Lee Enfield N1 Mk III vs N4 Mk1

[fenderstrat]

Hey guys, so I'm just about to get a military rifle, and I decided for the Lee Enfield. Now the problem is which one? Im split between a N1 MkIII and a N4 Mk1. I like both, and i guess I'll end up getting both in the future, but which do you guys think i should get first? I've heard that the N4 is more accurate, but the N1 mk III is a bit more balanced, and i kinda like the looks of it a bit more. Anyway, what do you guys think?

[Baldrick314]

I had a No4MK1 and sold it cos I wanted a No1MK3 which I haven't been able to buy yet so selling was a mistake

I prefer the look of the No1MK3 but have heard the same as you that the No4MK1 is more accurate.

I'd say if you're planning to get both just see which one comes up in best condition at the right price first. Are you planning to shoot comp with it or just want to own a piece of history?

[FuzzyM]

I want a Lee Enfield down the track, I am more interested in the N1 MK III as the made in Australia factor is important to me. I don't think many MK4 were made here, so the few I see tend to be imports and more expensive.

[fenderstrat]

I had a No4MK1 and sold it cos I wanted a No1MK3 which I haven't been able to buy yet so selling was a mistake

I prefer the look of the No1MK3 but have heard the same as you that the No4MK1 is more accurate.

I'd say if you're planning to get both just see which one comes up in best condition at the right price first. Are you planning to shoot comp with it or just want to own a piece of history?

A little bit of both really, haha. Maybe even go hunting with it, we'll see.
I'm leaning towards the No1 MkIII, but I've heard that the No4 has better sights. So still undecided.

[Warrigul]

I have both and the #4 is a better rifle for competition than the SMLE (the more usual name for a #1 MK3).

However I only have ONE #4 which is kept for competition but multiple SMLES.

I personally think every Australian should have an SMLE, my favorite is a 1942 Lithgow built in desperation as the japs were making their way down towards us. My favorite bayonet matches the rifle and is a well used, heavily sharpened 1942 with a slight bend in the blade, nicks in the edge and copper inbedded in the blade from a bullet strike. I often wonder what its owner/s went through and whether they made it home.

Sorry for getting off track, I am a collector and tend to ramble on.

[Baldrick314]

I had a No4MK1 and sold it cos I wanted a No1MK3 which I haven't been able to buy yet so selling was a mistake

I prefer the look of the No1MK3 but have heard the same as you that the No4MK1 is more accurate.

I'd say if you're planning to get both just see which one comes up in best condition at the right price first. Are you planning to shoot comp with it or just want to own a piece of history?

A little bit of both really, haha. Maybe even go hunting with it, we'll see.
I'm leaning towards the No1 MkIII, but I've heard that the No4 has better sights. So still undecided.

My No4 had a ghost ring style rear sight, not sure what style of sight the No1's have.

[fenderstrat]

I have both and the #4 is a better rifle for competition than the SMLE (the more usual name for a #1 MK3).

However I only have ONE #4 which is kept for competition but multiple SMLES.

I personally think every Australian should have an SMLE, my favorite is a 1942 Lithgow built in desperation as the japs were making their way down towards us. My favorite bayonet matches the rifle and is a well used, heavily sharpened 1942 with a slight bend in the blade, nicks in the edge and copper inbedded in the blade from a bullet strike. I often wonder what its owner/s went through and whether they made it home.

Sorry for getting off track, I am a collector and tend to ramble on.

Nice, I'm looking forward to be a collector as well. So is there really a huge difference in accuracy between the SMLE and #4?

[Warrigul]

Nice, I'm looking forward to be a collector as well. So is there really a huge difference in accuracy between the SMLE and #4?

Nope, but the sights are better on a #4

[Norty_Country_Bloke]

This thread is an interesting read so far. I too am interested in owning a couple of Enfields. Three to be exact, anything Lithgow made is a bonus. Yep, a No. 4 for the sake of owning a piece of history, a No. 5 for whacking pigs in the thick stuff and a 25/303 sporter that won't mind the abuse of bouncing around the ute all night.

[Seconds]

So when is the first one arriving?

[fenderstrat]

So when is the first one arriving?

