Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

LEE ENFIELD MARK III

Date

1944

Materials

STEEL, WOOD, CANVAS

No. Pieces

2

Height

12

Length

113

Width

4.7

Description

1. RIFLE: MARK III LEE ENFIELD 303. CAL. RIFLE. RIFLE HAS BOLT ACTION RECEIVER AND MAGAZINE SLOT UNDERNEATH IN FRONT OF TRIGGER GUARD. WOODEN STOCK AND FOREARM ARE DARKLY FINISHED AND STAINED FROM USE. FOREARM IS EXTENDED ALONG LENGTH OF BARREL TO MUZZLE. BARREL ALSO HAS WOOD COVER ALONG TOP THAT TOUCHES FOREARM. AT MUZZLE OF RIFLE IS LARGE STEEL SIGHT HOUSING WHICH HOLDS FOREARM AND WOOD COVER TOGETHER. SIGHT HOUSING IS FITTED WITH STEEL TAB FOR LOCKING BAYONET IN PLACE. SIGHT HOUSING HAS SIGHT POST MOUNTED BETWEEN TWO SIDE PIECE WHICH HAS "N2" AND "03" STAMPED ON IT. MOUNTED ON TOP OF BARREL SEVERAL INCHES IN FRONT OF RECEIVER IS OPEN V-SIGHT WITH GRADED SCALE ETCHED INTO IT. BUTT OF STOCK HAS STEEL BUT PLATE WITH HINGED OPENING. AT MIDDLE OF BARREL IS STEEL CLAMP WHICH ALSO HOLDS WOOD FOREARM TO BARREL. ATTACHED TO CLAMP IS STEEL RING. ANOTHER RING IS ATTACHED TO BOTTOM OF STOCK. SET IN RINGS IS CANVAS STRAP WHICH IS PAINTED BLACK. STRAP HAS BRASS FITTINGS AT ENDS. ON TOP RIGHT OF BARREL IN FRONT OF RECEIVER "58399 H" IS STAMPED. ON TOP LEFT OF BARREL IN FRONT OF RECEIVER A CROWN AND "GRI" IS STAMPED OVER TWO FLAGS WHICH MEET OVER A "P". ON SIDE OF RECEIVER HOUSING NEAR STOCK A CROWN IS STAMPED OVER "G.R.I. 1944 NO.1 MK. III *". BOLT ARM HAS "0-013977" STAMPED ON IT. FIRING HAMMER HAS "OA42" ETCHED ON IT. ALSO HAS "BA" STAMPED TO SIDE OF SLIDE GUARD. WOOD HAS NUMEROUS SCRATCHES AND GOUGES WHICH HAVE MOSTLY BEEN REFINISHED. METAL PARTS HAVE HEAVY TARNISH AND OXIDIZATION. PAINT ON SLING STRAP IS WEARING OFF CANVAS AND CHIPPING FROM BRASS FITTINGS. STAMPED INTO BOTTOM OF TRIGGER GUARD IS "IS159". 2. MAGAZINE: 9CM X 8CM 2.7CM STEEL CLIP. MAGAZINE IS RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE EXCEPT FOR BOTTOM WHICH IS SLOPED AT AN ANGLE. EACH SIDE HAS TWO VERTICAL GROOVES MOLDED INTO IT. INSIDE IS SPRING LOADED CARTRIDGE FEEDER. MAGAZINE IS HEAVILY OIL STAINED AND TARNISHED.

Subjects

ARMAMENT-FIREARM

Historical Association

MILITARY

History

RIFLE IS SECOND WORLD WAR BRITISH ISSUE. RIFLE WAS PURCHASED BY DONOR IN 1969-70 FROM AN INDEPENDENT FIREARMS DEALER. DONOR USED IT FOR TARGET PRACTICE. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MILITARY OBJECTS. SHE SPOKE TO THE DONOR, BILL LINGARD, AT THE GALT MUSEUM ABOUT THE RIFLE. LINGARD SAID HE PURCHASED THE RIFLE AROUND 1970 FROM HOWARD PUCKETT, A WORLD WAR II VETERAN, AND BELIEVES THAT PUCKETT PURCHASED THE FIREARM FROM INTERNATIONAL FIREARMS IN MONTREAL, A WAR SURPLUS STORE. LINGARD DOES NOT REMEMBER ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE RIFLE'S ORIGINAL HISTORY THAT PUCKETT MAY HAVE KNOWN OR COMMUNICATED TO HIM. LINGARD COLLECTED MILITARY FIREARMS FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, OWNING THREE RIFLES. HE USED THE LEE ENFIELD MARK III FOR TARGET PRACTICE FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT AFTER THE MID-1970S REMEMBERS IT BEING UNUSED, UNLOADED AND IN STORAGE AT HIS HOME. DUE IN PART TO CHANGES IN NATIONAL GUN LEGISLATION IN THE MID-1990S, AND ALSO HIS NOTING OF AN INCREASE IN NEWS REPORTS ABOUT GUN ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME, LINGARD DECIDED TO DONATE THIS FIREARM TO THE GALT MUSEUM IN LATE 1995, AND HE SOLD THE OTHER TWO MILITARY FIREARMS IN HIS POSSESSION AT THAT TIME.

Catalogue Number

P19960001000

Acquisition Date

1996-01

Collection

Museum

Less detail