The production of various British Enfield series of .303 rifles spans more than 80 years from 1888 to the early 1970s. They were manufactured in a dozen factories on four continents in dozens of variations. In fact, the British Enfield Rifle series include so many variations that they are an entire collector's field in themselves!
But because there are so many variations, identification of models and types is very difficult, and determining whether or not the rifle is "correct as manufactured" often seems impossible. Charles R. Stratton, in this first book in a series covering the entire line of British Enfield Rifles, provides a part-by-part analysis of the SMLE Mk I and Mk III series, also known as the Lee-Enfield No. 1. He includes all variations manufactured in Great Britain, Australia and India, including the post-World War II, 7.62 mm 2A/2A1 rifles made in that country.
We have excerpted parts of two chapters from his book that describe many of the markings found on the SMLE as well as the characteristics that distinguish the "action body" which is better known in the U.S. as the receiver.
SMLE Markings
British service rifles especially the Lee-Enfields are profusely marked with various stampings and engravings, numbers and dates, cyphers and logos, and abbreviations of all sorts. These markings are a boon to those collectors who understand them, but they are a source of major vexation to others who find them virtually incomprehensible. A study of the various markings on an SMLE rifle will go a long way toward revealing the origin and history of the rifle, as well as its current condition. Major markings are found in various places: on the right side of the buttstock socket, on the right side of the receiver ring, on the left side of the buttstock socket, on the top and left side of the receiver ring, on the left side of the barrel, on the buttstock and buttstock marking disk, and on individual parts.
The place to start looking at markings on SMLE rifles is the right side of the buttstock socket more or less under the bolt handle. Here, you will find the Cypher, Factory Name, Year of Manufacture, and Model and Mark. Figure 1-1 shows a typical set of markings on the right side of the buttstock socket. Beneath the crown, the first line is the initials of the reigning monarch, the second line is the name of the factory, the third line is the year of manufacture, the fourth line is the rifle model, and the bottom line is the mark designation. Other common markings are: Serial Number, Conversion Data, Proof Marks, Inspection Marks, Unit/Issue/Ownership Markings, and Condition/Configuration Markings. Each is discussed below.
Cypher
A graphic logo indicating the country of origin and period of manufacture of the rifle. Often, a smaller version of the cypher also appears as part of the proof mark (see below).
British Manufacture
On British-manufactured rifles, the cypher is the British Royal Cypher, which consists of a crown and the initials of the reigning monarch. Different styles of crowns are found on different rifles. Table 1-1 shows some of the styles of crowns that have been observed, and Table 1-2 lists the reigning British monarchs for the major period of Lee-Enfield manufacture.
Table 1-1 Cypher-Crown Styles
Crown Style
Rifle Factory
Dates (Observed)
Fig. 1-2 BSA Co. 1907 to 1939
Fig. 1-3 RSAF Enfield 1912 to 1922
Fig. 1-4 Eddystone 1917
Fig. 1-5 LSA Co. 1917
Fig. 1-6 SSA 1917 to1918
Table 1-2 British Monarchs
Initials
Monarchs
Dates
V.R. Victoria Regina (Queen Victoria) 1837 to1901
E.R. Edwardius Rex (King Edward VII) 1901 to 1910
G.R. Georgius Rex (King George V) 1911 to 1936
E.R. Edwardius Rex (King Edward Viii) 1936
G.R. Georgius Rex (King George VI) 1937 to 1952
The crowns used in the cyphers on SMLE rifles are all of the basic Tudor Crown pattern (sometimes referred to as the "King's Crown"), but it appears that each rifle factory used its own slightly different version. (The St. Edward's Crown or "Queen's Crown" is found on rifles and carbines manufactured during the reign of Queen Victoria.) Some sources state that the style of crown was unique to each reigning monarch, but inspection of actual rifles does not support this view. Notice that BSA Co. used the same style of crown through the reigns of four British monarchs, while in 1917 (during the reign of George V) five somewhat different styles of crown are found of rifles of different manufacture.
Historical Note: Approximately 150,000 "Long Lees" (Magazine Lee-Metford and Magazine Lee-Enfield rifles) from the late 19th Century were converted to SMLE configuration during the early decades of the 20th Century. On most of these rifles, the original cypher (as well as other markings) is retained on the right side of the butt socket, while conversion data (see below) is stamped on the left side of the socket.
