A few rare Lee-Enfields.

[Aughnanure]

The top carbine is one of the very rare No6 Mk I/I (Aust) Jungle Carbines.

Description

Experimental Short Magazine Lee-Enfield No 6 Mk I/I rifle. Receiver marked MA LITHGOW S.M.L.E. III* 1945. This rifle is similar to the British SMLE No 5 'jungle carbine' with a muzzle flash eliminator. The butt is stamped MA 5/45 and has the standard SMLE brass plate. The fore-end has four thin finger grooves on each side and the top hand guard has three on each side all of about 150 mm in length. The rear sight is mounted on the receiver.

Summary

Approximately 50 of the No 6 Mk I/I rifles with the brass butt plate were produced for trials purposes by the Australian Army

http://www.awm.gov.au/collection/REL/19090/

[Niner]

It is actually one of the experimental rifles? You own it? One of 50? Wow.. that's a prize for sure.

[Aughnanure]

It it actually one of the experimental rifles? You own it? One of 50? Wow.. that's a prize for sure.

Unfortunately I don't own it. I did own a mint example in the 1960s but swapped it away to a serious military collector.

I got mne in a swap for some new SMLE parts to a Military Target shooter who'd acquired it through his rifle club; the Military Clubs were able to buy Government surplus rifles.

Because the No6 Mk I/I had aperture sights on the body they were no good for conversion to target rifles under the rules; the No6 MkI carbines had a normal Mk III* body and a number of them were converted; all up Skennerton gives a figure of just over 200 for both marks, with around half of each Mk having rubber butt pads as on the No5 carbines.

So that makes them rare indeed.

I do wish that I still had mine but then I'd have used it and now, 50 years or so later it'd probably be worn out.

[A square 10]

im not real up on these as there are so few and the likelyhood of me acquiring one is = to my acquiring an HAK revolver , ids love to have both one day but alas --- not real likely , love seeing what you have - no matter

[englishman_ca]

Not actually Lee Enfields.....



Top; Pattern 1892 Lee Metford Trials cavalry carbine, first variation. One of fifty.

Middle; Pattern 1892 Lee Metford Trials cavalry carbine, second variation. One of fifty.

Bottom; 1895 LMC MK.I cavalry carbine. One of 500 purchased by Canada in 1895.

[DuncaninFrance]

And very nice they are too.............Do you shoot them ( silly question ) and which is the most fun?

[englishman_ca]

I prefer the bolt handle that sticks out rifle style. Makes manipulating the bolt a lot easier and faster than the tucked in to the body carbine bolt handle.

The top one has the rifle bolt and is the lightest. I also like the ten rounder.

I reload for these, much more pleasant to shoot than with full house mil spec ammo. Being light, they kick!

The bores are excellent and shoot well, but with those sights they are not target rifles.

[ArchFluffy]

Great stuff!

-ArchFluffy