Lithgow SMLE .303 MK.III rifle
1919rifle with Rear Sight “Parker Hale 5A” with “Mark VII” elevation slide.
Lithgow SMLE .303 MK.III rifle
Details
Details
On stock and breech: Serial Number “A14746”
On stock: crossed flags “27 LH”, “D53623”
Stamp featuring crossed flags
Stamp featuring wave shield with kangaroo and “AC”,
Indecipherable number “III”,
“10 [over] 44 b[over] HV”
“5 [over] 19 over CMF [over] 5MD [over] 11741”
On metal stock band “A” [over a shield with] “Lithgow LHT LE III” [over] 1918
On breech: “53823”, “11741” “A” [over]14746
The item described is a Lithgow-made Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) No. 1 Mk. III .303 British rifle, manufactured in 1919.The SMLE No.1 Mk III was first introduced in 1907, and was a variant of an earlier Lee Enfield rifle. The manufacturers made periodic changes to these rifles in an effort to produce them as fast as possible during the peak of WWI. The main idea was to make them simpler, with less parts, mainly so they could be pushed out faster.This weapon was approved as a wartime expediency in January 1916, and differs from the MkIII in the omission of the long range dial and aperture sight, windage adjustment on the rearsight, magazine cut-off, lug on the firing pin collar, and swivel lugs at the front of the trigger guard. These swivel lugs were replaced by a small wire loop to secure a fabric action cover.
West Australian Rifle Association
West Australian Rifle Association
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