Howell Automatic Rifle (British Army)

By Jorge Slipak

Caliber: 303 (7.7X56mm R)

Action: Gas operated bolt

Overall length: 1132 mm

Barrel length: 640 mm

Weight: 5 

to 5.50 Kg (Estimated)

Feeding: 20 rounds in detachable box magazine

The Howell (Self-loading rifle)

The Howell Automatic Rifle, was the british self loading rifle version of the SMLE, actually they converted an amount (No figures available) of SMLE’s to automatic by adding a gas piston located at the right side of the barrel, wich worked the bolt after each shot.

(Similar works can be seen with the Australian ‘Charlton’ –Infantry Rifle and Light Machine Gun- and the South African Rieder )

In order to allow the free movement of the bolt a pistol grip was added next to the trigger and a face guard was placed in the butt.  Finally is noticeable a hand protector fixed to the pistolgrip, and the presence of a bipode in few models at museums, this conversion was cheap simple and reliable.

The home guard was issued with the howell during the period 1939/1945 (Estimated)

There are not to much oficial data but aficionado’s estimations.

We can asume that the balistic performance was like the SMLE but -Again- there is no data about the Howell’s sights.

The Howell was oficially clasified as “Anti-Aircraft Rifle”.

Note: We don’t know if it was intended as a LMG, (The barrel was the original of the SMLE and it was not prepared for it) so again we should asume that even clasified as “Anti-Aircraft Rifle” the Howell was an automatic infantry rifle.

       SMLE Blueprints

SMLE Howell Automatic Rifle Blueprints

SMLE Howell Automatic Rifle Blueprints (With Open Bolt)

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(Key words, SMLE, Lee Enfield British army, Semi Automatic, 303
british, Howell Rifle - Blueprints, Diagrams, Pictures, Photos. )