[Newsbot]

Title: Lack of spare parts triggers the end for old reliable Lee-Enfield rifle
Category: Military
Posted By: Hyack
Date: 2014-10-19 02:18:42
Canadian

[Jabberwalker]

I suppose that the same thing happened when the Forces stopped supporting the Brown Bess back in the 1960's.

They should have taken better care of their gear, eh?

[fifeboy]

Damn but the Lee Enfield is a fine weapon. Special place needed for that one.

[Xort]

So throw them the cast off FN FALs from the 80s. Still a fires full sized rifle cartridge and it is known for it's dependability.

[BeaverFever]

Anyone else cringe over the number of times the article refer to that rifle as a "gun"? I'll bet the writer has never held a "gun" in their life.

[Xort]

BeaverFever BeaverFever:

Anyone else cringe over the number of times the article refer to that rifle as a "gun"? I'll bet the writer has never held a "gun" in their life.

You learn to ignore it, just like how the only firearms that ever seem to hurt anyone are high powered.

You'd think that a medium or low powered firearm would hurt or kill someone and get reported on.

[bootlegga]

Xort Xort:

So throw them the cast off FN FALs from the 80s. Still a fires full sized rifle cartridge and it is known for it's dependability.

Based on my recollection, the FN wasn't as reliable a weapon in the Arctic as the Enfield, which is why the Rangers were never issued them.

[PublicAnimalNo9]

fifeboy fifeboy:

Damn but the Lee Enfield is a fine weapon. Special place needed for that one.

Agreed.

[DrCaleb]

Perhaps I'm once again being disentranced from this announcement, but I call bullshit. Not on the rifle, it's got to be top 2 ever invented.

But it's 100 years old. There is no patent on it. The parts were created 100 years ago, so they can't be that tough to make with today's technology.

I'm thinking if there were really a need for parts, there would be dozens of entrepreneuring gunsmiths out there looking for a military supply contract to supply parts to the Rangers. I can't believe there is no way to create a steady supply of parts, or an entirely new rifle based on the exact same specs as the original. I know from hunting that you can't take a any old rifle and go from horseback to rowboat to slogging through the muskeg to riding on a dogsled at 20 below - and just pull out the rifle and have the it fire when you need it to because you are about to become a bear snack.

My spider sense says there has already been a lobbyist who already has scooped up the contract, and the next gen rifle has already been decided. Stories like this are just biding time till the winner is announced.

I'm betting on the Remington 700. Wood stock, in standard NATO 7.62.

[BeaverFever]

Regarding manufacturing new LE's and/or LE replacement parts, my guess is that the order isn't big enough for businesses to invest.

Regarding "scooping up the contract": Colt Canada already has the exclusive contracts to select and manufacture the replacement weapon to DND....but not the actual rifle design, which they apparently have no interest in. How you get a contract to manufacture something when you don't even know what the design will look like is beyond me.

DND has asked interested suppliers to provide Colt Canada with their rifle designs and technical specs, Colt will manage the design competition and pick the winner. Under a separate contract, Colt will then manufacture the winning design for DND. This is where this procurement project has reportedly stalled and the interested suppliers have reportedly walked away, with designers not wanting to provide a competitor with their proprietary designs and not understanding why they can't compete for the manufacturing rights as well.

Ready, fire, aim as usual at DND.

*edit* also, the above might create a "fox in the henhouse" situation where Colt chooses a winner based on their private interests as the manufacturer, rather than the interests of the user.

[BartSimpson]

I'm not seeing the big deal. Buy a 3D scanner and a 3D machining device and then make all the parts you want.