M1915 Howell Automatic Rifle Enfield Conversion
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ค. 2024
- The M1915 Howell Automatic Rifle is a conversion of a standard No1 MkIII Lee Enfield rifle into a semiautomatic, through the addition of a gas piston onto the right side of the barrel. Despite its very steampunk appearance, the Howell is actually a quite simple conversion mechanically. The rifle action had not been modified at all, and a curved plate on the end of the gas piston is used to cycle the bolt up, back, forward, and down just as it would be done manually.
The additional metal elements added to the gun are there to prevent the shooter from inadvertently getting their hand or face in the path of the bolt. The crude tubular pistol grip is necessary because the shooter’s hand on the wrist of the stock would normally be in the path of the bolt’s travel. Note that the Parker-Hale bipod on this example is a non-military addition from its time in private ownership.
In addition to these elements, the Howell has been fitted with a 20-round extended magazine to better exploit its rate of fire. However, the Howell was made as a semiautomatic rifle only, and not fully automatic. It was offered to the British military circa 1915, but never put into service. Instead, the British would significantly increase production and deployment of Lewis light machine guns. Howell would offer his conversion in basically the same form to the military again at the onset of World War 2, but was again turned down.
Shooting the Howell was remarkably successful - I had expected it to be very malfunction-prone, but in fact it ran almost completely without fault. In retrospect, I would attribute this to the simplicity of its conversion, which made no changes to the feeding and extraction/ejection elements of the SMLE. The gun was a bit awkward to hold, and the offset sights left one with really no cheek weld at all, but recoil was gentle thanks to the gas systems function and added weight. Quite a remarkable gun, and one I am very glad to have been able to shoot.
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This gun is actually a pretty decent way of explaining to people how semi automatic gas systems work in guns
Yup! It sure does.
@@davidcoxe9597 They did go after certain Airsoft gun receivers because "they could be made into real guns". So what you said would not really be that much of a stretch.
If you look at Bill ruger's very first design he took a lever action Savage Model 99 and put a gas port on it and made into a semi automatic. When he showed the design to Savage, there were not iterested in it though. They liked the lever version.
@Dan Didnot wtf are you dribbling about? Me thinks you hit reply to the wrong person.
or one can just get a carbine..
Imagine bringing one of these to a mad minute challenge. "What do you mean I can't use it? It's a Lee Enfield!"
I know this comment is 3 years old but I doubt that they would turn you away seeing how it's such a rare Oddity I bet they would let you compete just I'll let everybody experience it
@@ethanspaziani5269 with the glacial trigger reset and extra weight it maybe more a handicap than an advantage lol
needs to have been standard issue is the likely gripe
Winner of the 1915 "Well, at least you tried," award.
snafuu This made me laugh really hard, thank you!
This is the reason the Participation Trophy was invented.
so basically, they created a gas powered metal hand to rotate the bolt for you.
that sounds genius and lazy at the same time :P
Oftentimes the best solution is the most simple one.
Mechanically, it's not technically any different from a lot of cammed-surface rotating bolt semi-auto rifles. The obvious difference being that the mechanical bits are on the outside of the gun, instead of tucked away safely inside.
oem42
The Australians did make an automatic Lee Enfield in WWII. I forget what it was called, there is one on display in the Army museum in Waiouru, NZ.
oem42
My mistake, it was made by a Kiwi. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlton_Automatic_Rifle
That looks like something a bored guy in the US would rig up over a weekend to see if it works, hollow metal pistol grip and all.
This is a brilliant low-tech solution for a mechanical problem. It's like having a car with manually windable windows, but having a hydraulic hand rotating the handle.
It is a crying shame it didn't get adopted. Really, so many great designs lost in history. Worst of all is the Jackhammer....I'm going to get one made some day, somehow....
It's so steampunk-esque it hurts.
T4nkc0mm4nd3r it didnt get adopted because a true semi auto rifle is a lot more reliable and an all around better solution
Pancor Jackhammer was a piece of shit of a shotgun tho......All it has going for it is looking "Kewl". While its terribely limiting. SPAS 12 and SPAS 15 as superior in everyway to it.
however in t1915 this would have been light years ahead of the competition wouldn't mind having one
@@sam8404
That thing must be monstrously heavy.
