Ares Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) Sniper w/Scope & Mount

The Ares Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) is a beautifully constructed and perfectly visually accurate replica of the real Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 MK.I (T), the sniper rifle variant of the Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 we all recognise as the British standard issue rifle throughout WWII. The No.4 MK.I (T) is the sniper rifle variant of the No.4 MK.I standard issue rifle, with the “T” denoting “Telescopic”, a reference to the rifle's built-in scope mounting blocks and intended use with the No.32 scope.

The real steel Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) rifles were hand selected from stocks of standard No.4 MK.I rifles for their above average accuracy and were sent to famous prestige British firearms manufacturer Holland and Holland for conversion into sniper rifles. H&H added a wooden cheek riser to provide a comfortable and stable cheek weld for use with the No.32 scope, threaded scope mounting blocks on the left side of the receiver, and made modifications to the No.4 MK.I battle sight to allow for the scope to fit nice and low to the bore.

The Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) was first introduced into the North Africa Campaign in February 1942, but didn’t see practical use until the invasion of Italy in 1943, when the rifle came into its own on the urban battlefields. The No.4 MK.I (T) rifles were very impressive for their time, and carried on in service after the war for many decades before being upgraded to L42A1 standard, and rechambered in the NATO 7.62x51mm cartridge.

The Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) is regarded as one of the best sniper rifles of WW2 thanks to a combination of more modern features such as its cheek rest and centrally mounted scope, and its superb accuracy at combat ranges, making an MK.I (T) a serious force multiplier in urban combat. The real No.4 MK.I (T) rifles were required to land 7/7 shots in a 5-inch circle at 200 yards, and 6/7 shots into a 10-inch circle at 400 yards to be considered accurate enough to be sent to H&H for sniper conversion, which is average by modern standards but back in WWII this was pinpoint precision, and far better than contemporary sniper rifles and its competitors.

Ares has done a fantastic job replicating the No.4 MK.I (T), even down to the superb-looking No.32 scope and the thoughtfully designed and authentic looking hard case the package is supplied in. The finish on both the wooden stock and metallic components is a near perfect match for the real thing, with a deep and varied wood grain across the rifle and a smooth gun metal finish across the metal parts.

As far as the visual look goes, the Ares No.4 MK.I (T) is near perfect, with the only missing detail being the sniper specific sling swivel which is usually located just in front of the magwell. The cheek riser is the correct shape and height, the battle sight has been deleted as it should be, and the attention to detail paid to both the No.32 scope and its mount is simply incredible.

At the tip of the barrel we are greeted with no threading, as no suppressor of the 1940s could contain the raw power of the .303 British round the Enfield fires. Instead, we can find the recognisable Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 front sight and muzzle, which includes angular lugs which allow a bayonet or grenade launcher to be mounted to the real thing. The front sight is a fine front post set into a dovetail, and is protected on either side by protective wings with circular cut-outs to allow more light to hit the front sight, making it easier to pick up when firing quickly.

The sights were one of the most notable improvements of the original Rifle No.4 MK.I, and is one of the few areas that the British were actually ahead of their time! The Rifle No.4 MK.I does away with the tangent rear sight found on the Rifle No.1 MK.III and KAR98K and replaces it with a flip-up aperture sight with a built-in battle sight for fast aiming at close range. The (T) variant of the No.4 MK.I has its battle sight deleted to allow for the No.32 scope to be mounted, but can still make use of the delicate and precise aperture sight, which is one of the best designs of WWII, perhaps only falling behind to the M1 Garand by a small margin.

The rear sight lives in a cut-out at the rear of the receiver, between the stripper clip guide and bolt handle. The sight is stowed flat, but can be flipped up quickly and easily without having to press any buttons or use tools. Once erected, the sight can be adjusted up and down by turning the adjustment wheel at the top right of the sight, allowing you to engage at longer ranges when you aren’t using the No.32 scope because you are an expert marksman who fancies a challenge!

Moving rearwards from the front we come to the handguard and forestock of the No.4 MK.I (T) which is the perfect shape and design to match the real thing. The barrel bands are all in the right places, and the middle band includes a steel sling swivel which can be used with the rear sling swivel on the bottom of the stock to mount a traditional Lee Enfield infantry-style sling.

As we reach the receiver we can see the authentic high-walled No.4 MK.I receiver design, complete with a stripper clip guide, rear iron sight and scope mounting blocks, over on the left side. There is also an Ares logo stamped into the trunnion at the front of the receiver. This logo may not be a BSA logo but the attention Ares has paid to the looks of the stamping show their attention to detail. This marking looks like a real stamping from the 1940s, not ultra sharp CNC machining from 2022, keeping the rifle looking faithful without any tell-tale signs of it being a replica. There are additional markings on the left side receiver wall, reading “No.4 MK1* - LONG BRANCH - 1942”, adding to the authenticity without stepping on any toes IP-wise.

To mount the included No.32 scope replica all you need to do is align the mounting thumbscrews with the threaded holes on the scope mounting blocks, and hand tighten the screws until the scope is firmly mounted. The scope is a fixed power optic with 3x magnification which is perfect to simulate the real No.32 scope. This scope looks exactly like the real thing on the outside, but benefits from modern optics technology to make it more robust, and with better eye relief and clarity than the original. Technology rocks, right?

