Smle

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tim Lovelock

Would someone mind answering a brief question?
The Lee Enfield rifle, in particular.
I was at the Imperial War Museum in London recently, unfortunately I didn't get to ask a curator this question about their exhibit.
They had a rifle labeled SMLE, Short Magazine Lee Enfield. I had always believed
SMLE meant Short Muzzle Lee Enfield.
Could someone enlighten me.
Cheers

The museum is right. It's ''short' because its predecessor was the 'Long Lee Enfield', 'magazine' because it had one (this set it apart from earlier British rifles like the Martini Henry and Snider Enfield that didn't) and Lee Enfield was the type. Oddly enough, British SMLE's were never marked as such, they were stamped "Sht. L.E. Mk.III or Mk.III*" and it was only the Australians that marked theirs SMLE.

When introduced in 1902 or thereabouts, the British army brass felt it was an awkward rifle 'too short to be accurate' and it would never succeed. Well, history sure proved them wrong.

SMLE's are the prettiest rifles ever made (says me). Here's one with volley sights made by Birmingham Small Arms in 1908 and an Australian Lithgow made in 1915.