Smle

[Mike Cecil]

I agree with Bruce et al: SMLE does indeed stand for 'Short, Magazine, Lee-Enfield'.

I seem to remember that 'magazine' denotes fed from not only a magazine, but one that is detachable.

Lee is named for James Paris Lee, the designer of this particular bolt action, and Enfield after the Royal Small Arms Factory staff for improvements to Lee's design to make it what it is: a solid, fast, rear-locking, bolt action.

I've had both a No4 Mk1* T and a No.1 Mk3* HT with the Patt 1918 'scope, and thought the latter was a far far nicer rifle to shoot.

Never was able to procure a No.3 Mk.1 (T), but shot with one a couple of times: another nice rifle, but the SMLE was my favourite of the scoped .303 rifles.

However, the nicest .303 I ever owned and fired was a 1915 Enfield manufactured No.1 Mk3*. It had a walnut stock that was much slimmer with much more 'shape' than the Australian coachwood-stocked rifles I had.

My 'alfpenny's wurf...

Mike