1944 Lithgow No1 MkIII*

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1944 ShtLE (Short Lee-Enfield) No.1 MkIII* Infantry Rifle
(Manufactured by Lithgow, Australia)

Caliber: ....................... .303 British (Mk VII or Mk VIIz Ball)
Rifling & Twist: .............. 5 groove, left hand twist, 1 : 10
Barrel Length: ............... 25.2 in (640 mm)
Overall Length: ............. 44.5 in (1130 mm)
Weight: ........................ 8.6 lb. (3.9 kg) (unloaded)
Magazine Capacity: ........ 10 rounds (magazine loaded)
Mfg Dates/Qty: .............. Mk III SMLEs started in production at Lithgow in 1913, production of the Mk III* ended in 1956. Approximately 415,800 were produced between 1939 and 1956.

Sources: ........... The Lee-Enfield Story by Ian Skennerton (1993) - ISBN: 185367138X
............. Small Arms of the World 12th Ed. By Edward Clinton Ezell - ISBN 0-88029-601-1

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Date(s): January 29, 2006. Album by Stevo. Photos by Stevo. 1 - 24 of 42 Total. 5736 Visits.

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1 1944 Lithgow No1 MkIII*	2 Left side overall.	3 "MAO SMLE" - Assembled at Royal Australian Ordnance Factory, Orange, New South Wales on a Lithgow produced receiver. "III*" - Mark of SMLE. "1944" - Date stock produced. "HV" - Sighted for Mk VII or Mk VIIz Ball.	4 Diffent angle of pic. 2.
5 "6/45" - Indicates a "Returned to Arsenal" in June of 1945.	6 Detail of front sight, top view.	7 Rear sight.	8 Butt socket marking detail. "MA" - indicates receiver manufactured at Lithgow.
9 Overall view buttsocket/rear receiver area.	10 Rear sight detail.	11 Middle band. Band is of hinged design.	12 Nosecap area.
13 Brass buttplate: "OA" at top indicates part made at Orange factory.	14 Buttstock, left side.	15 Left side of action. Note "III" on saftey and "BA" (Bathurst factory) on side of trigger.	16 Rear sight protector ears: "OA" - manufactured at Orange.
17 Band has "BA" stamped indicating manufacture at Bathurst.	18 Nosecap detail. Note no holes in "ears" for sight adjustment. Holes introduced in 1944.	19 Rear sight/handguard area. Note brass pins used to strengthen coachwood stock.	20 Note graduations to 2000 yds.
21 Rear sight base: "OA" - Orange "T" - unk.	22 Rear handguard: "SLAZ 43" - manuf. by Slazenger, 1943	23 Front handguard: "A8" - unk.	24 Receiver serial detail.