British Commonwealth Books, Kit, Enfield Rifles & Accessories
About The Enfield Collector's Digest
 
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The Enfield Collectors Digest (ECD) resulted from several Lee-Enfield collectors getting together in 1992 to form a loose confederation of like-minded associates. The first issue of the ECD was published in January of 1993.

It was produced specifically for collectors of Lee-Enfield rifles and British & Commonwealth militaria and was published from 1993 through 2002.

Varying from four to six issues per year, the ECD functioned as a forum for exchange of information between collectors, a learning tool for new collectors, and a source for locating information related to collecting British and Commonwealth firearms and militaria.

By January, 2000, the ECD boasted subscribers in twelve (12) countries - Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland, and the U.S.

The subscriber base included individuals, major military museums and libraries, many organized collector's clubs and organizations, and the British MOD Pattern Room Library, the Canadian War Museum Library, and the Lithgow Small Arms Museum Library.

Each issue contained an assortment of the following features:

Articles about Lee-Enfield Rifles and other British and British Commonwealth firearms, accessories, and militaria, written by well known authors in the field as well as by subscribers. Well known contributors include Ian Skennerton and Peter Laidler, among others.

Comments from subscribers - personal observations about collecting Lee-Enfield rifles and other British military items.

Tips on new publications on British firearms, accessories, and other related subjects.

A subscriber question and answer column moderated by Paul M. R. Breakey, a well known American collector and Enfield historian and scholar.

Tidbits of information on a variety of subjects related to British Militaria. Both commercial and non-commercial advertisements of items For Sale, Wanted, or For Trade.

Although out of print since 2002, a few back issues are still available in limited numbers, at a cost of $5.00 USD each, postage included, USPS Media rate. Postage outside the US, obviously, is extra.  An index to articles appears below . . .
 
See The-Enfield-Collectors-Digest.org for the current on-line, "revisited" edition.
 

Index to "The Enfield Collector's Digest"

Issue No. Title QOH 02.12.11
   
Vol. I No. 1 The SMLE - A Rifle for a New Century 0
  The .303 British Cartridge
  The Lee-Enfield Saga
  The SMLE Aim Corrector
   
Vol. I No. 2 The Rifle No. 5 Mk 2 Prototype 7
  Conversion of the .303 Rifle No. 4 to 7.62 mm
  The Alfred J. Parker Model 8/53 Aperture Backsight Attachment
  The No. 4 Enfield as a Target Rifle
   
Vol. I No. 3 Lee-Enfield S.M.L.E. Action Skeleton ("The British Service Lee") 2
  The National Rifle Factory Mark III*
  The Pattern '14 No. 1 Is Not A .303
  Use .308 Diameter Bullets With Your .303 British
  What is a Sight? (Poem)
   
Vol. I No. 4 An Arms Fair North Of The Border 1
  The .303 British Cartridge
  Enfield Firing Pin Tools
  The Swift Training Rifles
  The Venerable Lee-Enfield
  Reloading Tips For The .303
  British Lee Trigger Guard Variations
   
Vol. II No. 1 A Tale Of One Lee-Enfield 0
  The No. 1 Mark VI Lee-Enfield ...
  96 Years Old And Still Going Strong
  Markings ... On ... Rifles of the WWI - WWII Period
  Some Enfields Are Born Ugly
  The Rifle EY
   
Vol. II No. 2 A Look Around The Albany, New York Gunshow 0
  An Ishapore Sectionalized No. 1 Mk III*
  The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part I
  The Collector
  Enfields And The Movies
   
Vol. II No. 3 Getting to Know Your Lee-Enfield ... 0
  Canadian 7.62 Conversions
  Shooting in the Kootenays of B.C. ...
  En Garde
  Lee-Enfield C No. 4 Mk 1* Rifles (The British Service Lee")
  The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part II
  The Sniper
  The P-14 Enfield in WWII and Beyond
   
