Article

2003-12-15 Iraq

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Posted by Chuck Simmins 2003-12-15 8:27:45 AM|| || Front Page|| [2 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Did you notice? The Saddamites are down to using Enfield rifles (the standard British rifle in 1942). Oooold rifles manufactured 60 years ago.

Posted by JFM 2003-12-15 8:57:40 AM|| 2003-12-15 8:57:40 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 Yeah, but they're gooood rifles. I'd rather have an Enfield than an A.K. -- especially if my guess is right and they're talking about the Lee-Enfield Mark III, which was made in the millions and used all over the British Empire. Great gun, shoots .30 caliber (.303 British service, 60K dead Russians in Afghanistan can't be wrong), and its bolt-action is an absolute joy to work. Smooth, smooth, smooth, to quote Eugene Jerome. (Though he was talking about something else...)
I think it was Clayton Cramer who wrote a while back about a re-enactor he knew who had a very nice Brown Bess musket. Nothing odd about that -- except it had been captured by an American G.I., in Vietnam.

Posted by Anonymous 2003-12-15 9:42:23 AM|| 2003-12-15 9:42:23 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Dont underestimate the SMLE (Small Magazine Lee Enfield). If you want to reach out and touch someone, the SMLE is a great tool for that - steady, decent powered round, and deadly accurate in the hands of a trained marksman. A lto better then the typical loose machined AK action & barrle, and the 7.62x39 AK round.

Posted by OldSpook 2003-12-15 10:02:35 AM|| 2003-12-15 10:02:35 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 They are good but at short range they don't stantd at chance against assault rifles and at long range they require better marksmanship than found in ME.

In addition these are not only obsolete: the physical rifles are ooold so you can bet they have lost their precision (I also have my doubts about Iraqui maintenance) and that they are short on spare parts.

Posted by JFM 2003-12-15 10:07:47 AM|| 2003-12-15 10:07:47 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 That reference to Enfield rifles could also be to Enfield L70 Individual Weapons. Hard to believe that the bad guys haven't pilfered a few off the Brits in Basra.

Agree with the commenters above on the virtues of the SMLE--one of the greatest of the bolt-action rifles.

Posted by Mike 2003-12-15 10:14:50 AM|| 2003-12-15 10:14:50 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 Rifles' only as good as the mutt carrying it.

Posted by 4thInfVet 2003-12-15 12:08:07 PM|| 2003-12-15 12:08:07 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 These Enfield may just be hand me downs a farmer would carry in the back of his truck to protect against varmits, human and otherwise. May be nothing significant to this.

Posted by john 2003-12-15 12:44:35 PM|| 2003-12-15 12:44:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Who's gonna be the first to suggest that "Operation Panther" is named after a NAZI tank?
_____borgboy sez inquiring minds want to know about them thar NAZI links...

Posted by borgboy 2003-12-15 1:08:30 PM|| 2003-12-15 1:08:30 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 Nazi Tank? It's named after an US urban political movement.

Posted by Shipman 2003-12-15 1:58:32 PM|| 2003-12-15 1:58:32 PM|| Front Page Top

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