August Gallery

Rifle, Bolt Action, Lee Enfield, .303 In No 5 Mk I

Lee Enfield . 303 in No 5 Mk I bolt action rifle, 1944 (c); known as the Jungle Carbine; fitted with flash eliminator, sling swivels and a rubber cushion on the buttplate. Operations in the Far East convinced the British army that a lighter version of the Lee-Enfield rifle would be more suited to jungle warfare. The No 4 Mark 1 rifle was shortened, a flash-hider fitted to the muzzle and to counteract the increased recoil due to the short barrel and light weight, a rubber butt-pad was introduced. First produced in the autumn of 1944, it was widely issued to troops in the Far East, but its still excessive recoil and muzzle-blast made it an unpopular weapon. Date: circa 1944

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