sighting #5 lee enfield

bps540

bps540

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just picked up a #5 jungle carbine, out to the range & punished my shoulder.
it groups well(about 2 1/2 " @ 100 yrds) but i had to drive the front sight way to the left to center my groups.
it's a bit 'odd" seeing the front sight so close to the left protective ear & throughs my concentration off (all should be centered, right?).
is there anything i can do do ? :confused:
pity the rear sight has no adjustment for windage.
 
First,,, try sighting it in at 25m. If it's shooting straight (not to the left or right of point of aim) then you'll know for sure if your off center groups at 100m are you or the rifle.
A stock JC should be right on with the front sight pretty much centered, way over to either side makes me think something's not right.
 
The No-5 is notorious for having bedding problems, JOHNS4570 is 100% on
I have found over the years that by simply "free floating" the front end solves that problem, watch your groups tighen up.
John
 
bps540 said:
just picked up a #5 jungle carbine, out to the range & punished my shoulder.
it groups well(about 2 1/2 " @ 100 yrds) but i had to drive the front sight way to the left to center my groups.
it's a bit 'odd" seeing the front sight so close to the left protective ear & throughs my concentration off (all should be centered, right?).
is there anything i can do do ? :confused:
pity the rear sight has no adjustment for windage.
Click to expand...

One suggestion before doing anything else- get a shooting buddy to fire a group as well and see if it's the rifle or you...
 
original sighted in at 25 yrds to to be sure i was on paper..this is where i had to drive the front sight post to the left just to center the groups.
i'm going to check the wood to metal fit around the barrel as suggested .
thanks..
 
checked wood to metal fit around the barrel & found it to be pressing slightly on the right side. with my handy dremel i rounded out the interior of the forestock so that i could see light around the barrel right up to the top hand guard. i centered the front sight & headed to the range.
sat up @ 25m & low & behold, a nice 1" group about 4" to the left @ 9 o'clock:mad:
drove the front sight to the left about 1/8" from the left protective ear & fired again...bang on:)
what can i do:confused:
 
Assuming stock is bedded correctly, two solutions suggest themselves: 1)remove some material from the right side of the rear side of the issue rear sight and shim the left side,or 2) replace the rear sight with a windage adjustable rear such as the Parker Hale, or Lyman or Williams intended for the Winchester 71 by means of an adapter plate. If you really don't care about preserving the originality, dispense with the adapter plate and install something like the Williams FP-SMLE.
By all means, recheck the stock bedding before proceeding to more drastic measures. JCs, if original and in good condition, do enjoy some collector status.
Good luck,
John S.
 
Inspired by the post above...:

1. Remove rear sight.
2. Buy some black FIMO clay at the Arts store.
3. Fill in sight aperture with FIMO.
4. Cure FIMO by baking in oven as per directions on package.
5. Drill new aperture in proper location.

I've used this method before. It works. FIMO is very strong and once cured will not break easily.
 
tapedeck74 said:
Inspired by the post above...:

1. Remove rear sight.
2. Buy some black FIMO clay at the Arts store.
3. Fill in sight aperture with FIMO.
4. Cure FIMO by baking in oven as per directions on package.
5. Drill new aperture in proper location.

I've used this method before. It works. FIMO is very strong and once cured will not break easily.
Click to expand...

Personally I'd want to get to the bottom of the issue...clay notwithstanding.

1) Is the barrel straight? I believe there were armourer's tools to measure this but I believe Long Branch found that a skilled eye was best.
2) Could the rear sight mounting ears be machined off centre or the battle aperture be over to the side? Maybe try a different rear sight in the rifle?
 
well i'm trying to score a 303 bore straightness guage guage from ebay..
i'll try this first then perhaps swap out the rear sight for another (#5) & fire for effect.
 
bps540 said:
well i'm trying to score a 303 bore straightness guage guage from ebay..
i'll try this first then perhaps swap out the rear sight for another (#5) & fire for effect.
Click to expand...

Here's how Long Branch did it!

LongBranchFactory4.jpg
[/IMG]

Member Skippy's grandmother did this for a living...I'll try to get him to comment!
 
bps540 said:
just picked up a #5 jungle carbine, out to the range & punished my shoulder.
it groups well(about 2 1/2 " @ 100 yrds) but i had to drive the front sight way to the left to center my groups.
it's a bit 'odd" seeing the front sight so close to the left protective ear & throughs my concentration off (all should be centered, right?).
is there anything i can do do ? :confused:
pity the rear sight has no adjustment for windage.
Click to expand...

Did you use the peep and battle sights or just one of them?

I've found with CMkIII's and MkI sights that the battle and peep apertures are often NOT lined up accurately.
 
cantom said:
Here's how Long Branch did it!

LongBranchFactory4.jpg
[/IMG]

Member Skippy's grandmother did this for a living...I'll try to get him to comment!
Click to expand...

I think the idea of looking through the barrel into the light is to slowly rotate the barrel in your fingers and see if the shadow down the barrel bends as you turn. If not then it's straight enough.
 
i use the battle sight mainly, tried the graduating sight when shooting @ 100.
no difference in poi.
waiting for this bore "straightness" guage to arrive to see if it/i can detect anything out of wack
 
Here is another way to make an adjustable rear sight. Get a bolt big enough to self tap into the battle sight hole. You may want to drill the battle sight out a bit. Rather than butcher a good rear sight, get one of those L shaped 2 hole affairs, and drill out the larger of the 2 holes.

Using some lube and a wrench, work the bolt into the big sight hole, self tapping it.

Chuck the bolt in an electric drill and then round off the bolt head with a coarse file. Smooth finish with fine file or sandpaper.

Cut off most of the bolt shank with a hacksaw. Leave no more than a tenth of an inch of threaded shank. Just enough to screw a bit through the sight.
Drill a 1/8” hole through the bolt, to act as the new rear peep.

Drill the hole way off center. Counter sink the front of the hole, slightly.
Blue the bolt.

By rotating the bolt in the sight, you have about 5 to 10 minutes of adjustment in any direction.

After rifle is zeroed, LokTite bolt into position.

If you have a rifle with no rear peep, you can make one by soldering the matching nut to the above bolt to the top of the action. Round all the nut corners, except the flat on the bottom.

I have done this to an SKS. Once blued it looks like it belongs. Just has the right degree of crudeness to match a Chinese SKS…
 
got the 'bore straightness gauge' last night. it's a metal bar about the length of my middle finger, very close to the bore dia .
it should freely slide from one to the other (breech to muzzel).
well...it binds:(
just where the flash hidder assembly pins near the muzzel. a little nudge with a cleaning rod or some hand torque at the muzzel, the rod falls through.
seems there is some some bend it the barrel afterall(if ever so little)
it doesn't matter if i drop the guage from muzzel or breech, it binds at the same spot. it will pass all the way through if i hold the barrel straight up & down & assist the guage with a little push off...but to allow it to travel slowly.
any cures or am i beaten?:confused:
 
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