Vol. II No. 4 Good Buys at Springfield, Massachusetts Gun Show 2
  The Swift Training Rifles (An Addendum)
  The First Short, Magazine Lee-Enfield Rifle, Part III
  A Century of Sights and Sighting Aids
  Navy Arms L39 & L42 Rifles
  Big Doings in Vancouver B.C. (H.A.C.S. Annual Gun Show)
   
Vol. II No. 5 A Brief History of the US Enfield 2
  Lee-Enfield Dust Covers - A Legacy of WWI Trench Warfare
  Brass Oiler Markings
  Notes of the Lee-Enfield Magazine Cut-Off
   
Vol. II No. 6 The Commonwealth's Other .303 0
  Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 Sniper Rifles
  Grading and Pricing Military Rifles
   
Vol. III No. 1 SMLE Anomalies 1
  .303 Rifle No. 4 Serial Numbers  
  Brass Oiler Markings:  Part Two  
  Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part I  
     
Vol. III No. 2 Ekins' Automatic Lee-Enfield 2
  An Austrian SMLE
  Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part II
   
Vol. III No. 3 Excerpt from the 1929 A. J. Parker Catalog 2
  Enfield of the Month:  Rifle No. 5 Mk 1
  R.S.A.F. Enfield Appraisal of Lithgow S.M.L.E. Production
  Refurbishing and Restoring Aging and Ailing Enfields, Part III
   
Vol. III No. 4 Accuracy:  Lee-Enfield No. 4 Mk 1 and No. 4 Mk 2 3
  The British Enfield As I See It
  Knapp's Knotes - "WWII British .303 Small Arms Ammo Type ID System"
  Enfield of the Month:  Rifle No. 1 Mk III*
  Cleaning Your .303
  My First Enfield Wasn't a Lee or "What to Do With Your .303"
  Serendipity
  In Search of C.E. Pryor
   
Vol. III No. 5 Knapp's Knotes - "7.62mm Indian 2A1 Service Rifle" 0
  Knapp's Knotes - "Enfield Slings"
  Enfield S.M.L.E. Action Skeletons
  A Museum Piece SMLE
  BSA .22 Martini
  What is a Sight? (Poem)
  Naval Marked Lee-Enfields
  Another Ross
  A Long Affair with the Lee-Enfield
   
Vol. III No. 6 Going Back and Then Some (Black Powder Enfields) 2
  Knapp's Knotes - "Enfield Rifle Cutaways"
  Lee-Enfield Sentencing & Repair Marks
  Enfield Research Associates Serial Number Survey
  .308 Bullets in the .303 - Another Perspective
   
Vol. IV No. 1 The U.S. No. 4 Enfield
  Knapp's Knotes - "Indian 2A1 Rifles"
  Lee-Enfield Rifle Bolt Head Changes
  Comments of the "EY." Rifle Issue
  No. 2 Mk IV Training Rifles
   
Vol. IV No. 2 Gunshow Report - NYS Arms Collector's Association Show 2
  Knapp's Knotes - "The Cover, Short Rifle"
  T.E. Lawrence and the SMLE
  EY Classification
  Magazines:  Rifles No. 1 and No. 4
  Canadian Drill Pattern Rifles, Part I
   
Vol. IV No. 3 The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 3
  Book Report:  "U.S. Military Arms Series" by J.C. Harrison
  Knapp's Knotes - "Color Coded Painted Bands on Australian Enfields"
  Going Places:  Tasmania (from "A Pictorial Guide to Tasmania")
  The End Of R.S.A.F. Enfield
  Salvage After The Somme
  Canadian Drill Pattern Rifles, Part II
  Shooting Lead Bullets In Lee-Enfield Rifles
  S.M.L.E. Mk III Reproduction .22 Caliber Training Unit
   
Vol. IV No. 4 Knapp's Knotes - "Iraqi Property Markings" 1
  Notes on the Ishapore SMLE
  .303 British Low Pressure Loads
  Going Places - New Zealand
  Gun Shows in Vancouver, B.C. (Canada)
  More on The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
  Reenactment Groups in the U.S. and Elsewhere
   
