Lee Enfield #4 Magazines

[froggy]

Salut,

Little naive question but just to be sure . Do all Mdls of SMLE share the same detachable box magazine, ie : the #4 does not have a specific mag ?

thanks

[ovenpaa]

The SMLE such as the No M1 Mk3 and Mk3* uses a different magazine to the later No4 Mk1 however the feed ramp is interchangeable. The differences seem to be the catch that is picked up by the magazine release. I am sure someone that knows the exact differences will be able to explain better.

[froggy]

Re-

Thanks very much OvenPaa. That answers perfectly my question namely that for a #4 Mk1 rifle I need to get dedicated #4 mags

Do you know of a good place where I could source some ?
and a rough idea of cost ?
A quick internet search indicates £ 45, is that the average and reasonable price for servicable ones ?

FMG during WW2 a rifleman would be issued with only the 1 detachable mag on his #4 Mk1, and would carry spare ammos on clips of 5 in his M37 pouches ? Do you know how many please ?

thanks

[Steve E]

The Rifle No4 Mk1 or Mk2 or SMLE came with a magazine which though detacheable, was not used as a deatcheable magazine. It was only removed for cleaning. The original Lee Enfield and Metford rifles had the magazine secured to the rifle with a two link chain.

With the issue of pattern 37 webbing there was a variety of ammunition pouches. The normally recognised large 'universal' pouches were designed to carry Bren magazines and or grenades. Smaller twin pouches that could carry 2 five round chargers per pouch were used by second line troops or troops that did not need to carry a large amount of ammunition for example Artillery and Engineers.
Rifle ammunition was usually issued in cloth bandoliers of 50 rnds in 10 chargers. He bandoliers would be carried either slung aroun the body or put in the large pouches. Each 'universal' pouch could take 2 bandoliers so in theory an infantryman could have 200rds in his pouches plus how ever many bandoliers slung around their body. Carrying loose chargers in the universal pouches was not done as the rounds had a tendancy to come out of the chargers.

Steve

[froggy]

Re-

Brilliant
Many thanks Steve for all those info !

[Dave 101]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303-Lee-Enfie ... 3cc06c4a52

[saddler]

WW2 practice was for the rifleman to be issued his No.4 rifle with magazine attached, plus one spare magazine carried in his pouches.

As has been said already, the magazines on the No.4 were not used as such - as with modern designs - but in an emergency the empty mag could be quickly swapped for the full one

[Steve E]

WW2 practice was for the rifleman to be issued his No.4 rifle with magazine attached, plus one spare magazine carried in his pouches.

As has been said already, the magazines on the No.4 were not used as such - as with modern designs - but in an emergency the empty mag could be quickly swapped for the full one

I'd like to know the source of your information that rifleman were issued with a spare magazine. All that were issued was the one on the rifle. Two of my uncles were regulars in the Royal Berkshire Regiment (one fought at Kohima with 2nd Batt. Royal Berks. 2 Div 14th Army) and they certainly were not. Another uncle was in the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry (he was at Pegasus Bridge) and he was not either.
It is far easier to load five rounds into the magazine with a charger than it is to change a magazine. The design of the magazine is such that it needs to be fitted to the rifle to securely hold the round in place. A spare magazine loaded and kept in one of the universal pouches would soon start to empty itself. Fill a magazine with ten rounds and give it a tap and the majority of magazines will start to dispense their contents.

Steve