Why do you love your Lee Enfield?

I have a bubba'd SMLE Number1 Mk111. Made in 1917. It's ugly as sin.

But, it carries a cachet. It's a piece of our military history I will never part with. Our armed forces, along with my father and his brothers carried rifles like it in WWI, WWII, Korea... I will be proud to hand down to my daughter with an explanation of it's significance.
It's a never sell
 
czechitout said:
Absolutely everything, I hate mine. Give me a Mosin Nagant any day.
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hmm, well i can run off 5 accurate shots from the shoulder with a lee before i can work the bolt the second time on a MN. Have a long fin mn, and a 44, and 3 lees of different flavors, like em both, but if i had to take one in harms way is sure wouldn't be the MN, each to their own
 
I love my No1 Mk111 because my great uncle carried one in Mesopotamia, India, Afghanistan, and China after World War One, and in France with the BEF. I love my No4 Mk2 because it was made during the time my father was in the British Army. I simply can't imagine not having these reminders of my family's history around. Though I have to admit, my Great Uncle spent a lot of time as a Vickers gunner, and my Dad was more of a Bren fan - so it would be nice to be able to add those to the family, as a part of my cultural history, sadly that won't happen.
 
I find it funny, the way many need to live in a "black or white", binary world. I like the Lee Enfield rifles, like a lot of people, partly for the heritage, the history they represent, partly for the fact that they indeed can stay functional in very adverse conditions. I also can appreciate that their typical English engineering adds... character to these rifles (in the same way that British bikes of the 50's and 60's also have LOTS of character...) ;)

Lou
 
And lest we forget... many are pinpoint accurate with just the bare iron sights. Mine is a tack driver and has been un-Bubba'd back to original full wood configuration.
 
manitou210 said:
I would think you would take this one to the dance!!
not a bad looking old gal.

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OMG - I think I have to go wipe now... that looks better than anything I have ever held. Now I want to refinish another one - just have to find nice 'tiger' wood.
Dr.Oz
 
Why,
because it is one of, if not the best bolt action battle rifle of the last century...
Smooth action, easy to find ammo, lot of fun to shoot and reasonably accurate.

my old man told me, they were very "impressed" when they faced
British Volley Fire in Dunkirk.

From all the milsurp rifles I aquired and traded in the last twenty five years;
only my "Longbranch" and a few long Mausers are remaining, and they will stay.
All the K98s and Mosins are long gone...
 
polaris said:
Why,
because it is one of, if not the best bolt action battle rifle of the last century...
Smooth action, easy to find ammo, lot of fun to shoot and reasonably accurate.
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That says it all plus it gives me an opportunity to try and put myself in the shoes of the soldiers of a past generation....

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By null at 2007-02-10

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By null at 2010-01-31

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By null at 2007-11-08
 
My first LE was a nice PH #4 mk1 sporter my Dad gave me. I slept with that rifle. I was very stupid and sold it when I was younger and broke. I thought the $300 I got for it wasn't enough, but I guess that was top dollar when I sold it. I'd give my eye teeth to have it back.:(

My current, only, LE is a ShtLE III* BSA 1916. My buddy Gabe knew I liked his and when he got a new rifle he gave me this one. It is a cheaply sporterized one. Drilled and tapped. "Bubba'd". I refinished the wood in a nice stain and Tru-oil finish. Stripped the sights and bolted up a mount. It was already bubba'd, so I made it work for me. With my handloads I'm getting 1" groups at 100 yards, and I'm not finished tuning. I also tuned up the trigger. Much better.

I took two deer with it last fall. Yeah, It's a little heavy, but I don't mind. I'm a big guy.

I'd LOVE to find a monte carlo buttstock for it. That's my only complaint when using it with a scope. Anyone know where to find one that's not plastic?
 
I'm a fan of Enfields for a host of reasons:
From 1888 till pretty much now they played a role on the World stage;
I'm a ex-Brit so I grew up with them and carried one in cadets;
Both Grandfathers served in the Great War, carried No1 MkIII's saw action and survived;
Dad served in WWII, carried No1 Mk III and, latterly, a No4 Mk I, saw action and survived;
During my service days the LE was the DP rifle - nuthin like hearing someone faint behind you and wondering if the bayonet of his Enfield will pierce your tender arse :) ;
They are a collectors dream - so many models etc you just can't have one; and really,
They are a joy to shoot.

Seriously, take a No1 MKIII out to the range, attach that 17" bayonet and fire away - I bet that after a few rounds you will be transported back in time - "For King and Empire" or whatever floats your boat :)
 
There is just NUTHIN' that looks as utterly BRUTAL as a Smellie with 17 inches of cold steel on the muzzle.

And the recoil is more than manageable.

And you can get them to REALLY shoot.

And they are History itself.

What more could be necessary?
 
Gard said:
I love the looks, the history, the mag capacity, the bolt action, the sights, the fact that it was the first rifle put in my hands.......................
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Much the same for me. Although the 303Br. wasn't the 1st centerfire rifle I shot, it was my 1st big game rifle. And out of the LE's, my favorite is the Jungle Carbine. I've recently acquired my 3rd and 4th. The third is in very nice shape that just for the hell of it, I've purchased from a guy on site, added a bayonet to it.

MyJCwithbayonet.jpg


The 2nd, while not in quite as pristine condition and has a after market butt stock by Bishop, shoots well. I've added a Bushnell Buckhorn 3-9 for load testing. I do have the original butt stock as well.

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For the 1st reloads, I acquired some bullets pulled from military ammo and I was pleasantly suprised by the results.

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:D:cool:
 
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Then due to a plentiful supply at Sears and others at giveaway prices, I started my hunting and shooting with a #4 bubba, and the ammo was cheap.

Slowly graduating to Mauser bolt action clones og Winchesters, Huskies and Parker-Hales for hunting, I was never without the Lee-Enfield's, from the #5 Jungle Carbine to the Long Branch.

Always like the ten shoot mag and the simple and rugged mechanisme, and my Ramline stocked # 5 has always been my choice for a "come along truck gun".

All my Lee-Enfield has been "tuned" to shoot well, from working or changing the double stage trigger to a crisp firing, to polishing the magazine well for a smooth function, to measuring the bore diameter by slugging, except for the # 5, which due to the five groves, makes it imposible to slug for an accurate diameter. Otherwise, my Lee-Enfields diameters vary from .306- to .309, as well as the freebore/chamber is very different in each gun, and therefore can be sensetive to different handloads. I shoot both .308 and .311 bullets from my Lee-Enfield, depending the bore diameter, and find the accuracy be very good with "proper" handloads for each gun.

If I love my Lee-Enfields ? I do'nt know. I am just having fun with them :)
 
snowhunter said:
Then due to a plentiful supply at Sears and others at giveaway prices, I started my hunting and shooting with a #4 bubba, and the ammo was cheap.

Always like the ten shoot mag and # 5 has always been my choice for a "come along truck gun".

If I love my Lee-Enfields ? I do'nt know. I am just having fun with them :)
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Started with exactly the same. A Simpson-Sears 'special', that came with a heavy sheetmetal type scope mount and 'inexpensive' scope. That combo accounted for my first two Moose.

My 1st #5 sat behind the seat year round, ;)during the pre metric era in my 1st PU which was a '57 Landrover PU body style.

Me to, which is why I acquired the latest two #5's.
 
1911 SMLE from LSA.....:)...semi-sportered :redface: (though not by me! :yingyang:) , all-matching numbers and that "stuff"....:D

But the action is fast & as smooth as silk :cool: , and the recoil is very pleasant.....:evil:....
 
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