Indian Manufacture
On Indian-manufactured rifles produced prior to circa 1952, the cypher is similar to the British Royal Cypher, consisting of a crown and the initials of the reigning monarch. However, the crown styles used are unique to the Ishapore Rifle Factory, and the letter "I" (for Imperator) is added to the initials emphasizing the fact that the British monarch is not just "king" (of England) but also "emperor" (of the British Empire).
Circa 1952 (a few years after the establishment of the Indian Republic), the crown was changed to an Ashoka (four crouched lions) and the initials were changed to "R.F.I." standing for Rifle Factory Ishapore (although the "R.F.I." designation shows up on some Ishapore single loader and .410 musket conversions from earlier decades).
Table 1-3 Cyphers on Indian-Manufactured Rifles
Crown Style (or Symbol)
Initials
Dates (Approx.)
Fig. 1-7 E.R.I., G.R.I. 1907 to 1943
Fig. 1-8 G.R.I. 1944 to 1951
Fig. 1-9 R.F.I. 1952 to 1963
Fig. 1-10 R.F.I. 1963 to 1970
Australian Manufacture
On Australian-manufactured rifles produced from circa 1914-1926, the cypher consists of the letter "A" (for Australia) enclosed in a seven-pointed star. On later Australian - manufactured rifles, the star was eliminated and the cypher consists of just the letters "MA" (or in some cases "MF"). On a few very early Australian - manufactured rifles (1912-1913), the cypher consists of the letter "C" surmounted by a "broad arrow," both of which are enclosed in a vertical oval. This cypher denotes the fact that these rifles were manufactured for the Australian government by Colt Arms Company in Hartford, Connecticut. (These "C"-marked rifles are extremely rare. A collector who encounters one of them can take early retirement!)
Table 1-4 Cyphers on Austrailian-Manufactured Rifles
Graphic Symbol
Initials
Dates (Approx.)
"C" C (Colt Arms Company) 1912 to 1913
Fig. 1-11 A (Austrailian) 1914 to 1926
Fig. 1-9 R.F.I. 1952 to 1963
Fig. 1-12 MA* or MF 19627 to 1953
* The origin of "MA as a code for Austrailian rifles is unclear. Most sources give it as an abbreviation for "Made in Austrailia, " while others contend that it denotes "Munitions Austrailia," while others contend that it denotes "Munitions Austrailia." A third theory is that it derives from Lithgow's original telex address. You are invited to take your choice.
Factory Name
SMLE rifles are stamped with the name or initials of the rifle factory at which the action body was manufactured (and which is usually the factory where the rifle was assembled, as well). On most rifles, the factory name is found on the right side of the buttstock socket, under the cypher and above the date of manufacture. See Table 1-5.
Points to Watch For: On early Lithgow rifles, the factory name along with the Model and Mark is enclosed in a shield. On SSA and NRF "peddled scheme" rifles, no factory name is found on the right side of the buttstock socket. Instead, the factory initials are stamped on the rear of the action body to the left of the bolt track.
Table 1-5 Factory Name Markings
Marking
Rifle Factory
Locations
Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Enfield Lock, England
Sparkbrook Royal Small Arms Factory, Sparkbrook Birmingham, England
BSA Co. Birmingham Small Arms Company Birmingham, England
LSA Co. Ltd. London Small Arms Company London, England
Ishapore Ishapore Rifle Factory Bengal, India
Lithgow Small Arms Factory Lithgow, NSW, Austrailia
SSA Standard Small Arms Birmingham, England
NRF National Rifle Factory No. 1 Birmingham, England
R.F.I. Ishapore Rifle Factory Bengal, India
Year of Manufacture
This is the year in which the action body was manufactured and is not necessarily the year in which the rifle was assembled or issued. A run of action bodies would be forged, milled, dated, and stored. Often especially in periods between wars it might be a year or more before an action body was pulled from storage and assembled as a complete rifle. On SMLE rifles, the date is usually found on the right side of the buttstock socket; although for conversions and for special purpose pieces (smoothbore muskets, single loaders, etc.), the date is generally found on the left side.