Vol. IV No. 5 Knapp's Knotes - "Grenade Launching Rifles" 1
  Going Places - A Visit to the Cody, Wyoming Firearms Museum
  How To Clean Your Rifle (from a 1914 SMLE manual)
   
Vol. IV No. 6 Knapp's Knotes - "WWI Enfield Mk I***" 5
  Americanizing The Queen's English
  The S.M.L.E. Combination Tool
  The Grenade Launching Rifle and Its Projectiles
  R.F.I. .410 Muskets
   
Vol. V No. 1 Marine Fitness Report, Form 206 (Excerpts) 7
  Production at Long Branch
  Action Skeleton - S.M.L.E. Mk III & III*
  Knapp's Knotes - "2A Enfield Rifle In Police Service"
  British Special Air Service (Brief History)
  Getting Connected (to the Internet)
   
Vol. V No. 2 McGurk's Rifle 1
  Knapp's Knotes - "Stock Markings Tell a Story"
  Going Places - Birmingham, England
  Another Use for the Sale Mark
  A Simplified Rifle Rack
  Collecting No. 4 Enfield Bayonets
   
Vol. V No. 3 The Mad Minute 7
  How Britain Failed to Renew Its Lease of Hong Kong
  British Sniping Equipment of the Great War
  Knapp's Knotes - "Ishapore 7.62 mm 2A Rifles
  The Other Enfield (Royal Enfield Motors)
  Field Thermos on the Somme
  The Alfred J. Parker Model 8/53 Aperture Backsight Attachment
  A No. 4 Mk 1* Returns
  Scope Caps for Sniper Rifles
   
Vol. V No. 4 British Steel Helmets, 1915-18 27
  Knapp's Knotes - "WWI Enfield SMLE Mk I***"
  Bren L.M.G. Bipods
  Evolution of the Bren Gun
   
Vol. V No. 5 Mk 2 Sten MG Carbine 10
  Barrels, Bolts & Breechblocks - "Sale Marks"
  Knapp's Knotes - "L59A1 Drill Rifles
  The "Chest, Bren M.G. MkI
  Naming of Parts - a poem by Henry Reed
  Collecting No. 4 Enfield Bayonets
   
Vol. V No. 6 Cumulative Index to the ECD 1993 - 1997 11
  Knapp's Knotes - "Irish Contract No.4 Enfields - To Unwrap or Not Unwrap"
  The French Index to Lesser Articles and Comments in the ECD
  The Last Lee-Enfield - The India 2a and 2A1 Rifles
  Magazines or Clips
   
Vol. VI No. 1 Book Report - British Enfield Rifles, Vol. 1, S.M.L.E. No. 1 (Stratton) 0
  Target Shooting with the .303
  Musings by Paul M.R. Breakey
  Accuracy and the S.M.L.E.
  Thoughts on a 1917 Lithgow Rifle
  New Use For Old Scabbards
   
Vol. VI No. 2 Musings by Paul M.R. Breakey 1
  Welsh Guard (Cartoon)
  Converting No.4 Rifles to Drill Purpose
  Knapp's Knotes - "Irish Free State No. 4 Mk 4 Rifle"
  No.32 Telescope Modifications
  Random Notes on Lithgow Production
   
Vol. VI No. 3 Kerr Sling Instructions 0
  Polishing No.32 Scopes
  Musings - Answers to Subscriber Questions
  Boys Anti-Tank Rifle
  Knapp's Knotes - "Identifying South African No. 4 Rifles"
  Battle of the Ruhr
  Lithgow Heavy Barrel Project
  Australian Mortars of WWII
  The German "Z" Plan
   
Vol. VI No. 4 Musings by Paul M.R. Breakey 2
  Heading Home by R.W. Dick
  No.4T and L42 Telescope Mounting Brackets by Peter Laidler
  Royal Small Arms Factory Apprentices Association
  The Elk Hunter by R.W. Dick
  The Tank Busters by Mike Hamm
  The Number 2 Mark I Grenade Discharger
   
Vol. VI No. 5 Musings by Paul M.R. Breakey 0
  Canada's Centennial Rifle
  Reloading the .303 British
  On Tour With Lawrence, Part 1: Desert View
  Sten Gun Recoil
  Knapp's Knotes - "The 'Osterr Gendarmerie' Mk III Rifle"
  What Do We Have Here?
   