Looks like a gun upgrade in Bioshock.
Xanatos712 or wolfenstein perhaps
this exact design is actually in bioshcosk predecessor, system shock 2, just on a pump action shotguns pump.
I'm more worried about the way it seems to kick out hot brass at no angle in particular, just sorta falls out...without long sleeves it'd feel like a having lit cigarette buds flicked at you everytime you fire...
I've had lit cigarette ends forcibly put out on my arms and legs so its not an unfamiliar pain, but trying to aim and shoot with burning hot casing (freshly spent rifle brass feels a lot hotter than cigarettes) flicking out on to your wrists and face making you wince is impractical in a battle scenario, I mean the whole design in general is cool but pointless so it doesn't really matter.
A MAN CHOOSES
A SLAVE OBEYS
All "steampunkery" aside ... this conversion was designed at the apex of the age of steam. If you're used to looking at steam locomotives running with all of their moving parts exposed, this action makes complete sense.
I'm just not used to the working bits being that close to my hands and face!
It literally is the closest we will get to a real steam punk rifle.
@@BigWheel. I dunno, the Alofs is pretty steampunk too.
@@IVIaskeradelof system is purely mechanical and still requires braking the action from the shooter to fire again. The fact they even managed to get these rifles to run relatively well for being semiautomatic conversions on rifles that were even in circulation since original production in 1904 or 1895 is impressive. (If they used any surplus MLEs)
"Excuse me, but we need a self loading rifle to be made."
"Sure, just give me the design."
*Sets down an Enfield.
"....This is an Enfield...."
"Precisely."
Lame
Turns out that several people were struck by the same good idea fairy while handling Lee Enfield or Ross rifles.
What is it with them commonwealth folks and putting steam locomotives on their service rifles
not gonna lie this looks fucking SICK
I would buy one...if i could afford it.
warlock 34 you can probably do your own conversion with a cheap bolty and some machine shop knowhow.
spef that fucking profile pic is legendary
I would greatly enjoy building a full-auto version to play with, but alas... Hughes Amendment.
This looks like something out of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Only need some brass fittings rather than steel.
BigSwede7403 dude that would've been a really cool thing to see at least referenced in the movie
I loved that movie! I miss Sean Connery
That action is extremely satisfying. Reminds me of a steam locomotive where all the moving parts are on the outside but runs like clockwork. Steampunk and awesome!
homestuck
@@rubybishop2407 Hell yeah.
This is one of those genuinely forgotten weapons that are really cool to see. Fantastic job Ian!
For those who don't know, "The bee's knees!" and "The cat's meow!" are very scientific terms but you would need to be a gun expert to know that.
I'd like to ad willy-nilly. As in the expended casings are extracted in a willy-nilly fashion.
In the slow mo shots some hung around until the next shot was off.
warmongerhero the mutts nuts
Laxity Azathoth hahaha
You put the thing on the thing and you pull the thing.
You don’t have to be a gun expert to know these terms 😂they were used outside of gun talk you know
There is something steampunky about this gun.
munkSWE88 There really is. I think it's because while most semi auto guns have some sort of internal mechanism that makes them work this one has a external mechanism.
For once, I actually think it really is a steampunk gun and not glued cogs and gold spraypaint, thanks to the gas tube.
munkSWE88 I had the same thought... I looks straight out of a steam punk fantasy.
More diesepunk I'd say as it is now
But with more brass, a bit more bulk and some random screws and bolts it would look quite steampunky
It looks steampunk because it's overly designed and serves its purpose by sidestepping what is (in hindsight) the most simple and obvious solution.
Jesus imagine the cyclic rate on that thing if they made it full auto
th-cam.com/video/glcuSPMAAHs/w-d-xo.html
This amazing weapon has ben confirmed to be in a DLC for BF1. Thank you Ian for your support to DICE
This gun fucking rules in BF1.
It needs to be an airsoft gun
And they included the aftermarket bipod! Lmao
*KACHOONK-CHOONK*
13:50
Did not understand this comment at first, but then ... Kachoonk-Choonk!!
YES
Setting this as my ringtone XD
I saw the rifle in the thumbnail and just thought wow, gotta learn about that!
