Developed in the 1940s, the Smith & Wesson Light Rifle was a contender for military contracts with both the British and the Americans, squaring off against the M1 Carbine as a pistol substitute for officers and support personnel. While it had some novel features, such as the dual-purpose magazine well/ejector port, it failed at trials. Large numbers of the Light Rifle were destroyed, both during testing and afterwards, including a reported incident of the British cutting their Light Rifle samples up with a blowtorch and tossing the resulting scrap into the English Channel. Less than 125 are believed to have survived complete. The front sight is a fixed blade, and the rear sight is an adjustable notch. The wide magazine housing serves a dual purpose. The front section holds the actual magazine and the rear portion is actually the ejection port so the fired cartridges are ejected directly to the ground instead of into the air. The action operates from an open bolt, with the cocking knob on the right side above the patent numbers. The left side of the action is marked with the two-line Smith & Wesson address. The pistol grip stock is made of an early style black plastic/composition material and is fitted with a serrated metal buttplate that is marked with the serial number. The left side of the stock has a warning plate that reads, "EXTREMELY/HAZARDOUS/DO NOT/LOAD OR FIRE." With the rifle is a brown leather sling.

Excellent with 98% plus original blue finish showing some areas of brown patina and mild handling marks overall. The stock is very fine with the rear sling base absent and the warning plate partially detached. The magazine is absent. Mechanically fine.