G&G Armament LE4 Mk I-P Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 MK.1

Spoilt for choice when choosing an Airsoft Lee Enfield? We never thought this day would come! Joining S&T and Ares, G&G Armament has produced its own take on the iconic Lee Enfield rifle with some interesting innovations which make it a superb skirmish primary and a good alternative option to the spring powered Enfields.

G&G's LE4 is gas powered, with a massive gas reservoir in the stock, and it feeds from compact magazines designed to mimic the real stripper clips used to load the real No.4 MK1 rifle. When your stripper "clipazine" runs dry it will pop up, preventing the bolt from going forwards and allowing you to grab it and reload quickly and easily. Loading the clipazine into the LE4 is done exactly the same way a real No.4 MK.1 is loaded; with the bolt pulled back, by pushing it downwards through the receiver into the magazine proper, making for a realistic Lee Enfield experience that is hard to beat, even with the superb spring powered options on the market at the moment.

Starting at the front, we can see the realistically styled Lee Enfield No.4 muzzle which includes mock mounting lugs for the Lee Enfield No.4 MK.I bayonet. We have not tested the lug so cannot confirm its compatibility with real or replica bayonets, but the fact that the lugs are present points to the careful attention to detail paid by G&G when designing the LE4. The muzzle is constructed from steel and is not threaded, so no tracer for the speedybois on this classic! We wouldn't have it any other way!

Immediately following the muzzle we come to the front sight which has a fine front post surrounded by protective wings on either side, with ports on each wing to allow maximum light transmission for easy sight acquisition. The front sight post itself is set into a dovetail built into the sight base and can be adjusted left to right by loosening the screw at the front of the sight base and sliding the post into the desired position. The front sight post, base and protective wings are all constructed from steel to provide strength and realism, together with an authentic gun metal grey finish.

Next up we arrive at the front barrel band which is a hinged design and serves to hold the front handguard and heatshield onto the rifle. The barrel band is constructed from steel, and the handguard and heatshield below are constructed from faux wood effect polymer with steel caps at the front end. The caps also have brass mock pins simulating the way the real Rifle No.4 wooden handguard and heatshield are adjoined to the caps, and the wood effect is amongst the best faux wood we have ever seen, with a deep and detailed wood grain effect which is only given away when touched. Though the polymer furniture lacks the feel of real wood, it is a far more skirmish practical choice, requiring less maintenance, being harder to damage and far less vulnerable to moisture.

Moving rearwards we come to the second barrel band which is also constructed from steel and has the front sling swivel built in. This swivel is a perfect match for the real Enfield with its dual hinged design and can be used with the rear sling point on the stock to mount a Lee Enfield replica sling to make this hefty rifle easier to carry in the field. The front handguard and heatshield lead on to the forestock which is the perfect shape for a Lee Enfield, complete with a detailed and visually accurate wood grain effect.

As we reach the receiver we can see that this is the most realistic Lee Enfield rifle out there when it comes to dimensions. The receiver and bolt are far slimmer than spring powered systems which require room inside the bolt for a spring and piston setup. Like the real Rifle No.4 MK1, the G&G receiver is very slim, and has all the details any Lee Enfield fanatic will appreciate. The receiver is the correct high walled No.4 receiver, complete with "No.4 MK1" and "F(FTR)48" engraved markings paying appropriate tribute to the real thing.

The safety catch is located at the rear left of the receiver, sitting well within reach of the thumb when you are holding the LE4 in a firing grip. The safety has two functions built in; the ability to lock the bolt action entirely, or to lock the trigger and bolt. The safety has a rounded contact surface complete with knurling for extra grip in wet weather, allowing it to be operated effectively on the beaches, in the landing grounds, in the fields, in the streets, and in the hills!

When the rifle is not cocked, pushing the safety to the vertical position will lock the action and prevent the bolt handle from being moved, allowing the rifle to be safely stowed without being vulnerable to misuse by those who should not be messing with it. With the rifle cocked the safety can be rotated by 180 degrees to lock the trigger which will also prevent the bolt from being pulled back fully but still allows it to rotate and be pulled back by a centimetre or so to allow you to inspect the chamber.

The magazine release is located inside the trigger guard, and when pressed allows the detachable magazine to be removed. It isn't likely you will be using this control too much as the G&G LE4 feeds from the top, just like the real Rifle No.4 MK1, but it is nonetheless removable for realism, and to keep those pesky marshalls happy as you leave the game zone! The magazine is constructed from steel and contains a spring-loaded follower to help propel a spent clipazine up and out of the action so it can be replaced with a fresh one, and is a good match for the real Lee Enfield magazine with its slanted baseplate and dual reinforcement ribs on each side.

The trigger and trigger guard are both constructed from steel, with an anti corrosion gun metal grey finish applied to match the real Rifle No.4 MK1 perfectly. Being a curved design, the trigger of the LE4 is perfect for accurate shooting, encouraging proper finger positioning and being comfortable at the same time. The trigger guard will prevent the trigger from being snagged on kit, offering an extra level of safety, and is large enough to allow full-fingered gloves to be used without impeding access to the trigger.

The receiver also boasts a real world accurate stripper clip guide, which is useful given the feeding mechanism of this rifle! Fortunately, the "clipazines" of the LE4 are considerably easier to load than shell ejecting replica KAR98 rifles with stripper clips, meaning you can reload quickly in game without spilling shells out and ripping your thumbs to shreds! At the top rear of the receiver is where we can find the rear sight, which is one of the special things about this Lee Enfield, and the real one too. The sight includes two options for aiming; a fixed ghost ring style aperture, known as the "battle sight", and a fantastic fully adjustable target sight for longer ranges, known as the "micrometer rear sight".

