Rifle No. 1 Mk VI
Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield · Rifle · Limited Production · 1930
Also known as: Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk VI, SMLE Mk VI
Overview
The Rifle No. 1 Mk VI was an experimental .303 British bolt-action service rifle developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield around 1930 as a further attempt to replace the SMLE Mk III. Its defining feature was a heavier 'floating' barrel bedded independently of the forearm so it could vibrate freely and consistently for improved accuracy, combined with a receiver-mounted aperture rear sight and a reintroduced magazine cutoff. Fed from a 10-round detachable box magazine loaded via five-round chargers, only about a thousand were built for troop trials; it proved even more complicated and costly to manufacture than the Mk III but its design directly led to the Rifle No. 4 Mk I.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4190 g (147.8 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1130 mm (44.49") |
| Barrel Length | 640 mm (25.20") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 10 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 744 m/s (2441 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2420 J (1785 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 503 m (550 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2743 m (3000 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 25 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 Mk VII, 7.7x56mmR, .303 Enfield
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: Heavy Floating Barrel, Free Floating Barrel Bedding, Receiver Mounted Aperture Rear Sight, Reintroduced Magazine Cutoff, Charger Loading, Cock On Closing Action
Service history
Operators
- British Army (trials) · adopted 1930
Production
Estimated total produced: 2,500 · Production years: 1930-1935
Roughly 1,025 built in the initial 1930 trials batch with further small trials lots to about 1935; produced at RSAF Enfield for troop trials only and never adopted for general service
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Paris Lee
Discontinued: 1935
Notes
A trials-only rifle, not issued for general service. Its heavy floating barrel and receiver-mounted aperture sight were carried over into the design of the Rifle No. 4 Mk I that was standardised in 1939-1941.
Background
The Mk VI's free-floating heavy barrel was the last major experimental step in a decade of Lee-Enfield redesigns; though rejected as too expensive, its floating-barrel bedding and receiver aperture sight were adopted almost wholesale in the Rifle No. 4 that armed British forces through the Second World War.