De Lisle carbine

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De Lisle Commando Carbine
Folding stock version of the De Lisle Commando Carbine
Type	Commando Rifle
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Service history
In service	1943-1965
Used by	United Kingdom, British Commonwealth
Wars	World War II, Korean War
Production history
Designer	William G. De Lisle
Designed	1942
Produced	1942-1945
Number built	approx 200
Variants	Folding stock Parachute Carbine
Specifications
Weight	8 lb 8.5 oz (3.74 kg), unloaded
Length	40.5 in (894 mm)

Cartridge	.45 ACP
Calibre	.45 ACP
Action	Bolt-action
Rate of fire	20-30 rounds/minute
Muzzle velocity	c.600 ft/s
Effective range	200 yd (185 m)
Maximum range	400 yd (365 m)
Feed system	7 or 11-round detachable magazine
Sights	Sliding ramp rear sights, Fixed-post front sights

The initial wooden-stocked De Lisle with a fitted suppressor.

The De Lisle carbine or De Lisle Commando carbine was a specialist British rifle used during World War II. The designer was William De Lisle. It was based on a Short Magazine Lee-Enfield Mk III* converted to .45 ACP (a pistol cartridge), using magazines from the M1911 pistol. The primary feature of the De Lisle was its very effective suppressor which made it very quiet in action - indeed working the bolt to chamber the next round makes a louder noise than firing a round. The De Lisle carbine was used by British commandos and special forces, and was accurate to 250 metres.

The De Lisle was made in very limited numbers; about 130 were produced during the period of 1942 to 1945. Thompson submachine gun barrels were modified to provide the .45 calibre barrel, which was ported to provide a slow release of high pressure gas. The suppressor, over 2 inches in diameter, went all the way from the back of the barrel to well beyond the muzzle (the suppressor makes up half the overall length of the rifle), providing a very large volume of space to contain the gases of firing. This large volume was one of the keys to the effectiveness of the suppressor. The Lee-Enfield bolt was modified to feed the .45 ACP rounds, and the Lee-Enfield's magazine assembly was replaced with a new assembly that held a M1911 magazine in place.

The De Lisle is known to have seen service during the Malayan Emergency, and it is thought that there may still be small numbers in service for military situations requiring a silenced weapon.