What is the history of this SMLE MK1***

Check the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25, for a manual you should probably keep on your computer for reference.

Instructions for Amourers -1931 (Part 2 - Small Arms) (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=875

Covers "Stripping and Re-assembling Rifles No. 1, Mk. III & III*, and Rifles No. 2, Mk. IV."
Covers "Adjustment of Sight— Telescopic— Rifles No. 3, Mk. I* (T)"
Covers "Description and Use of Armourers’ Gauges and certain Tools
Covers "Repairs, Modifications and Adjustments, etc. to Rifles No. 1, Mk. III and III* and Rifles No. 2, Mk. IV*

Regards,
Badger
 
It is a I*** so it is sighted for MkVII ammo post 1910.
The nose cap is from a MkIII and the sliding charger guide is lacking.
The fore end is from a MkIII.
 
Does it have a double serial # on the body, one cancelled? Some MkI*** were restocked in Ireland.
 
A great old rifle, indeed! And I must comment on the superb pics! What kind of camera did you use? Thanks for sharing with us.:p
 
Lucky you.
All I could see; is that you need the rear long range sight and the correct bolt head.
On the Mk I, the bolt head forms the right side of the charger guide.
 
Wnat is missing here is the original bolt head which held the other half of the sliding charger guide. a moveable piece that allowed charger loading.
I cannot see this rifle being in service while missing that part as the rounds would have to be loaded in the magazine one by one.
The rear volley sight is also missing.

also noticed you do have a stock disc. It it is marked you can find out what unit last owned the rifle before it was sold out of service.
 
A previous owner ground the face of the disc and stamped in his name. Probably varnised the stock at the same time. The back is broad arrow marked.
 
The point that everybody is missing is the fact that the Mark I*** was NEVER BUILT!

It is NOT a factory rifle at all. It is an armourers' conversion of Mark I, Mark I* and Mark I** rifles.... to Mark III specifications. Much of this work was done just before War One, some after the war. Normally, worn barrels would be changed out at the same time: check your barrel date. (Likely yours is a very old conversion, anyway, as it is ot completely converted.
A part of the conversion was the removal of the sliding bolt-head charger-guide and the fitting of a bridge-type charger guide, a la Mark III. And another point: the rear sight of the Mark I and Mark I* was screwed to the barrel; on the Mark III it is on a band which surrounds the barrel. This was supposedly a part of the conversion, but sometimes the boys got slack and just re-used old parts, as on this rifle.

I have two Mark I*** rifles, one the Army conversion, one the less-rigorous Navy conversion. The Army rifle is on a 1904 LSA Mark I, the Navy on a 1907 Enfield Mark I*, as yours. Enfield switched over to production of the Mark III in January, 1907. But my Navy rifle has a 1927 barrel date..... and a taper-bored barrel, left over from the experimental series of 1906/07.

Does your rifle have the Navy 'N' stamped on the left side of the butt-socket, just above the triggerguard? I would be surprised if it did not.

ALL Mark I*** rifles were Depot conversions: NONE were factory-built that-a-way.

And that just makes it all that much more ***delicious*** for us!

A real prize!

If you're down this way, we should take all 3 of them shooting out at Wolverine: give John and the boys something to drool at.
 
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