Lee enfield No1 Mk3 safety problem and trigger

Ced1942

Ced1942

CGN Regular
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Hi everyone

I was given in the last few day a sporterized Lee enfield No1 mk3 and now that i got it cleaned, i think it has a few issue. First i red those are supposed to have 2 stage trigger. I would compare mine to a mosin nagant trigger but less spongy, there is absolutly no 2 stage you press against the spring and at one point surprise the shot goes of. Another issue is with the safety maybe both issue are related somehow. When i put the safety on with the gun cocked and press the trigger, i can feel the trigger touch something once and then nothing. After i remove the safety the cocking nub got foward to like a half cocked postion. After this no way to open the bolt with the safety off it is stuck shut. I have to manually pull the cocking nub to a cocked position to get the bolt to unlock. Kinda scared that would be enough to get a shot going when taking the safety off that would be extremly dangerous.
If anybody ever came accross those issue let me know i dont really know where to look for

Thanks


I found this video on google, it look like the same thing mine does
 
Sported and or rebuilt Lee Enfields quite often have a single stage trigger. Sometimes this is done as many civilians don't like the 2 stage. May need a new trigger or just an adjustment on the trigger guard. This is done by changing the size of the front screw collar.
As to the safety problem, I would bet on a new cocking piece.
 
Alright so i think i might have it figured out. Both issue would be caused by the same problem. The sear is worn out or was grinded to give a 1 stage trigger feel but that would have screwed the safety at the same time. How far back can you go usually on safe with the tigger? Does it lock before the end or is it supposed to be 100% disconected and loose to the end? Because if the sear would be just a little bit longer, while on safe it would not jump out of the cocking pieces like seen in the video but stay stuck in the cocking piece groove. This is why i am asking because if the trigger should be 100% loose and disconected i have it figured wrong. Having that little bit more on the sear would bring back the 2 stage trigger too, as it usually go off right before the second stage on the trigger get in contact with the sear
 
points said:
Sported and or rebuilt Lee Enfields quite often have a single stage trigger. Sometimes this is done as many civilians don't like the 2 stage. May need a new trigger or just an adjustment on the trigger guard. This is done by changing the size of the front screw collar.
As to the safety problem, I would bet on a new cocking piece.
Click to expand...

That could actually be it too, if the sear is supposed to be disconected from the cocking pieces. A well worn cocking pieces would not be pulled back enough by the safety to allow the sear to disconect. Also that worn could cause the sear to disconect before the second stage of the trigger
 
sounds like someone tried to do a trigger job and screwed it up.

often they will stone the trigger to remove the 2 stages, look to see if the little bent (bump) on the trigger is stoned off.

then they will polish the sear where it contacts the bolt, several things you can do here to help, but also several ways to screw it up too.

and finally you can polish the bolt where the sear engages, sometimes changing the angle of engagement to decrease the trigger pull, but screwing this up is also easy if you get it wrong.

you might need all 3 parts to correct you trigger pull issues.

I don't think the problem is with the safety.
 
woodchopper said:
sounds like someone tried to do a trigger job and screwed it up.

often they will stone the trigger to remove the 2 stages, look to see if the little bent (bump) on the trigger is stoned off.

then they will polish the sear where it contacts the bolt, several things you can do here to help, but also several ways to screw it up too.

and finally you can polish the bolt where the sear engages, sometimes changing the angle of engagement to decrease the trigger pull, but screwing this up is also easy if you get it wrong.

you might need all 3 parts to correct you trigger pull issues.

I don't think the problem is with the safety.
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Trigger has the 2 bump to make the second stage that is fine on this side. Points made a point (hehehe) and i do think he is right

5L0xSguh.jpg

Here is my cocking piece, look really worn out. Also when i engage the safety and pull the cocking pieces just a little bit almost nothing, the sear disconect just right. Like the groove is so worn the safety can't bring it back enough to disconect. That worn groove would also like i said, remove the second stage of the trigger. Might have been done by the previous owner to make a 1 stage or the piece is just really worn.

I do plan to switch it once i can find a replacement. if that wont do it, ill go on and change the sear. If i still have issue by that time , ill change the trigger then. Are all those part the same as No4 pieces? Would be easier to source
 
you might want to get someone to look at that for you.