The scope can be adjusted for windage using the dial on the left side, and elevation is controlled by the dial on the top. The windage dial is adjusted in MILs and has a smooth feel with a little resistance to prevent the dial from being knocked and upsetting your zero. The elevation dial is adjusted in increments of range, functioning as a bullet drop compensator with an audible and tactile click with each adjustment increment. This scope feels as high quality as the rifle itself, and when put together it is a match made in heaven!

The bolt pull of the Ares Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) is exactly what an authentic replica Lee Enfield should have. The Lee Enfield rifle series, going all the way back to the original Rifle No.1 MKIII was well known for its short and fast bolt throw, allowing British Tommy’s to carry out what is known as a “mad minute”. The mad minute basically involves several soldiers firing as quickly as possible, synchronising their firing and reloading cycle to suppress the enemy in the same way a machine gun team would. 

The Ares No.4 is very capable of this and requires only a slight turn of the bolt and a short pull backwards to cock the rifle ready for the next shot, making it awesome for the authentic Lee Enfield experience, but also an asset on the field for when you need a fast follow-up shot. For those who have fired a real Lee Enfield; you will be impressed by the feel of the bolt of the Ares No.4 MK.I (T), as it almost has the feel of a “cock on close” bolt action, requiring a slight bit of force to close the bolt but being fast to open and operate. This is the aspect of the Enfield action that takes the credit for the “mad minute” and is what separates it from slow bolt actions like the KAR98K and M1903A3 Springfield rifle.

The magazine release can be found inside the trigger guard and requires an upwards press on its textured surface to release the mag. This is regarded as a dangerous feature these days, but once upon a time soldiers could be trusted not to pull the trigger when they mean to release the magazine! The real Lee Enfield rifles were only issued with a single magazine, and were generally reloaded using stripper clips or individual cartridges, making this feature perfectly adequate for its use with the benefit that the magazine catch cannot be snagged and inadvertently drop the magazine.

The safety catch of the Ares No.4 MK.I (T) is located on the left side of the receiver, just ahead of the rear stock socket. The catch requires a rearward pull to lock the trigger, and forward push to release it. The safety can only be activated when the rifle is cocked, and forcing it could damage the rifle so we advise being cautious, and not forcing the safety if it appears to not want to move into position. The safety is fast to use and can easily be actuated from a firing grip with the thumb, and is still effective in wet weather thanks to its textured surface.

Following the receiver and controls, we come to the rear stock socket, and the stock itself. The socket is appropriately marked with the serial number of the rifle on the left side, just like the real thing. The socket also features an Ares stamp above which looks perfectly in keeping with the other markings on the rifle, and those on the real Lee Enfield No.4 MK.I (T).

The stock sports the appropriate Enfield shape which dates back to the Lee Metford Rifle which pre-dates the S.M.L.E of WWI. The grip section is at a steeper angle than modern sniper rifles, but feels great in the hand and works perfectly with the short and fast Enfield bolt. On the top of the stock we can see one of the stand out features of the (T) model of the No.4 MK.I; the wooden cheek riser. Just like the real thing, the riser is a separate piece of wood which is bolted onto the original Enfield stock and includes a cut-out to allow your thumb to rest comfortably whilst shouldering the rifle.

The butt plate of the Ares Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) is the correct design and colouration for the No.4 rifle, and is constructed from steel to reduce the damage the rifle will take if dropped on its stock. The butt plate also includes a hinged compartment for a cleaning kit, but we think you could effectively conceal a tactical Twix, but only if it's a multipack bar single stick. At the toe of the stock we can find our final sling point which matches the real Enfield flawlessly and allows this hefty and substantial feeling rifle to be carried more easily in-game.

So, whether you want the best sniper rifle of WWII in your Airsoft arsenal for display or for play, the Ares Rifle No.4 MK.I (T) will do both jobs fantastically. The authentic feel of the Ares rifle, together with its flawless looks, impressive scope and hard storage case make this the full package, fit for display in a museum but equally at home exchanging BBs with uncivilised VSR users in a woodland skirmish!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Real wood stock, handguard, fore stock and heatshield
• A large proportion of stainless steel components
• A perfect replica of the real Lee Enfield No.4 MK.I (T)
• Supplied with a perfect No.32 MK.I scope replica and mount
• Benefit from modern glass in a retro scope design
• Great for display, re-enactment or skirmishing!
• Authentic antique look - Metal finish is fantastic
• Short and fast bolt action - So it should be for a Lee Enfield!
• Compatible with Ares Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 Magazines (S&T No.1 MK.III mags do not fit!)
• Hefty, realistic weight and feel - Great for the realistic experience
• Beautiful wood finish - Better than most real mid-late war Enfields, we don't mind though!
• Sling points at the front and rear - Ready for a two-point sling
• A great fit for a WWII British/Commonwealth loadout
• Precise and well-made aperture iron sights - Way better than KAR98K!
• A must-have for any historical rifle collector

Package Includes

• Ares Lee Enfield Rifle No. 4 MK.I (T) Sniper w/Scope & Mount
• Ares Lee Enfield 35rnd Magazine
• Ares No.32 MK.I Replica scope
• Lee Enfield Scope mount
• Hard storage case

Special Instructions

During our testing, we discovered that the easiest way to mount the No.32 scope is to first tighten the foremost thumb screw and then the rearmost. Starting with the rear screw makes the scope very difficult to mount and could potentially cause cross-threading.