Vol. VI No. 6 The MOD Pattern Room and Its Future 3
  The Single Black Chevron
  A Pilgrimage to the Lithgow Small Arms Museum
  London’s American Home Guard
  Using the Lee-Enfield For Practical Shooting (PR)
  Laidler’s Laments or “Tidbits from the Armourer’s Archives”
  Shooting the Martin’ ‘enry
  On Tour With Lawrence: Part 2; A Desert Viewed
   
Vol. VII No. 1 The MOD Pattern Room and Its Future - Follow-up 3
  Musings by Paul M.R. Breakey
  The India Drill Purpose Rifle
  Origins & History: Lithgow Small Arms Factory
  Pattern 1893 Martini Metford Bayonet
  Knapp’s Knotes - “Single Loading India Mk III”
  The French Index - 1998 Update
  Cumulative Index to ECD 1993-1998
   
Vol. VII No. 2 The Snider Breech-Loader Rifle 1
  No. 5 Mk 1 – Last Production at Shirley
  A Century of Sights and Sighting Aids
  IN MEMORIAM – Edna Rosalind Parker
  Weighing of Springs & The Enfield Rifle spring Balance
  From The Armourer's Bench – "Fitting Bolts"
  Hunting Bloopers
  The Last Rifle No. 1 Model
  The E.A.L. Rifle
   
Vol. VII No. 3 The New Martini-Enfield Rifle 15
  Notes on No4 (T) Rifles
  Tips & Tricks – "Rust Removal"
  Simply Awful Humor
  The Rejected Enfield
  "Current" Issue .303 Military Ammo
  War Stories
  Enfield's 7.62mm Specialty Rifles
  The British Army Says Farewell to the Bren
  Three WWI Armourers' Tools
  4 (T) or not 4 (T) – The No4 Lee Enfield Sniper Rifle
  Fakes & Frauds
  Shooting Black Powder in the .303
   
Vol. VII No. 4 The .303 British 23
  Pakistani Lee-Enfields
  The .303 British Cartridge – An Overview
  Reloading Tips For The .303
  Tidbits – "Modification to Denison Smocks For Use By Snipers"
  Lee Enfield Chamber Size
  Mystery of the Dead Buck
  Bullet Talk
  Powders – Where Do I Start?
  Reloading the .303 British – Chambers & Headspace
  Grenade Trials?
  .303 Case Life
   
Vol. VIII No. 1 .303 Dum Dums & Hollow Points 4
  A No. 1 Mk V
  Inspectors' Stamps & British Proof Marks
  Bedding & Regulating Target Rifles
  The John Inglis Company & The Bren Gun
  First Antelope
  More Grenade Trials
  New Zealand Marked SMLE
  The Old Days
   
Vol. VIII No. 2 Barrels, Bolts & Breechblocks - "Enfield Rifle Pull-Through" 95
  Profile - James Paris Lee
  Chest, S.A. No. 15 Mk 1
  History of the Ishapore Rifle Factory
  Improved Cases - .303 Epps
   
Vol. VIII No. 3 The John Inglis Company & The Bren Gun 15
  Barrels, Bolts & Breechblocks - "Stripper Clips"
  More on Chest, S.A. No. 15 Mk 1 Markings
  Peter Laidler on Mortars
  Ishapore Jungle Carbines
  Tools of the Home Gunsmith
  Found on the Western Front
  An Interesting S.M.L.E.
   
Vol VIII No. 4 Lee Enfield .223 No. 4 8
  Genuine English Recipes - "Potato Bread"
  Rifle No. 1 Mk III Conversion to 7.62mm
  Battle of Arnhem
  Beginner's Luck
  The Dirt on MILSURP Ammunition
  How Much Is It Worth?
   
