Fixed and adjustable aperture sights incorporated onto later variants Sliding ramp rear sights, fixed-post front sights, 'dial' long-range volley telescopic sights on sniper models. Border Campaign (Irish Republican Army)ġ0-round magazine, loaded with 5-round charger clips.It remained in service as a sniping rifle, using 7.62 mm NATO ammunition.Īltogether over 5 million Lee-Enfield rifles from the model No 1 Mk III, Mk III*, No 4 Mk I, No 5 Mk I (100,000) and No 4 Mk I (T) sniper-rifles (25,000) were produced and used in both World Wars. Well over one million were made from November 1939 onwards during the Second World War, both in Britain and across the Atlantic in the USA and Canada, and after some misgivings by old soldiers who missed the immaculate finish of the Mark 3, the No.4 became liked and trusted in its turn. It was first issued late in 1939, though not officially adopted until 13 February 1941. The No.4 rifle was much like the earlier Mark 6, but there were numerous small changes which simplified production. This too was never adopted, but with a little more improvement it became the ‘No.4 Mark 1’, the standard WW2 rifle. The design was then simplified into the ‘No.1 Mark 6’ which used a heavier barrel, a new design of bolt, less woodwork, and a projecting muzzle on to which a spike bayonet could be fixed. It was never adopted as a service weapon. The first attempt was the ‘No.1 Mark 5’ (a new system of nomenclature had been adopted after the war) which was little more than a Mark 3 with an aperture sight at the rear of the receiver. Because of these points, work began immediately after the Armistice in 1918 to try to develop a rifle which retained the Lee-Enfield’s many virtues’ robustness, speed of operation, reliability – but which had better sights and was easier to make.

The other principal complaint was that the nature and location of the back sight (an open-topped U in front of the chamber) made it difficult to master quickly. Excellent as the Mark 3 was, it had some drawbacks, and the major one was that its manufacture was time-consuming, demanding much machining and handfitting.

No4 mk1 serial numbers