As soon as i can afford it . Pta for a .303 arrived today. No money though...

[fenderstrat]

I have both and the #4 is a better rifle for competition than the SMLE (the more usual name for a #1 MK3).

However I only have ONE #4 which is kept for competition but multiple SMLES.

I personally think every Australian should have an SMLE, my favorite is a 1942 Lithgow built in desperation as the japs were making their way down towards us. My favorite bayonet matches the rifle and is a well used, heavily sharpened 1942 with a slight bend in the blade, nicks in the edge and copper inbedded in the blade from a bullet strike. I often wonder what its owner/s went through and whether they made it home.

Sorry for getting off track, I am a collector and tend to ramble on.

Just a question, where do you get bayonets? I've been looking around for a pattern 1907, but so far i could only find just a few, and usually for about $150+. I'm hoping to get something cheaper... i'd love to get one, but i much rather use that money to get .303 ammo

[Warrigul]

$150 is about the going rate at the moment, I have five 1907s, two owen bayonet and a #5 bayonet, I bought them all years ago when prices were a bit saner but they are just unbelieveable now.

In 2008 you could get a virtually mint Lithgow bayonet and scabbard for $40au plus $40au postage from the USA now the same bayonet is $200-300. I paid $20 for my #5 bayonet in 2005 and $100 each for the owen gun bayonets. in 2010 I paid $60 plus postage for an SLR bayonet from the US and thought I was getting ripped off but it would easily sell now for $120plus

There is only one rule in collecting- never sell anything because you will regret it.

In ten years you will look back and think $150 for a 1907 bayonet is cheap.

[scrolllock]

Just a question, where do you get bayonets?

I dunno about QLD but Vic has some regular arms and militaria fairs, loaded with this kind of stuff.

Normally tonnes more blades and uniforms than guns

You guys must have something similar up north?

[headwerkn]

The Lithgow Small Arms Factory never made No. 4 Mk Is, only No. 1 Mk IIIs and Mk III*s. Later they made the No 2. MkIV* .22LR rifles for training purposes and a number of experimental 'shortened and lightened' models - known as the No. 6 Mk I - but these never went into full production.... WWII ended and English build No. 5 Mk 1s were used in Korea, etc. LSAF's next production military rifle was the L1A1 in the late 50s.

I prefer the No. 1 Mk 3 based on sheer aesthetics... I don't actually own (yet!) a regular SMLE of either action, but I do have several Slazenger and Sportco sporters based off them. The Slazenger Model 24s and .410 shotgun were made from No. 1 Mk III* actions with varying levels of fairly crude modification. Most of these were made from Lithgow manufacture rifles though one of my Model 24 actions is of Enfield manufacture. LSAF simply sourced whatever service rifles with shot out barrels they could find. They also developed a .310 Cadet version, but it was never put into production. All 3 existing prototypes now reside at the LSAF Museum.

The Sportco is a No 4. Mk 1 action in .243W (a rare bird, apparently) that was sold as the "High Power Rifle" (imaginative name, no?) back in the early 1960s. Along with selling off ex gov stock Martinis, Sportco got their start doing .303-based sporters.... most were 303/25 or 303/270 variants built off No. 1 Mk III actions, but a few were made (as far as I can tell) with the 7.62mm modified No.4 Mk 1 actions, which of course would happily take a .243W round with a suitably chambered barrel. The action itself is much more intact than the Lithgow/Slazenger offerings, with the charger bridge still in place as well as the flip up ghost/peep sight. The magazine well has a fixed floor, restricting the rifle to 4 rounds. If anyone's interested I'll post up some pics.

Cheers, Ben.

[Noisydad]

There is only one rule in collecting- never sell anything because you will regret it.

This is exactly how I've ended up with about 25 tons of vintage oil engines and tractors and "stuff"!

Now I just need to figure out how to get the govt. to pay me my full wage to stay home and pursue my hobbies - cant see a single thing wrong with that idea!

[Old Fart]

This is exactly how I've ended up with about 25 tons of vintage oil engines and tractors and "stuff"!

I've also got a fine collection of "stuff" happening here.

[Lyam]

That's the best kind of collection.

And the one that gets you in the most s**t with the wife