No1 MkV1

[oldironsights]

O.K. What is this?

I have not seen a No4 with this receiver.

Barrel is marked F 41 beneath wood.

This rifle was very rusty & wood was moldy, having been submerged in saltwater from hurricane Katrina in 2005.

She cleaned up nicely with the only serious pitting around the muzzle & bayonet lug.

While I had it apart, I replaced the flip-up rear peep sight with a better sight.

[oldironsights]

The rest of the pictures.

[Niner]

Looks like it was made as an experiment to replace the Mark 3 in an attempt to streamline and cheapen production costs and also introduced a by the way improvement in creating a longer sight base by moving the rear sight back to the rear of the receiver. From what I read it was never issued as made. (Military Small Arms...Hogg &Weeks) I also read there were different small batchs including Models, B, C, and D. " Most surviving Model B rifles were converted to No.4 standards and issued to the British Army in 1940, shortly after the withdrawal from Dunkirk. Diced forends and fluted handguards distinguish them" (Rifles of the World--Walter)

[oldironsights]

Robert, this rifle appears to have been assembled at Fazakerley in 1941 on a spare No1 Mk6 trials receiver.

I traded my old BSA No1 Mk3 for it.

You can shoot it whenever you like.

I hope to get out to the range in January.

[tonsper]

It appears that you have a rebuilt Lee-Enfield No 1 MkVI. These were the trials and prototype versions of a rifle that later became the No4 Mk1 rifles. They were made mostly in the very late 1920s and some in the early 1930s. Most were put into storage after the troop trials. In late 1940, after Dunkirk, the British Army were desperately short of usable rifles since many weapons had been abandoned in the rush to leave the beach at Dunkirk, France, just ahead of the German Army. Many rifles in storage were taken out and reconditioned, prior to re-issue to the troops. Yours appears to be one of these former trials rifles re-conditioned to No4 standards.

Do not under any conditions recondition it or bubba it in any way. You have one of the very rare Lee-Enfields. Only just over 1000 of them were made and most were used up in the war or destroyed shortly afterwards. Some were found to be suitable to be rebuilt into a No4 Mk1T. Not yours however, it does not appear to have had any 'scope mounts' added. Yours appears to have been an earlier US import since it has 'England' on the left wrist. This is not an origininal marking.

Please ping me off list and I can pass on more info as well of pics of my No 1 MkVI.

[DuncaninFrance]

I wondered about that, having looked in my Skennerton but as the stamping on the wrist shows NO 1 MK V1 and not VI I didn't post anything. So, were these stamped with a ONE suffix rather than an I suffix?

[oldironsights]

I wondered about that, having looked in my Skennerton but as the stamping on the wrist shows NO 1 MK V1 and not VI I didn't post anything. So, were these stamped with a ONE suffix rather than an I suffix?

Duncan, you have a keen eye!

Perhaps the "I" was rationed during this time & the "1" was a substitute.

[Niner]

Clayton, looks like you got a winner there.

Although it looks like from what I read that the idea started in the mid 20's, production in ernest didn't get started until the Model B's were begun in 1930. According to Rifles of the World, "at least 1025 Model B rifles were made in 1930-01". In 1933 " two thousand additional 'Model B' trials rifles were made with raised left body walls and plain forends. Most Model B rifles were converted to No. 4 standards and issued to the British Army in 1940". There was also a Model C made in the mid 1930's "with more than 50 examples", and a final Model D made in only a handful just prior to the No. 4 being approved. No information given as to what if any differences, beyond the second batch of Model B's, there were between the different models in this general catalog discription work.

[DuncaninFrance]

Well whatever the answer is it's a very nice piece - wish I had it!!

[oldironsights]

Well, I took her to the range today & I am very pleased!

This one has turned out to be my most accurate SMLE!

I tried 1941 British, 1952 Kynoch, 1960 SA & 1967 POF through her. The 41, 60, & 67 produced very tight groups in the bullzeye from 50yds, while the 52 produced many fliers. The 52 Kynoch bullets were much smaller than the others, perhaps .308 instead of .312.

My No4 Mk2 with mirror five groove bore does not group as well or shoot as straight as this MkV1 with two groove bore.

Also the barrel on the MkV1 is trapped & does not float, where my other No4 barrels float.

Would a trapped barrel be more accurate than a floater?