Charger Loading Lee-Enfield
Royal Small Arms Factory · Rifle · Discontinued · 1906
Also known as: CLLE, Rifle, Charger Loading, Long, Lee-Enfield, Charger Loading Long Lee
Overview
The Charger Loading Lee-Enfield (CLLE) is a British bolt-action rifle chambered in .303 British, created by converting existing Magazine Lee-Enfield (MLE) and Magazine Lee-Metford (MLM) 'Long Lee' rifles to load from five-round charger clips. Retaining the long 767 mm barrel and full-length body of the original Long Lee, the conversion added a charger bridge and modified magazine, matching the faster reloading capability that had been introduced on the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield. It served with British forces from 1906 into the 1920s, largely as a second-line and training arm.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4190 g (147.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4640 g (163.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1260 mm (49.61") |
| Barrel Length | 767 mm (30.20") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Trigger Pull | 27 N (6.1 lbf) |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 744 m/s (2441 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3120 J (2301 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 503 m (550 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2560 m (2800 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 20 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Left Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 5 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .303 British · primary — also known as .303 British, 7.7x56mmR, .303 Enfield
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Half Cock Notch
- Features: Charger Clip Loading, Cock On Closing Bolt, Detachable Box Magazine, Long Lee Pattern, Adjustable Leaf Sights
Service history
Operators
- British Army · adopted 1906 · as Rifle, Charger Loading, Long, Lee-Enfield
- Royal Navy · adopted 1906
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1906-1912
Produced as conversions of existing Magazine Lee-Enfield and Magazine Lee-Metford rifles; exact conversion totals not well documented
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Paris Lee
Discontinued: 1926
Notes
The CLLE was a conversion program rather than a new-build rifle; existing MLE and MLM stocks were fitted with charger-loading bridges and updated sights. It bridged the older single-load Long Lee and the purpose-built charger-loading SMLE.
Background
When the short-barrelled SMLE arrived with built-in charger loading, thousands of older full-length 'Long Lees' were not scrapped but retrofitted with charger bridges, keeping the Victorian-era rifles in British service as CLLEs well into World War I.