Unusual Lee-Enfield: SMLE Mk.I**

Bloke cops a feel of a rather exotic and sexy Lee-Enfield: the Naval issue SMLE Mk.I**. These were modifications of SMLE Mk.I's (i.e. No.1 Mk.I's) to make them more like a Mk.III. Approved in 1908, the front sight wings were straightened, the barleycorn replaced with a rectangular post, and the rear sight leaf was replaced with a U instead of a V. Starting in 1912, the rearsight beds were ground down for the Mk.VII ammunition, and the sliding charger guide of the Mk.I was replaced with the charger bridge of the Mk.III.
Bloke also manages to let loose a "mad 5 rounds", just for fun. Because he can :)
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[@WarHammer1911A1]

The SMLEs are among the coolest looking of the bolt action battle rifles, I think in battle, that's what really counts.

[@Thunderbolt22A10]

GarandThumb is that you?

[@rags417]

But of course !

[@bcabmac]

That's the ammo you fear to God that the one person on the range who has a misfire and turns with the gun pointed at you and says " it won't fire!" .......bang!!!

[@Oliver66FarmBoy]

Thats the sound of wars being won right there.

[@Kardia_of_Rhodes]

That's strange, I didn't hear any propellers.

[@lostcat9lives322]

Crickets don't have propellers.

[@18robsmith]

Bloke + SMLE + loaded clip => cheeky grin => loaded magazine => bang (repeated rapidly) => empty mag + perforated target + even cheekier grin All in less time than it took me to write that little bit.

[@jonathandavenport2500]

My favorite part was the joy on your face after going through a clip.

[@jonathandavenport2500]

Oh and the mosin nagant part. Love the videos not just because of the firearms but also your personality and the way you communicate with the viewers.

[@freddieellis8449]

I did love the gun pervert voice at the start. You should make that your shtick! 😂😂😂

[@nowthisis2stupid]

I am really enjoying these videos. I have recently found myself with a growing interest in the Lee Enfield. I also enjoy the videos of the Swiss ranges, makes me want to take up high power competition.

[@GWRProductions-kg9pt]

last few seconds was brilliant

[@dmweibel7423]

I have a 1905 Sht L.E. I*** and it looks just like a MkI but was modified to fire spritzer bullets. Even retained the non fixed charger bridge. Good to see these out and still used! Good show. Love the channel, keep them coming.

[@reecelynch3522]

You are a youtube hidden gem. Great video!

[@351WINCHESTER]

Nice rifle. The only negative I have found is ejection can be "iffy".

[@ILikeTheThingsIDo]

Known problem. The WWII era rifles are considerably better, do still occasionally have trouble with the last round though. I do quite love my No 4 Mk 1 from Longbranch.

[@alanpassat6759]

I have no problems with my No4 MK1, but loading with chargers is a pain. Loading from singles can rim lock non chamfered ammunition which wouldn't be fun under stress. Loading from magazines is perfect.

[@pozsmith8207]

Change your ejector.

[@stevekaczynski3793]

I think the volley sights were brought in after experience of large numbers of enemy coming into view in closely packed groups at relatively great distances, like two miles away, in Sudan and such places. This kind of thing bore little relation to typical WW1 battlefields, in which enemy two miles away were rarely visible even if the terrain did not get in the way. So the sights were little used.

[@hartleymartin]

BoTR and British Muzzle-Loaders did a nice video discussing the development from the MLE as used in late 1890s Africa to the SMLE used in 1914 Belgium. It starts with a rather amusing little vignette.

[@RedTSquared]

Thank you Nick! Love the cool lesser known variants of main battle rifles. Nice chuckle by the way....

[@XLesky]

Interesting variant. I love my Savage No4 Mk1*, something satisfying about using Lee Enfields. If you ever make it to Australia you should check out the display at Lithgow Small Arms Museum. A rising sun (ADF symbol) made entirely from rare or first run variants of Lithgow SMLEs

[@chrischiampo8106]

Nice Rifle Mick Thanks For Shooting n Sharing Bloke on the Range 😮😮😮😎👍🏼

[@patrickcrosley6179]

another excellent video

[@southaussie5108]

Would have like to see the target results after the rapid fire .... (PS No using .303 pencils hehehehe).

[@firearmsaremagic]

beautiful rifle. mk1 rear sights had bone inserts in the slider. Also I'd argue that volley sights were quite useful for the battles the British were used to fighting.

[@whisperchainsaw102]

Matthew Giles I think volley sights can be effective when used as a group against large groups of enemies for suppression.