The addition of a cam-roll bearing on the end of the bolt lever would eliminate the jamming of the mechanism when slowly cycled to the full bolt open position. The bearing would also reduce the force the gas piston would have to exert to overcome the friction of the bolt lever against the cam track. The reduced friction would reduce wear on the cam track. A smaller piston might then be practicable and still retain the same cyclic rate.
As you said, the contraption works much better than one might think at first glance.
Aceroadholder, okay I have the rifle, you make the parts. We’ll get together and try your design! 😎
I grew up with LEs: I drilled with them on parade, shot and taught with them on course. This hodgepodge rifle has got to be the most fantastic clunker I have ever seen, egad!!!
Me too. A fine rifle. Why did you never hear literally millions of Brits, Australians, Kiwis, Indians, Canadians and South Africans cry "if ONLY we had the M1 Garand"?
Soon on Battlefield 1
Mr They59 this would be awesome
Mr They59 Farquhar Hill would be much better suited I think
Samuel Actually this gun was not used in service. It was offered in both World Wars but declined both times.
SpiderJoseph true, but that didn't stop weapons like the Cei Rigotti from appearing.
Daniel Greene Yea but the majority of the British Army used the Lee-Enfield. So good guns like this would rarely see its way on the western front.
Had I seen this in some steampunk movie I'd been like "looks awesome, typical movie design though, lots of weird tubes and stuff that don't do anything specific".
Awesome rifle though :D
If I was to ever own a Lee Enfield, this is the one I would like to have.
This is the firearms equivalent of using nothing but if-statements.
😂 Or making all variables global
"Why didn't the British do that thing which would have helped them greatly" is always a good question. Always relevant.
Vulf Almasy I'd rather have a Lewis gun tyvm
I think you're all missing the point that Ian made sure to mention a few times, the gun was called an Automatic Rifle because it was a rifle whos bolt automatically cycled, not because it was a squad support weapon. If the idea of a self-loading rifle "Brings little to a platoon", why are Military forces not still issuing bolt action rifles to infantry?
New rifles weren't going to win the war tanks and Artillery however were if they could build enough of them that's where the lionshare of British war time production was going post 1915.
@@justforever96 I wish this had been upvoted a lot more.
Lol
I support you on Patreon and videos like this show me that I'm getting a heck of a lot more value than what I pay. I love the time you take to give the history.
Thanks!
+1
Perfect working model for gas operated weapon main principles demonstration.
I've just had one of those "If I ever win the lottery..." moments.
This gun isn't just weird, it's *fractally* weird. If you strip away a level of weirdness, what's beneath is exactly as weird as what you took away.
xD
littlegrabbiZZ9PZA do you mean frantically?
no. fractal is a word. google it
littlegrabbiZZ9PZA Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness within Weirdness...
Poo Poo - Weirdception
That is fascinating... really steampunk lookin'
Beat me to it by 20secs;)
Shifty Bagel what is this steampunk comment i keep seeing, da fuck did i miss lol
+John Aranjo Steampunk is a silly subculture where people dress up in pseudo-victorian clothing with top hats and goggles and all the accessories are brown leather or brass and there's cogwheels on everything for no good reason.
i know what steampunk is thanks, my question is why so many people keep commenting steampunk on his videos lol
+John Aranjo Because they have a very limited vocabulary outside of what they read on the fan fictions they come across online.
Taking self-loading rifle to an entire new meaning....
Seems Mr Howell was one of the godfathers of Steampunk design. Surprised I haven't seen it in a film yet!
Is this the semi fully automatic rifle I've been hearing about?
Nah, it's more like Fully Semi-Automatic
Not only that, it's a fully semi automatic bolt action with external gas mechanism.
Finally a rifle for me! A Right Handed and Left Eyed Rifle! Only problem is the price, the needing for me to travel to the USA and a lot of bullshit about Brazil's gun laws.
Right handed and left eyed?! God was 'avin' a laugh when he invented you! :)
And Genetics was saying just a casual "Fuck You" to me.
