[fso301]

A good rifle. Too heavy IMO but still a good reliable rifle.

[Paladin2]

Parts can not be fabricated?

[InABunkerUnderSF]

I have a brand new fresh out of the cosmoline 1951 Longbranch No. 4 Mk1 but they ain’t gettin’ it back.

[Vermont Lt]

My grandfather was the US liaison to Great Britain for our production of the Lee Enfield here in the US. It was a very good rifle.

I am sorry to hear of its demise.

[Blue Collar Christian]

Very smooth extraction as it cocks on closing the bolt, ten round magazine, ahead of its peers, but locks bolt at the rear demanding lower pressure than the Mauser and making it hard on brass. Aesthetically pleasing in the collection.

Sure do like mine.

[SandRat]

And we in the US can't have the Springfield .03, the 1911 - .45 or the M-1 Carbine of WWII/Korea fame.

[molson209]

I think there are still stock piles of these locked away somewhere waiting to be rediscovered

[Squawk 8888]

To all- please ping me to Canadian topics.

Canada Ping!

[W.]

Plenty ‘o SMLE spares at gun shows here in NW Ohio. Those big bolt guns give a healthy kick, not like the semi-auto poodle shooters! ;)

[Cold Heart]

Note the rifle the guy is holding has been sporterized

[Covenantor]

A good rifle. Too heavy IMO but still a good reliable rifle.

You find it too heavy? The M1 Garand is about half pound heaveier then the SMLE no. 1 Mk 4.

Here's where I play my certified geezer card.

In tenth grade when we were 14 or 15 years old our JROTC cadets were issued M1s sans firing pins. As scrawny as most of were we didn't have much trouble carrying them while drilling in manual of arms for an hour.

One or two class clowns even had to drill at high port for acting out. Before we fell in or after school we even practiced the Queens Manual of Arms hoping fo a spot on the drill team. The QMA involves a lot of tossing, swinging and spinning and butt stomping. Trail arms involved grasping the forearm high, lifting the butt a few inches off the ground, twisting the wrist such that rifle was about fifteen degress from vericle, and then holding them M1 stock still and steady while marching. Tends to strengthen you somewhat. And then from that position going into the fun stuff,

Our class mascot a funny little butterball of akid was about 5'3" and he managed to do it all without a whimper even while looking like a khaki butterbean.

[Sherman Logan]

Perhaps someone with more knowledge of this issue can answer a question for me.

“Because it is a .303, it has the stopping power,” Rittwage says.

The only rifle I've ever owned was a .30-06. My understanding was that it wasn't a first choice for hunting something the size of polar bears or bull moose. And its energy is in the vicinity of 2900 ft·lbf, whereas the .303 is around 2500.

Am I missing something?

[Candor7]

I served as a Canada Ranger in 1978-1981 ( Newfoundland). After turning in my Canadian Lee Enfield No.4 Mk 1 service rifle at the end of my service, I privately purchased a surplus “made in australia” No.4 Mk 1 and it still is going strong.

Canada still has thousands of these rifles stored in barrels of cosmoline.I don’t know why they say they are out of Lee Enfield rifles.