7/17/19 - The Lee-Enfield No.5 Mk 1 gained its nickname, “Jungle Carbine,” from British troops who used the weapon in the Pacific Theater, but the name was never officially used by the military. The Jungle Carbine is a lighter, shorter variation of the No. 4 Mk I and was designed for use by British airborne forces. It is easily identifiable by the prominent flash hider that was designed to compensate for the increased flash that came with the shorter barrel. The rifle was only produced from 1944-1947 as it was ultimately seen as a flawed gun because it had a large recoil due to the short barrel and soldiers complained it had a “wandering zero.” Only about 250,000 of these rifles were produced. This particular Jungle Carbine was produced in February of 1946 by ROF Fazakerley and is in excellent condition with only a few very minor nicks and dings on the wooden stock. The finish on the metal parts are in similarly terrific condition with very few minor scuffs on the receiver and barrel. There is minor handling wear visible on the bottom of the magazine and finish wear on the end of the bolt. The numbered parts are all matching (receiver, magazine, bolt). The bright, shiny bore is in nearly unfired condition. There is an export mark on the top of the barrel.