Check out his video for the "cripple stock" shotgun it's made just for people with that alement
Ragnarok Stravius wtf? Can't you get assault rifles and shot legally there, L ike easier than here I mean? You would think because alot of crazy shit goes down in (BRAZIL) lol love that movie
Geez, you'd love my angled back-up sights. I have them on the right pic rail, so I can cheekweld and use them (by tiltng the gun sideways).
But, they're actually facing left, so they're originally supposed to be on the left side of the rifle. You could probably have them in their "normal" config and have a right cheek weld, while aiming with your left eye.
Watching the bolt go backward into Ian's face makes me wince every time, even though I know there's a shield there.
I'm glad you had the opportunity to shoot this one. I think a lot would have been lost just seeing it static
Thats Really a forgotton weapon
Unless it was the inspiration for the L85A1?
You really forgot your grammar
ACtion looks terrifying in the high speed, but in real time it looks good, really cool.
Ok, battlefield is putting this in apocalypse dlc, and I bought the shirt
Wait, what shirt?
What shirr
I love how he decided to harness what was already on the receiver instead of completely rework everything~
I guess you could say the army was thinking... *"Howell" would this work* :P
@@MansMan42069 How well? No, Howell... ;-)
What an incredible rifle. Thanks for sharing it with us! Keep up the great work, always love your videos.
Spectacular video! Your high speed footage was beyond my expectations. Keep up the great work!
Probably the most original design I have ever seen for converting a bolt gun into a semi-auto. Very interesting, thanks for sharing Ian!
Just absolutely amazing! Stuff like this is exactly why I subscribed to this channel. Thanks for all the work you put into these videos and thanks for bringing us and documenting amazing guns like this! Also, it was awesome for the consigner to allow you to shoot this gem. What an amazing opportunity that must have been. - Jacob S.
When a Cei-Rigotti does questionable things with an SMLE in the middle of a scrapyard
Man it never ceases to amaze me with how you guys manage to find these extremely rare & experimental guns.... Heck, at this point I'm almost half expecting you all to turn up a working Hellriegel 1915 at some point in a future episode, lol.
Bit late at this point but uhhhh...... aged like a fine wine
This is the most interesting review so far mate. I am a fan of the Lee Enfield but never knew the conversion as shown, great stuff!!!!!
that looks so cool, i love that motion it makes and its all visible. kinda has its own unique theme with that modification
Manufacturer: "So, how complexed do you want the rifles mechanism to be?"
British Army: "yes"
That was one of the most interesting guns I've ever seen. thanks for the video!
I watch every video you post Ian, but unlike most of the videos in my subscription feed I rarely get 'excited' to watch them. But whenever I do get around to watching, I'm quickly reminded of why I take the time to watch every one.
It has been said countless times in comments, etc, but you really do an amazing job breaking down the mechanics of the weapons while offering a full rich history on the weapon and its origins.
First video I've seen of yours. It was enjoyable to watch and I learned a lot about a unique rifle. You're very knowledgeable and it's easy to tell you enjoy talking about these firearms. Keep up the good work and I'll keep watching!
Now modify the sear and you'll get a full-auto Lee Enfield ;)
No soldier would want to carry a FALE (fail) though...
Finally something less controllable than the M14!
Favorite gun in battlefield 1. Even better when I'm perfectly used to the offset sight and my friends try to use it and the sight throws them off so much
I use the sniper variant and just prone on a heavy traffic lane or field and just take out squads. It's a 3-4 shots to kill but the magazine allows me to clear 2 squads if I pace my shots.
It's a fun fun and want one irl.
This gun is amazing and I really, really like it.
As you say, it is pretty amazing that something that looks so ungainly works so well.
Thanks for shooting it and the hi-speed footage, very interesting to see it all shaking and wobbling about.
I have always been interested in these bolt action conversions and I never thought you would ever be able to a video on, let alone shoot one! Thank you!
Okay...now this is why I watch your channel! I never knew about this and now I have more useless knowledge than ever. What a cool gun.Great footage and commentary. Looks like you had a lot of fun making this video.
Just that opening slow mo was all I needed can't wait to finish the rest of the video *Thumbs Up*.
Please please do more of these. I absolutely love vids like this from ya.
That thing is pretty awesome. It's like a real life steampunk rifle.