Table 1-6 Dates of Manufacture for Mk I and Mk II Rifles
Rifle Factory
Dates (Approximate)
Enfield 1903 to 1907
Sparkbrook 1904 to 1907
BSA Co. 1904 to 1907
LSA Co. 1904 to 1906
Ishapore 1907 to 1909
Table 1-7 Dates of Manufacture for Mk III
Rifle Factory
Dates (Approximate)
Enfield 1903 to 1907
BSA Co. 1904 to 1915; 1919 to 1939
LSA Co. 1907 to 1918
Ishapore 190 to 1916; 1920 to 1936
Liyhgow 1913 to 1918; 1922 to 1941
Model and Mark
Different Models of British service rifles indicate major changes in configuration and/or changes in the cartridge fired by the rifle. Models of most SMLE rifles are designated by the abbreviation "SHT L. E." (Short Lee Enfield) stamped on the right side of the buttstock socket. (On later Lithgow rifles, the Model designation is "S.M.L.E.," [Short Magazine Lee-Enfield] while on later Ishapore rifles, the Model designation is "No. 1.")
Table 1-9 Dtaes of Manufacture for the 2A and 2A1 Rifles
Rifle Factory
Model
Dates (Approximate)
Ishapore 2A 1963 to 1965
Ishapore 2A1 1965 to 1970
Different Marks (usually abbreviated "Mk") of a given Model indicate significant changes in configuration or an accumulation of minor changes in configuration. Marks of most Models are designated by a Roman numeral stamped under the model designation. (On later Ishapore rifles, the Mark is designated with an Arabic rather than Roman numeral.)
Table 1-8 Dates of Manufacture for Mk III* Rifles
Rifle Factory
Dates (Approximate)
Enfield 1916 to 1919
BSA Co. 1915 to 1944
LSA Co. 1918
Ishapore 1936 to 1963; 1970 to 1974
Lithgow 1941 to 1953
SSA 1916 to 1918
NRF 1918
The Mk I and Mk III are newly-manufactured rifles and are described in this volume; the Mk II and Mk IV are conversions of earlier rifles, and the Mk V and Mk VI are trials rifles. The Mk II and Mk IV rifles are described in Volume III of this series, The Enfield Magazine Rifles (and their Conversions), while the Mk V and Mk VI rifles are described in Volume V, Trials, Training, and Special Purpose Rifles.
On early Lithgow rifles, the Model and Mark designation, along with the factory name, is enclosed in a shield. On early Ishapore Mk I rifles, the initials "I.P." (for India Pattern) are found after the Mark designation. The 7.62mm NATO versions (1963-1970) are designated "Rifle 7.62mm 2A" and "Rifle 7.62mm 2A1," the 2A1 rifle being a minor modification of the 2A rifle.
Stars (or asterisks) associated with the Mark number indicate minor changes in configuration or conversion to a newer configuration. From one to three stars may be encountered on SMLE rifles. Stars were stamped at the time of original assembly of the rifle or were added later if the rifle was changed to a newer configuration (or canceled if the rifle was changed to an earlier configuration, as sometimes was the case). The stars are found after or above the Mark designation. (For brief descriptions of various Models and Marks, see the Introduction.) Table 1-10 shows some typical Model and Mark designations.
Serial Number
On SMLE rifles, the Serial Number is stamped on the right side of the receiver ring and consists of a 1-to 5-digit number and (in most cases) a letter prefix; see Figure 1-13. The letter prefix is usually stamped above the numerals, but on some rifles it is to the left of or below the numerals. Serial numbers were arbitrarily limited to five digits, and when production at a given factory reached 99,999, a letter prefix of "A" was added and numbering began over again. For each further increment of 99,999 rifles, the next letter of the alphabet was used as the letter prefix. (See Appendix B, "Model and Serial Number Ranges," for further discussion of serial numbers.)
Table 1-10 Model and Mark Designations
Model
Marks
Found On
Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Enfield Lock, England
Sparkbrook Royal Small Arms Factory, Sparkbrook Birmingham, England
BSA Co. Birmingham Small Arms Company Birmingham, England
LSA Co. Ltd. London Small Arms Company London, England
Ishapore Ishapore Rifle Factory Bengal, India
Lithgow Small Arms Factory Lithgow, NSW, Austrailia
SSA Standard Small Arms Birmingham, England
NRF National Rifle Factory No. 1 Birmingham, England
R.F.I. Ishapore Rifle Factory Bengal, India
Serial numbers are also often found on the rear of the bolt handle, on the bottom of the backsight leaf, on the nose cap, on the bottom of the fore-end (just behind the nose cap), and on the magazine. Serial numbers in these locations were not stamped at the factory; rather they were added in the field by unit armorers. Achieving proper chamber headspace often involved hand-fitting the bolt (actually, the bolt head) to a particular action body. In order to keep bolts from getting mixed up when a number of rifles were disassembled, armorers would stamp the action body serial number on the rear of the bolt handle. In the process of sighting in a rifle, the backsight assembly would be paired up with a particular action body and barrel assembly, and the backsight leaf would be stamped with the action body serial number. Often, too, sighting-in required hand-fitting of the fore-end and nose cap, so armorers would stamp the action body serial number on these parts as well. Serial numbers on magazines are not as prevalent as on other rifle components, and the reason for numbering magazines is not clear.
