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I'm looking for a decent source (book etc.) on how Lee Enfields were produced. All I can find on the web are production figures and years from each factory, and various interesting but very incomplete snippets. What I want is information on the tooling to machine receivers, how no4 barrels were turned with the two sets of lugs in place, case hardening procedures, the design-prototype-production-redesign cycle -- the sorts of things that fascinate me and leave most people yawning.

Am I going to have to pony-up £50 for Skennerton?

£50
That's cheap, but will depend which edition & title you are after, as I've seen some of his books sell for around £200

And you've not ALREADY got such reference books, because....?

saddler wrote:£50
That's cheap, but will depend which edition & title you are after, as I've seen some of his books sell for around £200

And you've not ALREADY got such reference books, because....?

Hmm you're right, latest version (The Lee Enfield, which seems much improved over The Lee Enfield Story) is £70 from the UK dealers.

The reason why I don't already have it? Because it's £70

IIRC there is almost nothing in the public domain about the actual manufacturing process for Enfield rifles. There are a few factory photos, and few unconnected documents about metallurgy and gauging, but nothing much else.

Even Skennerton has little to say about this. A better source is EGB Reynolds "The Lee Enfield" (Reynolds was an inspector when the No4 was being developed).

Perhaps the only available material might be from Long Branch or Lithgow, both of which seem to have passed information to researchers. Lithgow still exists, and has a very good museum with helpful staff. The British government factories were closed and disposed apparently without preserving any records whatsoever, and BSA of course has also long gone with its data.

This may be of interest

http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Royal_Smal ... _(Enfield)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayHSF7FDaZI

Dave

This may also be of interest to some.

http://www.rsaf-aa.co.uk/rsaf/bb/homepage.html

The old factory has a small center with displays run by the RSA trust.

TW

Long Branch is also sadly gone - all that is left there is the water tower and the backstop of the test range. After they delivered the last of the C1/C2 (SLRs) in the late 1960, that was pretty much the end. The factory closed in 1976 and the empty site is slated to become part of Marie Curtis Park West. What happened to the records is a really good question.

Charlie Muggins wrote:I'm looking for a decent source (book etc.) on how Lee Enfields were produced. All I can find on the web are production figures and years from each factory, and various interesting but very incomplete snippets. What I want is information on the tooling to machine receivers, how no4 barrels were turned with the two sets of lugs in place, case hardening procedures, the design-prototype-production-redesign cycle -- the sorts of things that fascinate me and leave most people yawning.

Am I going to have to pony-up £50 for Skennerton?

You could always try contacting Geoffrey Organ at EFD Rifles he was a former employee of the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield and should have some information you are looking for: email: geoffrey@efdrifles.com

TGBMaverick wrote:

Charlie Muggins wrote:I'm looking for a decent source (book etc.) on how Lee Enfields were produced. All I can find on the web are production figures and years from each factory, and various interesting but very incomplete snippets. What I want is information on the tooling to machine receivers, how no4 barrels were turned with the two sets of lugs in place, case hardening procedures, the design-prototype-production-redesign cycle -- the sorts of things that fascinate me and leave most people yawning.

Am I going to have to pony-up £50 for Skennerton?

You could always try contacting Geoffrey Organ at EFD Rifles he was a former employee of the Royal Small Arms Factory in Enfield and should have some information you are looking for: email: geoffrey@efdrifles.com

Ah great TGB, I'll see what the horse's mouth might be able to provide!