The theory was later called the “beaten zone” technique. The idea was that the trajectory would ensure those bullets were coming back to earth to cause maximum discomfort to the enemy. Usually, this tactic was employed when large numbers of troops were engaged at ranges far beyond those recognized for accurate shooting. With the sights elevated volleys could be fired. The rear part of the “random” or “volley” sights was used with the rifle’s front unit for making a “beaten zone” at long ranges. The arrow at the end of the foresight was turned to the appropriate number, and the rear sight raised. The cartridge’s trajectory was stamped on the dial on the front sight piece. The rifles had conventional sights, and the arrangement described was referred to as “random” or “volley” sights. When not in use, this folded beside the receiver.

On the left rear of the receiver was a long stem with a fixed aperture at the top. The end of the metal, or upright, was in a “V” shape, with the opposite end having a small hole in which a small foresight tip was attached. On the left side of the rifle’s fore-end, just forward of the rear sight, was a brass disc in the form of a dial, with a thin piece of metal attached. The British Army fared badly in long-range musketry duels against the Boers, but it did have one advantage. Magazine capacity had been increased to 10 rounds. The British adopted the deeper, five-groove Enfield rifling in 1895, and the new rifle was dubbed the Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle Mk I.

British infantrymen were generally issued the “long” Lee-Enfield with a 30 1⁄2' barrel, whereas cavalry units were issued 20 1⁄2'-barrelled carbines. This method of shooting was used in the Boer War (1899-1902) when the British learned some painful lessons about the advantages of charger loading, the ability to effectively use the rifle in rapid fire, and most importantly, marksmanship or “musketry” training. The pictured rifle is a Mk III* adopted in January 1916, a simplified version of the MK III lacking the magazine cut-off, long-range “volley-sights” and other changes. Given the easy availability of both original and reproduction butt discs (see a well known online auction site for details!) I always treat these with a degree of circumspection as an indication of the rifles provenance.The SMLE’s 10-round-capacity magazine was fed by two five-round stripper clips. So just to satisfy my curiosity is it a MkIII or a MkIII*? Have you tried unscrewing it and looking at the back? Sometimes they were reused and there are other markings on the obverse.Īlso isn't 1917 a bit late for unit discs? (yes I know they were reinstated post-war and many were not removed/deleted) but.Oh hold on I a was ssuming this was a No1MkIII* rather than a MkIII (given the date) in my limited experience marking discs are less common on MkIII*s than MkIIIs (and earlier marks), several later war LSAs that I have looked at have the '4th variation' buttstock which is not even inletted for the marking disc, but I think I am now recalling that LSA continued producing MkIII standard rifles much longer than other manufacturers.so I have perhaps argued myself out of that question!

Lee enfield butt remembrance poppy