The first bold-action military rifle adopted by the British Empire was the Lee-Metford, from 1888. The Metford used a .303 black powder cartridge, and when quickly updated to cordite (smokeless powder), it was found to be too hot for the Metford rifling pattern, destroying the barrels. Consequently, the Royal Armory at Enfield redesigned the barrels to use a new rifling pattern that could handle the higher pressures and velocities of smokeless powder. Thus, the Lee-Enfield, which was used into the early 1950's in various versions by the British military, and even through the 60's and 70's in Commonwealth nations like India. 

 

The Sten, in turn, was a wartime expedient; the British did not see the role of a submachine gun at the start of the World War II, and so did not adopt one...until they were defeated in France and nearly destroyed at Dunkirk, and so decided that a submachine gun may have some merit. They then rapidly adopted a copy of the Bergman MP-28, christened the Lanchester, and then designed a stripped down, simplified version made for cheap mass production: the STEN, named for Shepard, Turpin, and Enfield, its designers and the Royal Armory.

 

Here is a closeup detail of the Enfield action with .303 stripper clip, and Sten Mk. 2 action.

  Poster Matte Wall Art Picture Print 3 Sizes Available 24x36 18x24 12x18

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Lee Enfield and Sten Submachine Gun British Weapons War Poster Matte Wall Art Picture Art Print 24x36 18x24 12x18