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The Lee-Enfield design (including the No.4) has drawbacks. Most, like the flexible action, are undesireable in theory but no problem in practice. One area that did give trouble was the magazine which can get out of order fairly easily. This may be made up for by the larger capacity (10), but it is not as good as the more reliable Mauser-type magazine.
The SMLE is also very fast for a bolt action rifle, the No.4 a bit less so. The story has been repeated ad nauseam of British soldiers with the SMLE "outshooting" Americans with the M1. What is not said is that experienced professional soldiers were competing with green GI's, just out of training. In general practice, the problem with a bolt rifle is not so much firepower, but that rapid firing many rounds results in debilitating fatigue.
Still, if I had to fight with a bolt rifle, I think I would go with the No.4, second, the Mauser, but not the K.98k, which gets too darn hot to hold with its short handguard.
Jim
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