[@jackwardley3626]

The navy had this has this still used the mark 6 303 as they had loads of mark 6 left. They were going to have mark1 *** the first SMLE to use the mark 7 303 they didn't really get the rifle right until the SMLE mark 1*. The lee enfield no4 mk1 would have probably been the best bolt gun if it used the 276 that never was no4 would have been the perfect mix between the p-13 and SMLE

[@MrMorganQuinn]

My Ishapore Arsenal 2A1 Enfield had a similar issue with the safety, it got so bad the safety would flip up upon shooting, so fed up I simply dismantled the safety. Now I can't find the pieces to fix it.

[@ThatWolfFromHyruleGaming]

About the last bit with the safety, my weird enfield mk3 carbine had a tendency to accidentally engage the safety as well. Not due to a weak spring, but a loose screw that held it in. Once I thought I had a stuck case, but the safety worked itself on and I wrestled with the bolt for like 5 minutes before I realized it Not anymore! Only goes on when I actuate it

[@MrOlgrumpy]

Thanks for sharing,bit of SMLE fan myself

[@sbamshooting]

Great video... I also own a Navy modified No1***!! Great piece of Enfield History..

[@INTERNATIONAL_RDF-D]

I have an LSA 1915 mk111 Needs .....a lot of work. Bent rail above cutoff and missing bolt and so on

[@RickNethery]

Nice looking Rifle

[@stephenwoods4118]

Interesting rifle.

[@christopherhansen6938]

looks nice if only i could afford one.

[@simonsaorsa]

Just shared a link to this on my Facebook page for London Small Arms Co Ltd

[@Bob_Lennart]

You should do a video on Lee Enfields and rim lock. How/why it does or doesn't happend. I can't get my head around the fact that having the rim of the top cartridge behind the second one does not cause a rim lock and i would very much enjoy a video of you explaining how that works.

[@fdsdh1]

the magazine isn't a straight up box, it gets narrower towards the front, as you load the rounds from the charger clip they catch the front feed lips but so the rim gets pushed in first. This means that the rim of the cartridge above slots neatly in front of the rim of the previous cartridge, ect. ect. If you don't ahve an enfield to hand, you could probably see from this video the bottom of the magazine is sloped, that is basically the angle which the cases go in (or out) at.

[@8aleph]

I'v always thought the SMLE stripper the most rugged and tough of all

[@alanpassat6759]

"Follow US Army government cleaning procedures and you will never be disappointed!" Reassuring if one knows what those procedures actually are...

[@s.p.ltd.3886]

Really enjoy you videos keep up the good work. I do not understand your comments regarding loading the rounds into the charger as it seems to me the method described here would guarantee “rim lock” as you alternate the five rounds in the charger, rounds 1, 3, & 5 being down against the base of the charger while rounds 2 & 4 being off the base by the width of the rims of the other rounds. However when you load the second charger this pattern would appear to be different i.e. round no. 5 from the first charger would be followed by round no. 1 from the second charger in which have both been loaded in their respective charger against the base. I know I am missing something here as the rifle obviously functioned fine. I do not have any actual experience as I have always loaded the magazine for my Jungle Carbine without the aid of a charger.

[@s.p.ltd.3886]

Makes sense. That is why I don't seem to have a problem when loading directly into the magazine

[@s.p.ltd.3886]

You have inspired me! I intend to get it out, take a closer look at it, load up some more ammo, and take it out to the country this weekend.

[@labarone8910]

It's burned into this old brain from my army days: "One up one down" was the mantra - never forgotten it, which is pretty much what they drilled into you. It could either save or lose, your life.

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

Very good. Nice 'Bitzer' rifle. (Bits o' this, n' bits o' that!) She's got a lumpy butt. (Tee hee.) But a fine pedigree and always beautiful.

[@Jesses001]

If you have ever seen the propellant for that old ammo, it is very strange It looks liked dried pasta, ha.

[@fastmongrel]

Love the SMelly never owned one but maybe one day

[@whisperchainsaw102]

fastmongrel I got mine a couple of months ago. it's quickly becoming my favorite.

[@fastmongrel]

I am not at all jealous...............OK yes I am horribly jealous ;-) Glad your enjoying it.

[@whisperchainsaw102]

fastmongrel Mine was only $399 so go get one now if you can.

[@jimbotheassclown]

Lol mine was $69.99 .

[@MadSaintJack]

I have a 1904 SMLE MK.1*** I was told mine was sent to the Irish and it does not have the bridge conversion.

[@Schwertmaid]

Remark, Start on 5:59... I do not understand why much Shooters need semi-automatic weapon ;-)

[@getredytagetredy]

Nice...Brit...

[@MoonChildMajora]

New sub here, so unsure, how did you get into shooting live rounds?

[@FullSemiAuto357]

In my box of random parts, I found a complete (minus extractor spring) Enfield bolt, which has this same round bolt head. Anything special? Can't remember where exactly I picked it up, and sadly, I dont even own an Enfield for it to go in.

