Make: Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield
Model: Lee-Enfield Mk I (LEC I) Carbine updated by the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)
Serial Number: 7817B
Year of Manufacture: 1900
Caliber: .303 British
Action Type: Bolt Action, 6 Round Detachable Magazine
Barrel Length: Approximately 20 ½”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a small inverted V post set atop a ramped base. The rear sight is a V-notched blade attached to an escalator assembly. It flips up to become a sight ladder that uses a sliding V-notched blade.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 3 piece smooth wood with a straight grip, nose cap, bayonet lug, 2 sling loops, brass marking disk on the right side of the butt, and a brass buttplate with a hinged door for storage. The forearm shows arsenal repairs from the RIC upgrade. The wood shows numerous scratches and compression marks. The LOP measures 13 ¼” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows oxidation and wear. The stocks rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original to Arsenal Rebuild. The metal has been treated with cold blue.
Bore Condition: The muzzle and grooves are light gray. The rifling is deep. There is erosion at the muzzle and in the grooves. In this writer's opinion, this bore rates a 6.5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 83% of its metal finish. The metal shows small scrapes, thinning on the leading edges, and areas of discoloration from oxidation. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads show heavy use. The markings are clear. Overall, this carbine rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this carbine. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The carbine comes with a 6 round magazine that appears to function correctly.
Our Assessment: This rare piece started life in 1900 as a Lee Enfield MkI Carbine (LEC I), which was then updated by the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). The brass marking disk on the butt stock is marked “12. ’04 / R.I.C. / 6980”. This marking indicates that the carbine was updated by the Royal Irish Constabulary in December 1904. The primary modification was adding a collar to the muzzle to increase the barrel diameter to allow the carbine to accommodate a Pattern 1888 sword bayonet. Only LEC I and LEC I* carbines were updated, and just 11,000 carbines were so modified by the RIC. The Royal Irish Constabulary was a quasi-military police force, armed with carbines and billeted in barracks in Ireland during the early 1900s, and tasked with policing Ireland during a period of agrarian unrest and rising Irish revolutionary nationalism.
This carbine has great markings, including a rarely seen “L.E.C. / I.” marking on the stock collar, and matching numbers on the receiver, barrel shank, and bolt handle. There is no visible import mark. There is a British export mark on the barrel shank. The carbine comes with its standard magazine cutoff, short magazine secured to the receiver with a chain link, dust cover, and bolt-mounted safety. This is a rare find for the Enfield collector. For more information, please see pages 208-209 of Phillip Peterson’s “Standard Catalog of Military Firearms 4th Edition”.
RIFLE