Sorry Lancaster if my comments offended you personally.

I fear I may have offended the Brits, too, in saying the colonials won the wars for them. (Never mind my calling them Poms, they're used to that.) What I meant was that their American 'cousins' massive forces and industrial capacity, and the soldiers and support from the far-flung dominions, were decisive factors on top of British guts and determination. I may have offended the Americans as well by lumping them in with the former colonies.

The Enfields the Americans used had more in common with Mausers than SMLEs but did share the safety and cock-on-closing, which makes extraction easier when a rifle gets hot. I believe it held 20% more cartridges than the Mauser, too.

The long stroke of the M17 might have been the antithesis of the SMLE's but it didn't hinder Sergeant York, it seems. But then I suppose our German members and those who sat through 'Inglourious Basterds' might say: Das ist nichts!

If I have erred here as well,
Ich bitte um Ihre Begnadigung

- Paul