<Tr> <Td> Rifle 7.62 mm 2A </Td> <Td> 1964--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Rifle 7.62 mm 2A1 </Td> <Td> 1965--present </Td> </Tr> <P> The Lee--Enfield rifle was introduced in November 1895 as the . 303 calibre, Rifle, Magazine, Lee--Enfield, or more commonly Magazine Lee--Enfield, or MLE (sometimes spoken as "emily" instead of M, L, E). The next year, a shorter version was introduced as the Lee--Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I, or LEC, with a 21.2 - inch (540 mm) barrel as opposed to the 30.2 - inch (770 mm) one in the "long" version . Both underwent a minor upgrade series in 1899 (the omission of the cleaning / clearing rod), becoming the Mk I * . Many LECs (and LMCs in smaller numbers) were converted to special patterns, namely the New Zealand Carbine and the Royal Irish Constabulary Carbine, or NZ and RIC carbines, respectively . Some of the MLEs (and MLMs) were converted to load from chargers, and designated Charger Loading Lee--Enfields, or CLLEs . </P> <P> A shorter and lighter version of the original MLE--the famous Rifle, Short, Magazine, Lee--Enfield, or SMLE (sometimes spoken as "Smelly", rather than S, M, L, E)--was introduced on 1 January 1904 . The barrel was now halfway in length between the original long rifle and the carbine, at 25.2 inches (640 mm). </P>

When was the lee enfield rifle first used