The Lee Enfield Rifle
Back to >> Main Page >> Rifles Page Updated APR 06
As I previously stated the Lee Enfield is addictive to collect.  You buy one then do a little research and then you realize that there is a whole family of Enfields.  So you buy another and another, and you think you have a good cross section covered, then you do a little more research...   Finally you realize that there is no way that you'll ever collect them all, and every rifle has its own history.    I've put together a little page on Enfield Identification (links on the right) that tries to outline the differences between the various Mk's of the Lee Enfields with pictures.  It will eventually show the major differences between the LE all marks Sht.L.E MkIII MkIII* No4 Mk1 Mk1* Mk2 Mk1/2 and MK1/3 rifles.    I have finished up (for now) a page on the basic history of the Enfield rifles, It has gotten fairly long and I added an Index to help navigate.  I will also be adding more links to the History page in order to add information on the various factories that produced Enfields.    I also plan on putting together a page on disassembly and basic maintenance of these rifles.    Also in the works the Enfield Hall of Shame, I plan on displaying pictures that I have collected (and I am still taking submissions) of chopped up sporterized Enfields and pictures of other uses of Enfield parts, such as lamps and crib boards made of Enfield wood.  These bubba'ed rifles should not be confused with the Parker Hale or BSA.Co Commercial production of Sporterized Hunting and Target rifles.	LINKS Enfield Identification Enfield History disassembly and basic maintenance Enfield Hall of Shame more links to follow

SHTLE and SMLE
It's amazing what you can find at gun auctions, some interesting rifles but almost always sporterized, and often missing the magazine.  Most have parts missing with the majority being completely sporterized.  Finding wood and the to other little metal bits to restore these rifles is the hard part. However I'll try to buy any wood, cheap, and then match it up to a rifle, this gets easier as I get more rifles.     Manufacturers marks and dates are normally found on the right hand side of the wrist, also called the butt socket, of Enfield No1 MkIII and No1 MkIII* rifles.  If there are no markings on the wrist it may be a scrubbed and refurbished rifle, this was likely done by the Ishpore factory in India, Look for RFI markings.  If there are date markings but no factory markings on the wrist then it may be a peddle scheme rifle from either SSA or NRF.  Finaly BSA.Co markings on BSA Commercial rifles.     I'm in the process of reorganizing these rifles and links, reducing the amount of work so that I can get it done sooner.  I'll be grouping them by factory more then anything else and try to feature more then one rifle on each of the sub pages. No1 MkIII RSAF Enfield 1916 No1 MkIII* RSAF Enfield 1918 No1 MkV RSAF Enfield 1922   RSAF Enfield 1924 MkIII No1 MkIII* SSA Peddle Scheme Rifle 1916 & 1918 Looking for No1 MkIII LSA.Co BSA Commercial Target Rifle (1927) Looking for No1 MkIII* BSA.Co No1 MkIII* Lithgow 1919 & 1941 perhaps POF Ishpore
P-14's   I have 2 now ERA Eddystone RE Remmington
Recently I have acquired several other No4 Enfields and need to decide how to proceed with this webpage, either I could continue with each rifle as a feature or start grouping them.  I will give it more thought but if I do decide to group them I have a few Savage rifles that will be grouped together and have a Longbranch now that that will need to be added regardless of how I proceed.
No4Mk1 Maltby manufacture
No4Mk1* 1942 Longbranch
Fazakerley FTR No4Mk1/3 Savage manufacture No4Mk1*
DCRA Conversion No4Mk1/3  Savage manufacture No4Mk1* FTR Fazakerley to Mk2
Enfield No5Mk1 Shortened and lightened or Jungle Carbine
Essential Agencies Ltd. .303 Civilain Sporter E.A.L.

Variations that I would like to own: 1888-1903, any of these variations would be nice         LE         LEC         RIC         MLE         CLLE 1903-1914         ShtLE MkI, I*, I**, or I***         ShtLE MkII, MkIV         NoII .22 Cal any Mk 1911-1930         ShtLE MkIII, BSA.Co (military), LSA.Co, NRF         ShtLE MkV, MkVI trial rifles (the one above is not mine)         P13 trial Rifle         M1917 US 30-06	1930-         Any T rifle         No1 MkIII Lithgow heavy barrel         No6 (Lithgow carbine trials rifle)         No5 Mk1 Carbine (Fall 04)         No4 Mk2 Irish Contract (any PF SN#)         No7 or No8 .22 Cal         L8         L39         L42         Enfield Enforcer / Envoy         DCRA 7.62 Conversion  (Spring 04)         E.A.L  (Summer 04)
So as you might see there are a few huge holes in my collection.  I have coloured the ones I'm currently shopping for.  I did not list all the variations of each rifle by No and Mk because that list goes on and on.  I have seen Long Lee's, LE, (I had one but it was one cut up by Bubba, and no way to restore it) LEC, and RIC for sale but they were in the $600 - $800 range, a little out of my price range.  I know where I can find some of the rifles on the list like the M1917 and No4 Mk2 but I'm waiting for one with the right price.  Only problem is I might wait too long and the price will never be right.      Since I started this webpage I have been receiving pictures and questions from other owners of enfield rifles.  I have been able to answer some of the questions and have started amassing a huge collection of photos.  Some of the rifles are rather unique and I have been asking for permission to use these photos in my pages.  So coming soon more photos of rifles that I don't own but want to. Link to my e-mail is on the Main Page.  (got to get my visitor count up somehow)
Links for Research of the Enfield rifle Enfield Rifle Research  Charles R. Stratton, good links and good reference books. Jay Currah's link  more links and a good history section. Ian Skennerton pages  More good books and tons of other links. 303british.com  Steve's page, excellent resource page. Lee Metford, 1888 history of Enfield rifles Richard's Lee Enfield Page Porter's Page   An author with some thoughts on the Enfield Rifle.