SMLE Mk V
Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield · Rifle · Limited Production · 1922
Also known as: Rifle No. 1 Mk V, Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk V
Overview
The SMLE Mk V (Rifle No. 1 Mk V) was an experimental bolt-action service rifle developed at the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield during the 1920s as an intended successor to the SMLE Mk III. Chambered in .303 British and fed from a 10-round detachable box magazine, it introduced a receiver-mounted aperture rear sight for a longer sight radius and faster target acquisition, reintroduced the magazine cutoff, and added an extra barrel band near the muzzle. Roughly 20,000 were built for troop trials between 1922 and 1924, but the design proved even more complex and costly to manufacture than the Mk III and was never adopted for general service.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1132 mm (44.57") |
| 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 7.7x56mmR, .303 Mk VII
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine, Stripper Clip
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety Lever, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: Receiver Mounted Aperture Rear Sight, Fixed Battle Sight, Reintroduced Magazine Cutoff, Additional Muzzle Barrel Band, Charger Loading, Cock On Closing Action
Service history
Operators
- British Army (trials) · adopted 1922 · as Rifle No. 1 Mk V
Production
Estimated total produced: 20,000 · Production years: 1922-1924
Produced at RSAF Enfield for troop trials only; never entered general service
Origin
Country of origin: United Kingdom
Designer: James Paris Lee
Discontinued: 1924
Notes
A trials-only rifle; its receiver-mounted aperture sight anticipated the layout later adopted on the Rifle No. 4 Mk I. Not to be confused with the Lee-Enfield No. 5 Mk I 'Jungle Carbine'.
Background
The Mk V's receiver-mounted aperture sight was judged a success and directly foreshadowed the sighting layout of the later Rifle No. 4, yet the rifle itself was rejected because it was more expensive to build than the very Mk III it was meant to replace.