Enfield MkIII*

I've wanted to add an Enfield to my collection for years.  I've found a lot of No. 4's, which are OK, but I really like the looks of the No.1's.  Therefore I've been holding out.  Yesterday I think I found my gun, though.  I've just been trying to find out more info on it -- the gents at milsurpafterhours.com have been great in helping me.  The one I'm looking at was made in 1918, which makes it a MkIII*.  If you don't know anything about British guns, the * means something.  That's one or more minor changes to a firearm that do not justify a new model name.  That has to make for a strange exchange between troops.  "He Nigel, could you hand me that Number one mark three asterisks?"

I didn't know this, but originally the Enfields were not called No.1 MkIII, they were just MkIII, because there wasn't a No.2 out yet, so no need to call it a No.1.  Kind of like how WWI was just the Great War until WWII came out, then they went back and renamed the Great War, WWI.  So, first there was the MkIII.  Then they made a couple of minor changes, and called the new one the MkIII*.  Then shortly thereafter, they decided to call the new ones No.1 MkIII*, therefore making the previosly made MkIII*'s into No.1 MkIII*.  Or at least that is how it was explained to me.  If anyone else out there knows different, don't be afraid to let me know.  So the one I found was originally a MkIII*, but was renamed the No.1 MkIII*.  Also known as the SMLE (Short Magazine-fed Lee-Enfield), or Smelly.  A lot of Mosin-Nagant Russian rifle collectors call that rifle the "Turd," and that was made in the same time frame, so I definitely see a trend.  Smelly and Turd.

Anyway, on the one I found the crown looks great, the bore looks really good, and overall it looks like it's in great condition.  Maybe too good -- it could have had an arsenal refinish at some point.  I'm going to continue to learn about this particular rifle, and will hoping to be adding it to my collection.