SMLE

When starting this blog, I was reluctant to post "modern" weapons, meaning basically centerfire rifles and pistols. However, it would seem that I've already violated that principle in several posts (this one, this one, and this one), so it now seems like not such a bad idea. This is especially so since I've posted a number of WWI, WWII, and even Vietnam items, making my previous decision to shy away from centerfire weapons kind of moot. Thus, I'm going to post some of the "real" guns from my collection.

This rifle is a Britsh Short Magazine Lee Enfield (SMLE) rifle, Mk 4. It is chambered in .308 (the NATO cartridge) rather than the original .303 British. It's a good, robust shooter - not as accurate as the German Gewehr Mauser '98 due to the way the action functions, but the SMLE is rugged and field worthy. This example appears all original, and has not been sporterized or otherwise altered. SMLE's are still used in places formerly occupied by British forces, and I suspect that somewhere in Afghanistan, someone is still taking pot shots at our troops with a venerable SMLE.

Incidently, the SMLE was used as the basis for the blasters used by the Jawas in the original Star Wars movie (now called "Episode IV"). Also, Han Solos's blaster is basically a relatively unaltered "broom handle" C 96 Mauser pistol. How's that for trivia?