No6 MkI and MkI/I Trial Rifles

History and Images

Images courtesy of Andrew Moran

The No6 Rifle was the result of Australia’s attempt to address the call for a shortened and lightened rifle. This demand was generated when the focus of World War Two shifted from Europe to the tropical confines of the South Pacific and it was decided that a lighter and more compact rifle was needed to navigate the jungle terrain in this theater. As it has been previously mentioned in the No5 Rifle and Canadian Lightweight Rifle pages, when this request was tabled England, Canada and Australia each began more or less independent projects to satisfy the requirement. Three very different results were the outcome of these projects and on this page it is the Australian version that is highlighted.

 

Whereas the UK and Canada focused there efforts on modifying a No4 type rifle to carbine dimensions, Australia having continued with production of the No1 rifle, never adopting the No4, sought to modify the No1 type rifle.

 

In the first trial the engineers at Lithgow designed a Shortened and Lightened (S&L) No1 that seen the barrel reduced in length and lightened by milling portions of the Knox form off in a similar fashion as the No5 rifle. With the reduced length of the barrel the rear sight was moved further back towards the receiver and a new sight protector arrangement was devised. Finally, a flashhider was installed and a modified fore-end and handguard arrangement was installed, no change was done to the buttstock. This rifle became the No6 MkI, of which about 100 were produced by Lithgow.

 

Not satisfied with this first prototype, recommendations were tabled and the No6 rifle underwent more modifications. The improved No6 seen the same lightening cuts and flashhider as used in the MkI, but the receiver was now redesigned to incorporate a No5 style micrometer rear sight, greatly increasing the sight radius and thus the accuracy of the rifle. With the rear sight removed from the barrel a new handguard was fitted and a No5 style butt plate was added to the buttstock, though without the side mounted sling swivel. This rifle became the No6 MkI/I and again about 100 were manufactured.

 

As with the Canadian Lightweight rifle, the No6 never saw production past the tool room sample/trial phase as World War Two came to an end and all arms production was ordered stopped. The limited number of these rifles produced makes it an extremely rare example of the Lee-Enfield family and any collector should be very careful when finding one advertised. In the last decade or so many Lithgow No1 rifles have been imported to North America and have become a favorite of some importers and custom gun shops to customize. One such variant seems to be the No6 type rifle, so beware, these pieces are not common.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This early model No6 MkI is distinguished by the position of the No1 type rear sight and grooving of the upper handguard and fore-end. Note the lack of the rubber recoil pad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the later version No6 MkI/I still sporting the handguard and fore-end cuts, but sighted with a rear aperture sight. Of note here is the rubber recoil pad and buttstock, notice that the Australian's did not cut the buttstock and move the rear sling swivel point to the side of the buttstock. It maintains the swivel at the toe of the butt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture illustrates the No6 MkI rear sight still graduated to 2000 yards, but positioned further back on the barrel (if compared to the No1 rifle). Also visible are the groove cuts in the stock and underneath the sight ears the barrel lightening cuts can be seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is seen the No6 MkI/I rear aperture sight mounted behind the charger bridge in a similar fashion to the British No5 MkI. Its graduations are also reduced to 800 yards like the No5 MkI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another No6 MkI

Images courtesy of Barry Hailes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viewed here is the XP prefix to the serial number unique to No6 trial rifles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The buttstock markings showing Australian manufacture, that the rifle is a No6 trial rifle (XP) and its date of manufacture February 1945.

 

 

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