Vol. IX No. 1 The Indestructible Scope Mount 7
  Another Scope Mount
  Genuine English Recipes - "Fried Egg Sandwich
  Scottish/English History & The Armstrongs
  .45-70 at Two Miles - The Sandy Hook Tests of 1879
  After Mountain Sheep
  Gun Control:  Good or Bad for Collectors
  The No. 5 Rifle Goes to War
  The Unnatural Death of a Natural Right
  The 1970 Palma Rifle, Part Two
   
Vol. IX No. 2 S.M.L.E. No, 1 Mk III* parts Breakdown 59
  A Beginners' Guide to Collecting Commonwealth Bayonets
  Italian .22 Conversion
  Wallaceburg & Districe Museum; The Lee Enfield Rifle
  Non-Textbook Conversion with an Interesting Life
  Saving a Burnt Out Jungle Carbine
  7.62x51mm or .308 Winchester
   
Vol IX No. 3 & 4 Markings on British & Commonwealth Bayonets 6
  Notes on the Manufacture of Small Arms - Royal Small Arms Factory
  In Flanders Fields
  How I Became an S.M.L.E. Addict
  Genuine English Recipes - "Brown Bread with Smoked Salmon"
  Selections of War Poems by Seigfried Sassoon
  Old Tommy Goes to School
  Old Tommy
  The Lee Magazine Rifle
  Enfield (Middlesex) History
   
Vol X No. 1 "Musings" by Paul M.R. Breakey 18
  Causes of Manufacturing Variation & Its Impact on Collecting
  The New Martini-Enfield Rifle
  The Pattern 1893 Martini-Metford Bayonet
  The 28th Massachusetts & The Enfield Rifle
  U.S. Rifle Caliber .30 1917
  Three Clip Inglis Pouch
  "The Bear", by Bob Dick
  "Santa Fe" Enfields, by Skip Stratton
   
Vol X No. 2 HUNTING TALES by R.W. Dick 6
  "Heading Home"
  "The Old Timer & His Elk"
  "Hunting Bloopers"
  "Must Be Hit, He's Running Funny"
  "Mystery of the Dead Buck"
  "First Antelope"
  "Beginner's Luck"
  "After Mountain Sheep"
  "The Standoff"
  "How Sleepy Hollow Was Named"
  "Dad, He's Got Horns!"
  "The Greenhorn"
  "Success"
   
Vol X No. 3 Knapp's Knotes: 1995-1198 32
  "WWI Enfield Mk I ***"
  "No.1 MkIII Grenade Launching Rifle"
  "Iraqi Property Markings"
  "7.62 NATO Model 2A1 Indian Service Rifle"
  "The Strange Status of Enfield Rifle Cutaways"
  "Stock Markings Tell A Story"
  "Irish Free State No.2 Mk4 Rifle"
  "Irish Enfields - To Unwrap or Not Unwrap"
  "L59A1 Drill Rifles"
  "SMLE WWI Slings"
  "The Cover, Short Rifle"
  "British AA Gun"
  "Azimuth Sighting Tube"
  "Glossary of Antique Arms Collector's Terms"
   
Vol X No. 4 "Musings" by Paul M.R. Breakey 2
  "James Paris Lee"
  "Last Minute Comments and Information" by J.C. Hitz
  "Civilian Long Branch" by P. M.R. Breakey
  "Doing It The Hard Way" by R.W. Dick
  "Enfield's 7.62 Specialty Rifles" by P.M.R. Breakey
  "Hunter's Remorse" by R.W. Dick
  "How To Speak Like A Brit"
  "What Happened To America?"
  "In Flanders Fields"
  S.M.L.E. No.1 MkIII Parts Breakdown (Gun Parts Corp. Catalog)
  SMLE No.4 Parts Breakdown (Gun Parts Corp. Catalog)
     
 

For reprints of some of the above listed articles, go to:

http://www.the-enfield-collectors-digest.org

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 For reprints of some of the above listed articles, go to http://www.the-enfield-collectors-digest.org