[@mrbeast85]

Your sling is on back to front.... the hooks should point away from the rifle to avoid gouging the stock.

[@blancsteve4819]

Is there any correlation between Mark and Mach ? As in multiples of the speed of sound. The last SMLE's I held in my hands - the barrel had a big hole and DP (drill purpose) stamped on it.

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

Very good video. I do have one criticism though: You should get a cameraman for your vids. That'd improve the cinematography tremendously.

[@dubsy1026]

Roland Deschain you assume he can just afford whatever he wants

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

Dubsy 102 Well he has the chap. He could probably hold a camcorder if he can aim a rifle.

[@MarsFKA]

First, you call it a "gun", then, after you have loaded it, you close the bolt with the palm of your hand. My instructors used to get very loud and personal with any of us who did that - when you operate a Lee-Enfield bolt, you use your thumb and forefinger. Tell your mate, Nick, that, too, will you?

[@thebotrchap]

Does one also have to raise a pinkie whilst working the bolt too? Just askin'...

[@miksal26]

The Chap I had a 303 from the early days of school cadets . The military instructors were always shouting at us"don't palm the bolt". They were right of course because if you go out and bang away for several hours you will probably suffer an excruciating ache in the palm of your hand.They didn't think much about ergo dynamics in the old days.That small ball shaped knob on the bolt handle can deliver quite a load on a palm .but using forefinger and thumb avoids this pressure ,and the only pain experienced ,of course, is your shoulder which will display a healthy purple colour for about a week . The stock is not very ergo dynamic either but this should not put you off from enjoying this rifle . I still have one and I shoot it whenever I can afford the ammunition. Cheers from down under.

[@MartinezFTW98]

miksal26 I think by ergo dynamic you mean ergonomic friend

[@riverstyxarmory9782]

What? Mosin Nagant has a safety? Lol I never used the Mosin safety, it's one of the worst safeties ever created imo, I just usually kept an empty chamber (or didn't cycle it immediately). But then again, I rarely use the safety on my AR, unless I have to use it (rules of the range) or I hand it to someone.

[@taffcourtney127]

I have a 1901 enfield and I have trouble ejecting comercial ammo. The milsurp stuff I have ejects nicely. Any ideas why

[@BlokeontheRange]

Quite often the rims on commercial ammo are different. Remington / R-P headstamp is it?

[@justindeyoung2933]

any ideas on where to find information on ww2 issue canadian enfields, paticularily markman versions if they exsist, because i have an old enfield action rifle with a scope mount and a cut down front stock but a full length barrel. very functional, would love to learn about it.

[@justindeyoung2933]

i can get pictures of it if nescecary

[@warlockcommandcenter]

Why the would the navy use a volley sight?

[@8aleph]

Or clearing decks when approaching an Enemy merchie

[@essex3777]

Britain King any range you can engage at and still stay safe ideally

[@ac1dP1nk]

does click bang mean hang fire

[@BlokeontheRange]

Yes.

[@ac1dP1nk]

thanks

[@shrekas2966]

that accent :D

[@jfk_sniperking3639]

like and dislike ratio is really good ahahah

[@abitnutz6747]

Are those Boxer or Berdan primed?

[@thegoldencaulk2742]

Boxdan. Or possibly Berxer. I dunno

[@therealfranklin]

Well, the cardboard box definitely says "Berdan" on it, but how many of those rounds are from that box, eh?

[@mauriceupton1474]

I dont think SMLE are anything special, just plenty of them after 2 wars, I have a WW2 Lithgow SMLE, cut down into a hunting rifle, shot a few pigs in my younger days hunting the pines.

[@kennethgrauner8191]

Can you people stop using the term SMLE when referring to a SHT.LE please.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Textbook of Small Arms 1929, p.41: "The short, magazine, Lee-Enfield rifle was approved on 23rd December, 1902... [snip] Of the rifle, S.M.L.E, there are six marks..." If you're going to be a "Well, Acktually" type, at least try to get it right ;)

[@kennethgrauner8191]

@@BlokeontheRange So why is my 1917 Lithgow stamped SHT LE and not SMLE?

[@kennethgrauner8191]

And no, i'm not a "Well, Acktually" type bloke, just trying to understand lee enfield marking.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Cos that's simply what they decided to start to stamp them with to distinguish them from the long Lee-Enfields. The Lee-Metfords only have a mark designation, no "LM", "MLM" or any of the other officially-used abbreviations. Commercial SMLE's don't have SHT LE on them at all.

[@kennethgrauner8191]

@@BlokeontheRange I'm not concerned with commercial SMLE's, what I'm on about is the difference between a military SHT LE & a SMLE which for the latter only came in to effect in 1926 and being stamped on said rifles henceforth, to my understanding.

[@peterfranzen3538]

Get a grip man your British.