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Posted: 11/14/2010 9:30:20 PM EDT
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How difficult would it be to convert a Lee Enfield No1 Mk4 to a Lee Enfield Mk1?
I'd love to own a Boer War era Mk1 but don't have the $$$. So I thought maybe I could make a look alike out of another LE. Possible? Feasible? Other options? Thanks for any advice. |
| If you're talking about the Long Lee Enfields, no way a No 4 is going to convert. A No I Mk III (the WW I version) would have to be the starting point. Would require a longer barrel and new stock at the minimum. And I know of no one selling Long Lee Enfield parts. Not sure I've actually seen more than one Long Lee Enfield in 40 years of gun shows. IMA had one a while ago, something like $2500 as I recall. First one I had seen anywhere in eons. |
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Trying to turn a Short Lee into a Long Lee is a fool's errand, to put it mildly. Even assuming woodwork was available for this task - it is not - you would have to do something about the charger bridge, which the Long Lees lack (other than the CLLE). You'd also have to find a Long Lee barrel - good luck with that. However, assuming you could obtain the correct woodwork, barrel, and rear sight, yes, it is possible to turn an SMLE into what amounts to a copy of a CLLE. Bear in mind that the reverse (MLE into SMLE) was done in very large numbers prior to WWI - the SMLE Mk. II and Mk. IV ConD rifles are the result.
The No. 4 is too different, however. That won't work at all. Here are some comparison shots of the MLE vs the SMLE: 
Hope that helps! |
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Now that the OP has his answer, and since everyone is already here...
What is the purpose of the small loop just forward of the magazine? Is it some sort of lanyard loop for the mag? I have only seen one or two mags that ever had a loop on them (like in the pic above) but every rifle has the loop... |
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Quoted:
Now that the OP has his answer, and since everyone is already here... What is the purpose of the small loop just forward of the magazine? Is it some sort of lanyard loop for the mag? I have only seen one or two mags that ever had a loop on them (like in the pic above) but every rifle has the loop... The purpose of this loop actually changed several times over the course of the rifle's development. As originally designed, it functioned like you mentioned - as a retaining loop for the magazine. It was connected to the loop on the front of the magazine by a single chain link. On the earlier SMLE rifles (like the one in my picture), this loop was changed to a sling swivel attachment point. This allowed cavalry to attach the rear sling swivel here (rather than at the butt) and carry the rifle more comfortably while mounted. Eventually, as cavalry units went away, the loop was changed again into a single wire loop used to secure the action cover. This is the function it serves on the No. 4 rifles. |
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