Behind the Sights...

Hobbies & Habits Military Surplus Collectors
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This one is easy so I won’t even make you guess. Maybe the next rifle will be a little more challenging to identify from behind the sights.

I could not imagine lugging an Enfield around for the duration of a war. Much respect for those who were asked to do so.

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So you were not issued one? I guess youre not quite as old as I imagined :laughing:

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Not that old yet… :grin:

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ThisOldGun I see you’re wearing one of your helmets which one you got on?

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The British Brodie helmet of course! I was waiting to see who noticed it first. Sharp eye!!!

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As long as its not a U.N. helmet… :laughing:

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NEVER!

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Were those typically issued with the GoPro? (or iPhone as the case may be) :rofl::rofl::rofl:

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iPhone No.1 Mk 1. :rofl:

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Thought I recognized the silhouette…:rofl::rofl::rofl:

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There were many worse. It was relatively short and held twice the rounds of it’s contemporaries. And it endured hard conditions better than most. M1903 and M1914/17 included. Not a bad weapon for it’s time.

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and could put down as much fire and aimed shots as garand in the hands of a skilled rifleman. The main reason that the Commonwealth didn’t move beyound the bolt action at the time was 10 rounds with 5 round charger, and there still was the prejudice of trench warfare lingering. But due to the order of battle and the high number of Bren Guns used in the rifle company the self loading rifle was considered more a luxury than a requirement.

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That actually makes sense with the sheer number of Bren guns and how they were used. Trench warfare seems so distant to us now, but you’re right that it was still very fresh in everyone’s minds. That’s why I love this forum!

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Very true. You would think it would be weak at the wrist but it’s design made it super solid. What a curse word that big flat slotted bolt is to get out of the butt on some rifles. I have a special giant screwdriver just for Enfield restorations.

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Yep after the bullets have flown - it was a serious war club.

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and every rifleman’s loadout at the time was 4 bren gun mags, so the British kind of followed the German concept of rifleman supporting the LMG/MG, as compared to the US which MGs were the support weapon. Also there was this thing called a war that were fighting on their doorsteps, and now imagine had the US been forced to a invasive war in 1939, would the M1 have suffered the same fate as the SVT-49 (as an example).

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We did a volley fire demonstration once with Enfields… the volume of fire these things can put down is amazing. Next to the Garard I believe it to be one of the finest rifles to fight in WWII.

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