I wouldn't worry about the UK if I didn't care about the UK. So when I bitch about some new stinking pile of crap foisted upon her peoples, it's out of love, really.
During the period of The Great War the saying was: * The Americans have the best Target Rifle * The Germans have the best Hunting Rifle * The British have the best Battle Rifle
I actually wasn't that impressed with any of the Enfields... not bad guns, but they felt more like they were on the Mosin end of the spectrum, as opposed to the M1 Garand / Swedish Mauser end of the spectrum.
And Hoot is right. English comedy is hands down brilliant. From Top Gear to Monty Python.
During the period of The Great War the saying was: * The Americans have the best Target Rifle * The Germans have the best Hunting Rifle * The British have the best Battle Rifle
Actually the quote is from P.O.Ackley, not certain of date but since he was born in 1903 certainly post war.
The comment on the British is because the Enfield action cocks on close. This takes less effort to open the bolt and moves the hard part to close, where the muscle leverage is best. This makes an Enfield faster to cycle, and the Germans thought British and Canadian troops so equipped had machine guns.
The lightened Mk 5 "jungle Carbine" was an inter war development, and the lightening cuts say many, compromise accuracy. The WW1 versions were as nice as one could ask.
Butt ugly too, but who cares if it works.
The U.S. built an Enfield version.... from wiki The Pattern 1914 Enfield and M1917 Enfield rifles are based on the Enfield-designed P1913, itself a Mauser 98 derivative and not based on the Lee action, and are not part of the Lee-Enfield family of rifles, although they are frequently assumed to be A completely different rifle, and used by the US and England. Favored by more than a few.
The U.S. M1903 Springfield was also a 1898 Mauser "knock off". It was an improved version of the Mauser in many ways and the US paid royalties to Mauser for use of the design. The M1903 is pretty much the classic US rifle and was carried throughout BOTH world wars. Millions were converted to hunting rifles and people still use the action as a base for a custom rifle, more than a century after it was introduced.
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