SMLE - Short Magazine Lee Enfield

James Paris Lee, a Scottish-born arms inventor who grew up in Ontario, Canada but later moved to Wisconsin, gave the world a well-designed bolt-action rifle, the Lee. At a time when inventors throughout the West were competing to produce a reliable bolt-action system, his was clearly superior. The U.S. Navy adopted his rifle in 1879 (45/70 caliber). Its failing was the straight-feed (cartridge atop cartridge) magazine that was prone to denting, dirt and spring jamming. However, a completely redesigned magazine along with added improvements from several sources resulted in a particularly rugged, reliable, quick-firing and accurate service rifle. The SMLE is but one of Lee’s creations which, with changes, served British, Colonial and Commonwealth forces for a hundred years.