The battle sight is quick to align and keeps your peripheral vision unobstructed for close range shooting, being similar to an M4/AR15 rear sight in its design. The micrometer rear sight is the second option intended for long range accurate fire, providing a flip-up ladder style sight with full adjustment via the dial on the top and the screw on the right side of the sight base. Turning the adjustment dial on the top of the sight will raise and lower the aperture with audible and tactile clicks for a feel of true precision, allowing you to harass the enemy at far longer ranges, and even arc your shots onto target with enough practice!

Being a gas powered rifle, the G&G LE4 will require lubrication of the bolt and its tracks to preserve its ultra slick action and keep it representing the fastest bolt action around properly. Fortunately, this is a very simple process, as the LE4 bolt can be removed in the same way the real one can. To remove the bolt you will first need to lift the rear sight up, then hold the bolt release catch down, found on the right side of the receiver, just behind the ejection port. With the bolt catch held down, the bolt can be pulled back to its rearmost position. With the bolt all the way back you can rotate the front section (known as the locking lug) to the vertical position, after which the bolt can be removed.

With the bolt removed, you can apply a small amount of silicone lubricant to the contact surfaces of the bolt to allow it to slide easily inside the receiver with minimal friction. In the now empty receiver, you will see the green gas route bucking which will also need lubrication from time to time. With maintenance complete, you can slide the bolt back into the action from the rear, rotate the locking lug back into the correct position, and slide the bolt all the way forwards where it will be retained.

The HOP-up adjuster of the LE4 is located on the underside of the receiver and is a unique design which requires a tool to adjust. Fear not, G&G include the tool with the rifle, and it is even stored on the rifle so you will always have it handy in game! The tool is found inside the cleaning kit compartment of the stock and can be accessed by opening up the port in the centre of the butt plate. The tool will protrude slightly once the compartment is open, and is retained by a magnet within, meaning you can easily grab it and pop it back inside without worrying about it falling out. The direction of turn is indicated around the HOP-up dial with a helpful arrow so you never lose track.

The gas fill valve is also located inside the stock, accessible through the same port that the HOP-up adjustment tool is. The rifle will need to be muzzle down during filling and takes a lot of gas, so expect to spend 2 or 3 times the amount of time filling it that you would a normal GBB pistol magazine. We recommend VORSK V12 or other high power gas for this rifle to give it the poke it needs to reach out at longer ranges. One of the major perks of this gas powered Enfields over its spring powered brothers is its super quiet muzzle report, making it perfect for a stealthy playstyle.

The stock itself has the correct Lee Enfield style profile, dating back to the Lee Metford rifle from the late 1800s, giving it the iconic British look we all know and love. The stock is straighter in design than modern sniper rifles but was built as such to complement the fast bolt action of the Rifle No.4 MK1, and unlike similar stocks from the same era (1903 Springfield springs to mind), has a ledge at the bottom to help you grip the rifle when sprinting between cover, or when working in wet weather. The butt plate is constructed from steel and has the same rough anti corrosion surface finish as the other steel parts of the rifle, of course with a realistic gun metal grey finish.

Those looking for a Lee Enfield rifle are going to have a hard time choosing with the G&G LE4's entrance to the market! Which Enfield you choose depends on what you want from your classic WWII rifle. Those looking for speed, both in the action and in the loading procedure will appreciate the LE4 for its more skirmishable qualities and its polymer faux wood stock, which looks the part without needing the care and attention real wood does!

Features

• Full metal construction
• Faux wood polymer stock, handguard, forestock - Visually spot on
• Steel front sight, muzzle, barrel bands, magazine well, butt plate and sling swivels
• Alloy receiver and bolt - Realistically sized, unlike spring powered Enfields
• Superb iron sights - Ghost ring "battle" sight and "micrometer" adjustable rear sight
• Authentic late war Lee Enfield No.4 MK1 details - Flat cocking piece
• Feeds from 30rnd Stripper clip style magazines - 3 Included!
• Front and rear sling points - Steel construction, ideal for replica Lee Enfield slings
• Gas reservoir inside the stock - Massive gas capacity, refilled from the butt plate
• Two position safety catch - Trigger lock and bolt lock
• The stripper clip pops up when empty - Convenient reloads, no dry firing!
• Removable magazine - Fits 1x Stripper clip mag inside
• Manually unload by pushing the clip downwards or removing the magazine itself
• Unique adjustable HOP-up unit - Adjustment tool hidden in the stock
• Engraved No.4 MK1 markings on the left side receiver wall
• Compatible with G&G LE4 Stripper clip style magazines

Package Includes

• G&G Armament LE4 Mk I-P Lee Enfield Rifle No.4 MK.1
• 3x 30rnd Stripper Clip style magazines
• Cleaning/unjamming rod
• LE4 Speed loader
• User manual

Special Instructions

Loading the LE4 stripper clip style magazines requires the included LE4 speed loader. To load the stripper clip you will need to insert it into the bottom of the loader and fill the loading tube with BBs. With this done, you can slide the loading tube assembly to the end of its tracks, where it will lock in place with an audible "click", releasing the BBs into the loading track. You can then push the black polymer assembly with the loading tube attached rearwards (this requires some force) to load the BBs into the stripper clip magazine. The loading tube should fit approximately 30 BBs inside, so this should only need to be done once to load a single stripper clip magazine.