What to look for in a SMLE?

I think it's time for me to buy my first Enfield. About the only things I knew about British rifles I learned from my M1917: that they cock on closing (which is a little weird to my Yankee hands) and the rifling goes the wrong way (weird to my Yankee eyes).I google-schooled myself on them the other night...which may have given me just enough information to be really confused. Now I want some real guidance from the experts here.

I'm interested in a shooter. I don't want something bubba'd, but I am perfectly wiling to leave the real collector pieces to the real collectors. I envision my collection to eventually contain two Enfields: One with the battering ram on the front, and one without.

I'm thinking I want to start with the one with first, so I'd be looking at a No.1 Mk III, correct? Do I care about the asterisk? My googled understanding is that this comes down to the volley sight, windage adjustment, and magazine cutoff (or not). While the volley sight would be neat as a conversation piece, I doubt I will ever find myself in an area where I could really use it. The windage adjustment would be convenient, but my M1917 does just fine without it, so I don't think that should be a deal breaker. The mag cutoff...I really think that is a neat feature...that probably gets used more in fantasy than real life. I could probably live without that too (and, apparently some of the * rifles did have it anyway). So even though the * was streamlined by losing features, for my purposes it shouldn't matter, right? Am I missing anything? What about the reconfiguring for HV ammo? While I eventually intend to reload for it, I'd like to be able to use off the shelf .303.

What about the Indian made ones? Google says they are easily identified by the extra screw across the stock. The gun snob in me doesn't like the idea. It likes Made in USA first and foremost (which is part of why I love my M1917). It can make an exception for Brit guns being made in Britain...but a Brit gun made in India? That's just really pushing it. Am I letting my inner gun snob limit my opportunities?

Is there anything (other than obvious red flags like missing pieces, damage, loose fitting bolts, etc.) that I should look for to avoid?

And, for the $64K question: What should I expect to pay? I know a lot of that is dependent on condition. I'm not looking for a showpiece, but I also don't want it to be a project. I am ok with (and kinda like) the normal wear and tear that comes with a battle rifle that could be 100years old, but I want it to work (safely) and not look so beat that I'm ashamed to be seen with it.

Finally...anybody know of a gunsmith in the Harford County area who could check out an old "smelly" rifle?

Thanks

Sling Blade said:

Well, I think yer "batterin' ram" rifle would be your No 1 mk III. If ya want WWII issue though, ya need a No 4 mk 1.

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Yes, I want to start with the MKIII. I actually really like the battering ram look. It makes them seem tough...kinda like a hot woman who also looks like she could take a punch

I have an Ishapore in 7.62 NATO. It is configured as a No.1 Mk III. Australian WWII guns were also configured as No. 1 Mk III. They both look really impressive with bayonets, unlike the spike bayonets used by No. 4 Mk I. I suggest you post this in the C&R section, which is where the MDS Enfield experts hang out.

I really prefer the receiver-mounted aperture sight on the No. 4, which by the way is not properly an SMLE. The No. 1 is muzzle heavy, too.

No.4s come with machined sights, stamped sights, or flip sights. Get the machined sight.

Great rifles, the very best manually operated combat rifles.

OP. The most important thing to look for on a No1MkIII Enfield is proper headspace. The reason this is important is that replacement bolt heads for that rifle have all but disappeared. The way you adjust head space on Enfield rifles is by replacing the bolt head. .303 ammo up to the Mark VIII used Cordite instead of powder and it was very erosive to the chamber throat.

Enfield rifles will never been as popular as Mausers but they have their moments. Back in the Eighties I was shooting combat rifle courses with the great John Pepper. One year I cleaned house using a No4Mk2 Enfield all because the bolt throw allowed me to be faster than the other competitors. If you reload with lead bullets, like Lyman's 314299, you can ring the most out of this rifle.

Good luck in your search.

jimbobborg said:

I have an Ishapore in 7.62 NATO. It is configured as a No.1 Mk III. Australian WWII guns were also configured as No. 1 Mk III. They both look really impressive with bayonets, unlike the spike bayonets used by No. 4 Mk I. I suggest you post this in the C&R section, which is where the MDS Enfield experts hang out.

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Done. Thanks for the tip.

Also, I saw one in 7.62 at the Gettysburg gun show. It seemed like a neat idea, but (especially since I'm not planning on a whole herd of them), it just wouldn't feel right to have an Enfield that wasn't .303.

Threeband said:

I really prefer the receiver-mounted aperture sight on the No. 4, which by the way is not properly an SMLE. The No. 1 is muzzle heavy, too.

No.4s come with machined sights, stamped sights, or flip sights. Get the machined sight.

Great rifles, the very best manually operated combat rifles.

Click to expand...

I agree that the peep sight is probably "better," and I will most likely have a No.4 in my collection at some point. Unless I stumble across a No.4 in great shape for a steal that whispers seductively in my ear, "my headspace is so tight, it will blow your mind," I'm leaning heavily toward the No.1 first. No real rational reason...it's just what I want

John from MD said:

OP. The most important thing to look for on a No1MkIII Enfield is proper headspace. The reason this is important is that replacement bolt heads for that rifle have all but disappeared. The way you adjust head space on Enfield rifles is by replacing the bolt head. .303 ammo up to the Mark VIII used Cordite instead of powder and it was very erosive to the chamber throat.

Enfield rifles will never been as popular as Mausers but they have their moments. Back in the Eighties I was shooting combat rifle courses with the great John Pepper. One year I cleaned house using a No4Mk2 Enfield all because the bolt throw allowed me to be faster than the other competitors. If you reload with lead bullets, like Lyman's 314299, you can ring the most out of this rifle.

Good luck in your search.

Click to expand...

Ahhh....headspace Do you have any idea how I agonized over headspace when I was shopping for my M1917? I turned down several M1917 deals because they closed on my no-go (I didn't have a field gauge at the time). Some of the sellers insisted, "Oh, I can feel it right there, yup, it's so close, it would never close on a field gauge, trust me"

And I did some research online..."Apparently to check for sure, you need to dissemble part of the bolt...even if it closes on a field, it may still be safe to shoot...be careful, the camming action is so strong, you can mash a gauge in that otherwise would not have closed"...I was more confused than when I didn't know anything

Are Enfield Enfield's as confusing? If I end up one with a bad chamber, would it be feasible to rebarrel it, or better to hang it on the wall and shop for a better one?

If you reload, and you use reduce loads, you can adjust the headspace with the sizing die. I had several milsurps in the sixties that had large chambers. We just adjusted for it and kept on shooting. We were shooting 16 grains of 2400 behind 200gn lead bullets. This gives you about 1600 fps and is perfect for punching holes.

On some rifles, you need to relieve the headspace gauge where the extractor is but not on the Mk1 Enfield. You can slip it under the extractor and feed the bolt into the chamber. That is how I always did it. On a Mosin Nagant, you have to relieve the gauge.