Until the mid-20th Century, serial numbers on British military longarms were used chiefly to record production at various rifle factories. Individual rifles were not identified by serial number, and no attempt was made to assign different serial number ranges to different factories. Hence, it is possible to encounter three, four, or five rifles from different factories with identical serial numbers (including letter prefix). Further, it is possible to encounter a couple dozen rifles from the same rifle factory with identical serial number digits but different letter prefixes (and usually different dates of manufacture).
Points to Watch For: Inspection of hundreds of rifles manufactured by RSAF Enfield reveals an interesting observation: no five-digit serial numbers are found! Evidently, the serial numbers on Enfield-manufactured SMLEs were limited to four digits, with a new letter series beginning every 9,999 rifles. With production at Enfield around a half million per year as it was for several years during WWI two or more entire alphabet series would have been produced all with the same date of manufacture! This has not been widely noted in previous Lee-Enfield publications.
To add to the confusion, on many occasions when a rifle was converted or reconditioned, a line was stamped through the original serial number and a new serial number was applied. Usually, the new serial number was one current at the time of conversion or reconditioning; however, on some occasions the serial number of an earlier rifle that had been destroyed was used as the new serial number of a converted or reconditioned rifle or even a new production weapon.
Action Body
Action Body Assembly
The action body assembly consists of the action body group, the safety group, the trigger guard group, the sear group, and the magazine group. (The breechbolt assembly and barrel assembly are discussed in Chapters 3 and 4, respectively).
Action Body Group
The action body group (See Figure 2-1) consists of the action body (i.e. the receiver) (1) and various parts assembled to it: the ejector screw (2), the magazine cut-off (3) and the cut-off screw (4).
The action body of the Lee-Enfield rifle is unique among major military rifles in that it has a buttstock socket, or ring, at the rear which allows, nay, requires, the rifle to have a two-piece stock.
Action Body
The action body is made of forged steel, milled and polished, and generally finished with an oil blacking process (see Appendix E, "Metal Finishes"). On most SMLE rifles, the right side of the buttstock socket is stamped with an identifying cypher, the name of the manufacturer and year of manufacture, and the mark and model data. Some rifles will also have additional markings on the left side of the buttstock socket, indicating conversion or rebuilding. The date on the action body indicates when the action body was manufactured (or remanufactured) not when the rifle was actually assembled. Actioi n bodies of six significantly different configurations are found on SMLE rifles.
First Variation: Two features distinguish this action body, which is found on the Mk I and Mk I* rifles, see Figure 2-2. On the left side is a forged charger guide (1), while on the right side is a forged stop (2) which forces the bolthead charger guide forward when the breechbolt is drawn fully back.
Historical Note: Early first variation action bodies had relatively sharp edges on the charger guide and stop; on later first variation action bodies, these edges were ground smooth to prevent excessive wear to clothing and bandoleers. In fact, most of the early action bodies manufactured with sharp edges were field-modified by filing down the sharp edges and blackening the filed portions.
Points to Watch For: Rifles with first variation action bodies are quite scarce, as few were made and most were converted or scrapped. Especially rare are those manufactured by Sparkbrook, LSA Co., and Ishapore. Any rifle with a first variation action body is worth restoring especially if it has the proper bolt head.
While most SMLE Mk II* (Converted) rifles are conversions of Long Lees, it has been reported (Toye1995) that some rifles so marked were, in fact, built on first variation action bodies.
Second Variation: In July of 1906, a bridge charger guide (Figure 2-3) was fitted to the action body, and the forged charger guide and the forged stop for the bolthead charger guide were eliminated. The new rifle was designated the Mk III. The bridge charger guide was used on all subsequent Marks. The bridge charger guide was forged and machined separately and shrink-riveted to the action body.