And.....this is illegal in California. It has a pistol grip and a detachable magazine. Clearly, we are all safer now.
Well... plastic straws are also Illegal in California so it’s not a surprise
Wait and doesn't California, have very high crime rates?
Generally in favour of gun control etc, but if I die in a mass shooting being killed by this wud be so much cooler than getting sprayed by an AR-15
@@shruk4 or by knife
@@shruk4 Well, with more controls you can rest assured that shooting back will never be an option.
The cool thing is you don't have to visualize how the rifle operates. It's all right there in front of you. And for the shooter, _really_ right there in front of you!
Wow great find Ian! This is definitely one of the more interesting videos of yours I've seen.
Ian, you look so bad ass with the ear flaps down in slow motion! I love it!
You have a lot of guts to shoot that thing.
Without a doubt one of the coolest things I've ever seen on this channel.
Saw one of these in a museum in Capetown Caste in South Africa,Often wondered how it would function. Now I know. Thank you Ian.
this channel should have more subscribers.
Now its on bf1 not forgotten anymore
@Charlie Fiore yeah same. I've been trying out other weapons as the medic class, but i always find myself going back to this
Your best video yet! Awesome gun!
Very cool! Honestly wouldn't have thought it would work so well if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Great video!
Dudes, this gun is going to be in the Battlefield 1 Apocalypse DLC
Thanks Ian. Now the Queen is going to take away our SMLEs because they can be converted to semi autos!
Amazing demonstration of automatic firepower. Thx, history & technology well displayed. Mad Max !
Bro I loved this video SO MUCH. I really hope you do more
That brass nearly had your eye out
Just confirmed as added to battlefield 1
Reuben Leal Yeah! Fellow Westie watcher?
Super Sarge24 yep :)
Reuben Leal nice
Fantastic video and rifle. Thanks for taking the time to make this content!!
The mythical Lee Enfield that's just as fast as an M1 I keep hearing about
Badass.
Now this weapon is coming to Battlefield 1 this February with the Apocalypse DLC as a Medic rifle
Thats gotta be one of the coolest rifles I've ever seen. Good pick for a video.
Another Lee Enfield variant of which I was unaware. I would however be happy to stand my ground with an ordinary SMLE, in particular with the trench magazine afixed. Great show!!!
What an ugly beauty. One of the most interesting guns I've ever seen - nice!
Bahaha your that drunk guy who fell on the floor in the shop
This was really cool, thanks for showing.
I've been wanting to learn and get into gunsmithing and designing for some time now and I wanted to make a bolt action conversion similar to this, I didn't know if anything like this existed or not, so I'm glad to see one.
Seriously cool and unique firearm. Five bucks says we see this in a BF1 expansion. Medic rifle perhaps?
medic rifle makes the most sence since the way it shoots
Daniel Greene and you would be right
H&K PSG-1: The Ultimate German Sniper Rifle & Walther WA2000: The Ultimate German Sniper Rifle
Marksman not sniper.
Most things by barret: OH BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKYS AND AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN
Best rifle yet loving the new stuff👏🏼👌🏼
Great review of something very interesting. The slow motion video is fascinating.
We need eyecandy like this in BF1
you right
im from the future its in bf1
Guess what's in the game now.
One of the new Medic rifles in Apocalypse
I've been oogling this thing so hard, I cracked my computer scree
TheGoldenCaulk Time to go back and watch the live fire section, again!
i am blown away by the mechanism
so cool
That is absolutely mental but I totally love it. How cool. Such crazy and cool designs from that period.
I was always curious about how this rifle worked! I'd also like to see you check out the Charlton, Redser, and Elkins automatic rifles. I know that those are mind bogglingly rare, though.
By the way, why did the Swiss experimental semi-automatic rifles not pass the prototype stage (like the rifles shown in the video "Swiss Semi Automatic Rifles 1889 - 1945")?
This looks like what would happen if Wallace and Gromit tried to make a gun.
I love how consistent and yet so different every episode is:
I'm so impressed, this is so satisfying to watch XD Just think of how amazing and inevative this design would have been at the time!
Imagine how thrilled the original designers would be to see it still functioning today, and in high-speed footage!
Battlefield 1 apocalypse hype