8,15x46R in an english SMLE Mark3- proofed 7/1927

[chapmen]

Had to look twice......

[Dan Patch]

It must be the only 8.15 x 46r in the world with a magazine cutoff. Thanks for the pics! Dan

[Diz]

chapman,

Very interesting and most unusual. It looks to be in very nice shape too but I don't think it qualifies for Schuetzen! Still nice to see and hear about any gun in an unusual configuration.

Thanks, Diz

[chapmen]

chapman,

qualifies for Schuetzen!

Thanks, Diz

I think the 8,15 qualifies it, even when it is an"Wehrmann" Rifle.

[mike ford]

This is a very interesting rifle. A WW1 Enfield carrying post war German sporting proofs,in a caliber used for training new soldiers as well as competition. I have "slugged" several KLB 8.15x46R barrels, marked 7.6mm like this one.The groove diameter in all of them was .312-.3125". This is very tight for common 8,15X46R bullets, but is precisely the diameter expected of .303 British. The contour of the barrel seems to be original, can you tell if the conversion was done by "bushing" the chamber? Is it a repeater, or has the magazine been blocked to make it a singleshot? Does anyone know of any other SMLEs or 1914s converted; or even Springfields or 1917s? I wish I had known about this, before writing the article on the 8.15x46R.
Mike

[chapmen]

I dont have it right now, but i had the chance to examine it .
At first i thought also of an kind of "chamber bushing", but it isnt.
Also i thought the original barrel was shortened and then chambered in 8,15.
But the barrel has the same length of an . 303 original barrel, also there are no british proof or ordnance marks visible.
So for me the barrel is new made with the original contour of an .303 barrel.
The mag is not blocked. I have tried to repeat 8,15x46 R rounds in an .303 rifle from the mag,
if you do it slowly it works.

I have never seen any other SMLE or 14,17 and 1903 converted in this time.
Also i could not find any german dealer that announced this conversions around the 1920-1930.

[Dan Patch]

If this barrel is the same length as an issue Lee Enfield barrel then there's something funny about the foreend and nosecap. I say this because the barrel protrudes a good eighth inch farther out than the typical SMLE. In fact I doubt a British bayonet could be placed and properly locked, as I think the "muzzle" ring of the bayonet (in this case a "nosecap" ring) would strike the barrel before locking occurred. Dan

[chapmen]

If this barrel is the same length as an issue Lee Enfield barrel then there's something funny about the foreend and nosecap. I say this because the barrel protrudes a good eighth inch farther out than the typical SMLE. In fact I doubt a British bayonet could be placed and properly locked, as I think the "muzzle" ring of the bayonet (in this case a "nosecap" ring) would strike the barrel before locking occurred. Dan

i know what you mean, i had the length of the issued barrel out of www.
I have to look for an SMLE and take measures.
As far as i can see on pics the barrel on this 8,15 is slightly longer, so there is no doubt that is new made around 1927.

[Dan Patch]

Chapmen: The official length of an SMLE barrel is 25.25 inches, and that is almost certainly the length of the barrel itself, not an installed length. The gap between the rear face of the barrel and the bolt head is the thickness of the .303 rim, about .065-.070 in. My own Australian SMLE barrel, measured by inserting a cleaning rod from the muzzle and with the firing pin retracted resulted in a reading of 25 and five sixteenth inches (25.3125 in). An Enfield barrel of WWI vintage will have five grooves counterclockwise. I assume a German barrel would have four or six clockwise. Dan