Historical Note: A small hole was drilled in the left side of the bridge and served an interesting purpose. The hole is just the diameter of the firing pin or striker. If a rifle was about to be captured by the enemy, the soldier could remove the breechbolt and unscrew the bolthead to expose about 3/4-inch of the striker. He could then insert the exposed tip of the striker into the hole in the bridge and snap off the end of the striker, thus rendering the rifle unserviceable.
Points to Watch For: Second variation action bodies with dates prior to WWI are relatively scarce especially those manufactured by LSA Co., Ishapore and Lithgow.
Third Variation: In 1916, the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield remanufactured a number of Mk I and Mk I* rifles by fitting the action bodies with bridge charger guides and installing new breechbolts and barrels and often new furniture, see Figure 2-4. During the remanufacturing process, the forged charger guide on the left side of the action body was milled off (1), but the forged stop on the right side was retained (2). In addition, the original right-side buttstock socket markings were milled off and new markings were stamped in their place.
Fourth Variation: In January of 1916, the Mk III* rifle was officially adopted, see Figure 2-5. Among the changes from the Mk III rifle was the elimination of the magazine cut-off. First, second, and third variation action bodies had a slot machined in the right side to accept the cut-off, but in the fourth variation action body, this slot was omitted (1), as was the hole for the cut-off screw.
Points to Watch For: The presence of an asterisk after the Mk III stamping on the buttstock socket is not a reliable indicator of a fourth variation action body, as many Mk III rifles were upgraded to Mk III* status by the simple expedient of removing the cut-off and cut-off screw.
Additionally, some fourth variation action bodies were converted back to the second variation by milling a slot for the cut-off and drilling a hole for the cut-off screw. Inspection is further complicated by the fact that many fore-ends manufactured after 1916 had full-height wood on the right side, which covered the cut-off slot. The only way to tell for sure is to open the bolt, remove the magazine and look at the inside of the action body for any trace of the magazine cut-off slot or to remove the fore-end.
Date of manufacture is not totally reliable, either. Some fourth variation action bodies with dates as early as 1915 have been observed (from BSA Co.), while some second variation action bodies with dates as late as 1918 have been observed (from LSA Co.). Furthermore, during the years between WWI and WWII, both second and fourth variation action bodies were manufactured by BSA Co. In addition, both Ishapore and Lithgow returned to the second variation action body shortly after WWI and continued with it until the beginning of World War II.
Historical Note: "Peddled Scheme" Rifles, see Figure 2-6. Approximately 250,000 action bodies were built that have the fourth variation configuration but have no factory or manufacturer's name shown on the right side of the buttstock socket. Instead, either "S.S.A." or "N.R.F" is stamped on the rear of the action body behind the safety and along side of the bolt track. These action bodies were manufactured by subcontractors (Standard Small Arms and the National Rifle Factory) and supplied to RSAF Enfield for assembly into complete rifles. They are relatively scarce and of somewhat greater value to collectors than other SMLE Mk III* rifles. (The whole history of "peddled scheme" rifles is quite interesting: see pp 153-157 in Skennerton, 1993 for further information.)
Fifth Variation: Unique to Ishapore production, this action body is similar to the fourth variation action body but has a heavier, more robust bridge charger guide (1). In particular, the foot of the charger guide on the right side has a square profile (2), rather than being tapered to provide clearance for the magazine cut-off (as was the case with earlier action bodies). Fifth variation action bodies are found on Ishapore Mk III* rifles manufactured after WWII. See Figure 2-7.
Sixth Variation: Also unique to Ishapore production, the sixth variation action body represents the end of the evolution of the SMLE rifle. This action body is configured for the 7.62mm NATO round and is marked "Rifle, 7.62mm 2A" (or 2A1) on the right side of the buttstock socket. In addition to being made of much higher quality EN steel, the sixth variation action body has a smaller guide channel in the bridge charger guide (arrow), the ejector screw is 1/2-inch forward of the earlier location, and the left side of the bolt track is milled to accommodate a longer extractor all changes made necessary by the shorter and rimless 7.62mm cartridge. See Figure 2-8.
Points to Watch For: All but a handful of newly-manufactured SMLE rifles are Mk I, Mk I*, Mk III, and Mk III* models (including 7.62mm 2A/2A1 rifles). Most rifles stamped Mk II, Mk IV, Mk V, or Mk VI and rifles with more than one asterisk or star after the Roman numeral are conversions or trials rifles (or in the case of the Mk V, limited service rifles). Rifles stamped "Cond" are also conversions (Cond is an abbreviation for "converted").
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