SMLE rifle questions

[atr]

Mark III #1 enfield
the stock has three sling loops not the usual two,,,,one toward the crown, one about mid-length, and one at the butt-stock
can you tell me what the third loop is for?

last question
at the trigger guard assembly, where the magazine is placed, there is a small looped piece of metal,,,,what was that for?
(I have seen this on both the Mark III and Mark IV rifles)

thanks
atr

[Jack Stanley]

The buttstock swivel and the mid-stock swivel are for the carrying strap . The swivel towards the muzzle is a stacking swivel if I remember correctly .

I believe the small loop to be for a lanyard to secure the magazine to the rifle .

Jack

[Multigunner]

Some of the earlier Lee Enfields or Lee Metfords used a chain and clip to secure the magazine to a small loop on the trigger guard but the small staple like loop was reintroduced with the SMLE MkIII* as a tiedown point for the Canvas action cover introduced in WW1. They had used the extra sling swivel on the trigger guard of the SMLE MkIII but that swivel was deleted from the simplified MkIII* triggerguard.
The small loop was carried over to the No.4 rifle as well.

Theres a piling swivel on the nose cap. The swivel on the trigger guard, found on the MkIII and some MkIII* rifles could be used for several alternative methods of mounting the sling.
The sling could be mounted with the rear loop attached at the triggerguard and drawn up tight for drills, this left the grip of the butt unencumbered. They sometimes used the trigger guard swivel in order to use the sling in the manner known these days as a scout sling.
When the No.4 Rifle was converted for Sniper or target use a trigger guard swivel was sometimes added, this add on was attached by a purpose made king screw.

PS
Many of the older Muskets had the rear swivel attached to the trigger guard instead of to the butt.