Need magazine for SMLE#1Mk3

[JohnMcD348]

I don't know how but I have lost the magazine to my Lithgow #1Mk3 SMLE. I've read in places that the magazines for all the different makes of SMLE (.303) are not exactly interchangable. Does anyone have a recommendation as to where I can get my hands on 1 or 2 of them?

Thanks
JTMcD.

 

[RecoilRob]

Gunparts has them...http://www.e-gunparts.com/product.asp?chrProductSKU=195680 As you said, they aren't normally considered interchangeable so you might need to fiddle with it/them to get them to fit and work.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Thanks. Just ordered 2.

 

[Eightball]

I'm surprised anyone just sells the magazines....I heard that they were issued at a rate of "one per rifle"?

 

[Jeff F]

You can find magazines for Enfields' even new in the wrap. IMO the magazine was the one weak point on the Enfields. I've seen more then a few people try and do a quick reload by slamming a loaded magazine home in a SMLE then have nothing but a lot of feeding problems. Doing that bends the feed lips on the magazine which need to be tuned for each rifle. Never seen a magazine that could be interchanged between rifles without having to tweak the feed lips.

 

[JohnMcD348]

They were for the most part 1mag per rifle. The initial feeling and thoughts were to reload through stripper clips. Gradually, the thinking began to include the carry of loaded magazines for the times when simply reloading through stripper clips would not be combat effective for the soldier.

 

[Limeyfellow]

By WW2 the soldiers did get issued a replacement magazine that was kept with their kits, in case the main magazine was lost. both magazines were fitted and tweaked for that rifle. A lot of those spare magazines came back. Many of these magazines went on the surplus market and they aren't that hard to find.

 

[DougW]

The removable magazines were for cleaning purposes, not a quick reload. Standard practice is to start with 10 in the rifle. When those 10 are fired (in a fire fight), then the rounds arl loaded 5 at a time only from the 5 round chargers. When the battle ends, then the rifle can be loaded up to the 10 round level. Spare mags as Limeyfellow said, were maintanence spares and not used for reloading. The magazine is not designed to hold the cartridges in place with the mag out of the rifle. I know a shooter who uses a #4mk1 in 3 gun matches and he carried 6 magazines in pouches that help retain the mag. He also has about $1000 in his rifle, with all the mods he made. He is good with it.

 

[JohnMcD348]

Wow 1 grand into a SMLE for comps. Now that's devotion to a maker. I'd love to know what he did to it.

 

[DougW]

JT, he used a BSA #4mk1, had the reciever drilled and mounted repro mounts for a #4mk1T (gunsmith), is using a nice Loeupold scope, hand made and mounted an elevated cheek rest, and bedded the stock making sure that the barrel is free floating. It is nice. He can shoot it well, and quickly!