
-1948 Ishapore MkIII G.F.
-1945 Ishapore MkIII* (converted from MKIII)
-1913 BSA MkIII
-1960 Ishapore MkIII D.P.

And on left, a MkIII cutaway trainer (formerly an LSA MkIII)

Let's see the other SMLE family photos out there

 

[Claven2]

Hi Claven - it's nice to see someone other than me retore their DP Indian SMLE rather than use it for parts. It is still a historical lee enfield...
---------------------------------------------
Thought I'd post a current family photo of my No.1 series Enfields (the SMLEs) since I had them out for cleaning and inspection today.

I've owned many of these over the years, but these ones are the examples I currently have of the No1 series rifle. I didn't include the 2A1 in the photos (technically not a No.1).

The No.1 is my favorite Enfield - not sure why. They definitely feel better in hand to me than the No.4 rifles do, though I do like a nice light No.5.

From top to bottom:

-1937 BSA MkIII
-1942 Lithgow MkIII*
-1916 RSAF Enfield MkIII* (i.e. MkIII Con'D)
-1948 Ishapore MkIII G.F.
-1945 Ishapore MkIII* (converted from MKIII)
-1913 BSA MkIII
-1960 Ishapore MkIII D.P.

And on left, a MkIII cutaway trainer (formerly an LSA MkIII)

Let's see the other SMLE family photos out there

Every SMLE collector needs one of these DP rifles in their collection, stripping them down to make Frankenstein-guns makes little sense to me. They are abear the clean up though! The couple I’ve done were gooped in old hard cosmolene and decades of grime.

 

[Evanguy]

Here is an older pic of a few of mine. The list is probably triple the size now with the focus on
Pre smle rifles. But I do have a no5 and a few more no4's. I moved more so into commercial lee speeds now a days. I have a few factory built sporters and a project lee speed on the go that should be quite the rifle when done

1896 Enfield LEC 1
1896 Enfield LE 1 UDF marked
Commercial BSA CLLE UDF marked
1918 BSA No1MkIII* .22 Trainer
1943 No4Mk1 ROF Maltby