Lee-Enfield Mk I
Royal Small Arms Factory · Rifle · Discontinued · 1895
Also known as: Magazine Lee-Enfield, MLE Mk I, Long Lee, Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield, Mk I
Overview
The Lee-Enfield Mk I, formally the Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield (MLE), is a British bolt-action rifle adopted on 14 November 1895 as the standard service rifle of the British Army and Royal Navy. It superseded the earlier Lee-Metford, retaining James Paris Lee's rear-locking bolt action and 10-round detachable box magazine but replacing the shallow Metford rifling with deeper, square-cut Enfield-pattern rifling better suited to the hot, erosive cordite propellant that had rapidly worn out Metford barrels. Chambered in .303 British, the so-called 'Long Lee' featured a 767 mm barrel and an overall length of 1180 mm, and could be loaded one round at a time or via five-round chargers. Its smooth cock-on-closing action enabled trained riflemen to deliver rapid, accurate aimed fire, establishing the pattern that would define every Lee-Enfield that followed. The Mk I saw service in the Second Boer War, where lessons learned led directly to the shorter, handier SMLE that replaced it from 1903 onward.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4190 g (147.8 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4640 g (163.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1180 mm (46.46") |
| 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 | 610 m/s (2001 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2096 J (1546 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, Enfield Pattern Rifling, Magazine Cut Off, Long Range Volley Sights
Variants
- Lee-Enfield Mk I* — Improved
- Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I — Carbine
- Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk I — Shortened
Service history
Operators
- British Armed Forces · adopted 1895 · as Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield, Mk I
- Royal Navy · adopted 1895 · as Rifle, Magazine, Lee-Enfield, Mk I
- Australian Colonial Forces · as Long Lee-Enfield
- Canadian Militia · as Long Lee-Enfield
- British Indian Army · as Long Lee-Enfield
Conflicts
- Second Boer War (1899-1902)
- Mahdist War (1881-1899)
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Estimated total produced: 500,000 · Production years: 1895-1904
Produced at the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield, the London Small Arms Company, and the Birmingham Small Arms Company before being superseded in front-line service by the SMLE.
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Paris Lee
Discontinued: 1904
Notes
The MLE Mk I is commonly called the 'Long Lee' to distinguish it from the later Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE). The improved Mk I* of 1899 deleted the cleaning rod. Both the original Lee-Metford rear sights and long-range volley sights were retained. Combat experience in the Second Boer War (1899-1902) exposed the rifle's length and slow charger arrangements as drawbacks, driving the development of the shorter SMLE Mk I adopted in 1904. Many Long Lees were later converted to charger-loading as the Charger Loading Lee-Enfield (CLLE).
Background
The 'Long Lee' was the first rifle to carry the Enfield name, born from the need to tame the cordite propellant that had been chewing through Lee-Metford barrels. Its rear-locking bolt and generous 10-round magazine gave British infantry a volume of accurate fire that would later become legendary as the 'mad minute' once the design matured into the SMLE.