I don't see the "really worn out" that you seem to see.

I suggest you contact louthepou he would be closer to you and knows what he is doing with an enfield.
 
You most likely will need a new safety catch and possible a new Safety Spring. Your cocking piece looks fine, possible you sear and trigger have been altered ($20 usd) to lighten the pull. Any pictures with the stock off?
 
woodchopper said:
you might want to get someone to look at that for you.

I don't see the "really worn out" that you seem to see.

I suggest you contact louthepou he would be closer to you and knows what he is doing with an enfield.
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I live at around 1k kilometer from the city of Quebec so having someone take a look is not an option and i wont ship out of town a 100$ rifle that i dont really care about. If i can't fix it by myselt it will most likely stay the way it is. Already sent my No4 having the bedding done by some fellow in saskatchewan and 4 months later its still not home. Lets say im done with sending rifle away.

Trigger and sear look unaltered but ill take a picture without the stock and add it in a few minute. Thing is safety lever could be the safety issue but that would not explain the trigger lacking the second stage

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Would a No4 sear fit in a No1? Found one but it is sold as a No4 sear. For the few dollar its worth if No1 and No4 can be switch im willing to try if it does it
 
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We covered this in an old thread. Last year, another CGNer had the same problem. I personally had 2 Enfields brought into me for repairs with the exact same problem last year. The safety consists of a worm gear. There are several positions that it can be installed in but only one is correct. Another posibility is that someone had swapped out the safety with one that does not fit the rifle.
 
Already checked twice, safety is correctly put together that is not the issue, and i do plan to swap the safety to make sure its not worn out but that does not explain the single stage trigger
 
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The safety as zero incidence on the trigger. It locks the cocking and the bolt into place, only.
Your cocking looks fine to me. I dont see any wear
Although i dont see it in the pictures from what you are describing i would say you have a bent sear… and no a No4 sear will not fit.
 
Alright so current plan is to switch the safety lever and the sear and see where this goes.
Thanks for everyone input
 
I've had this happen when the bolt was changed out or the bolt handle re-contoured. Check to see if your locking lug is sitting on the right hand action table (0.010" feeler gauge with a dragging fit). If it is not, the exact same thing you describe will happen.

If that isn't the case, I'd bet someone shortened the sear to "speed up the lock time" or the cocking piece nose has been "worked on".
 
jamesharrison said:
I've had this happen when the bolt was changed out or the bolt handle re-contoured. Check to see if your locking lug is sitting on the right hand action table (0.010" feeler gauge with a dragging fit). If it is not, the exact same thing you describe will happen.

If that isn't the case, I'd bet someone shortened the sear to "speed up the lock time" or the cocking piece nose has been "worked on".
Click to expand...

Please explain further what the issue could be with the locking lug cause i did not understand a single word from what you mean. Bolt is mismatched so it would make sense
 
Hey Ced1942, if you want we could chat via PM or via other communication methods, I can trouble shoot that one with you, step be step and help you resolve it (it could be the trigger; the trigger guard; the front trigger guard screw spacer; the sear; the cooking piece; the forend; or any combination of these). Would be even better if you visited Gatineau (or I, Quebec!) but I am not sure if i'll be in Quebec city this summer (would love to, though. There's a chair with my name on it at le Pub St-Alexandre).

Lou
 
louthepou said:
Hey Ced1942, if you want we could chat via PM or via other communication methods, I can trouble shoot that one with you, step be step and help you resolve it (it could be the trigger; the trigger guard; the front trigger guard screw spacer; the sear; the cooking piece; the forend; or any combination of these). Would be even better if you visited Gatineau (or I, Quebec!) but I am not sure if i'll be in Quebec city this summer (would love to, though. There's a chair with my name on it at le Pub St-Alexandre).

Lou
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I think you misunderstood where i live as i am not in Quebec city but a 1000km east of Quebec, so yeah... meeting is not really an option lol.

Ill send you a pm , if you can help me figure this one out that would be really appreciated.
 
Lol ok I did misread. We'll figure this one out and get this gun shooting as it should, even if it takes a bit of head scratching.
 
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