Enfield Full length stock
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When you've shot a few dozen rounds, grab the rifle with two hands just like if you would jump out of a trench and charge the enemy. You will burn your hand that's wrapped around the barrel...
When there's wood all around the barrel, it acts as an insulator and keeps your fingers from toasting to an uncomfortable degree
When there's wood all around the barrel, it acts as an insulator and keeps your fingers from toasting to an uncomfortable degree
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
It was the style, leftover from forever but with a purpose. Lee Enfield No.4s need pressure points along the barrel to get the vibration harmonics right. There is no such thing as a free-floating Lee Enfield barrel; out of the factory, they had a few pounds of down force against the tip of the fore-end. As the rifle bucks and flexes under recoil, the barrel whips up inside the stock.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
Try reading again about the Enfield No4's, they were made with a free floating barrel.
Hmm, but the armorers' literature do indicate that an upward pressure at the muzzle (well right behind the front sight guard anyways) of some... what was it, 3 to 7 pounds, or something like that? So, would "Free Floating" still be valid since all the barrel, save from that single pressure point, is indeed free of all contact?
Not to derail this thread though. My hypothesis (prevent the soldier from burning his hands, grabbing the rifle with one hand on the barrel) - anyone can support this? It's just an hypothesis.
Lou
Not to derail this thread though. My hypothesis (prevent the soldier from burning his hands, grabbing the rifle with one hand on the barrel) - anyone can support this? It's just an hypothesis.
Lou
Wood on Military firearms
The wood does many things. Lou mentioned insulation. The wood also protects the barrel when bayonet fighting, corrosion control ie keeps the weather out and oil/cosmo in, and it also gives some degree of camoflage ie less metal exposed means less shiny bits exposed. This is not only for the LE it is a standard design the world over right up to the standardization of "assault" rifles. This is my theory anyway.
The wood does many things. Lou mentioned insulation. The wood also protects the barrel when bayonet fighting, corrosion control ie keeps the weather out and oil/cosmo in, and it also gives some degree of camoflage ie less metal exposed means less shiny bits exposed. This is not only for the LE it is a standard design the world over right up to the standardization of "assault" rifles. This is my theory anyway.
When you take off your No4 fore end, you will notice a 2 1/2 inch pressure pad at the tip. It is for the "upward pressure" and the barrel is free floated to that point.
I think that as Lou states, the upper wood and full length bottom wood are for the shooters protection as well as the rifles protection. The wood serves several other purposes, such as, it slows and disperses mirage from a hot barrel and in extreme cold, it stops a bare hand from freezing to the metal. It was a good and cheap idea at the time and has been carried over to modern rifles. Most modern military rifles have plastic hand guards instead of wood these days for all of the above mentioned reasons.
I think that as Lou states, the upper wood and full length bottom wood are for the shooters protection as well as the rifles protection. The wood serves several other purposes, such as, it slows and disperses mirage from a hot barrel and in extreme cold, it stops a bare hand from freezing to the metal. It was a good and cheap idea at the time and has been carried over to modern rifles. Most modern military rifles have plastic hand guards instead of wood these days for all of the above mentioned reasons.
The No4 does indeed bear at the front of the stock.
When the SMLE was designed cavalry and mounted infantry were very much a part of the army. A horse burnt with a hot rifle barrel tends to rear up or bolt. Hence the full length handguard and fore end. Mounted troops were still around when the No4 was designed for that matter.
When the SMLE was designed cavalry and mounted infantry were very much a part of the army. A horse burnt with a hot rifle barrel tends to rear up or bolt. Hence the full length handguard and fore end. Mounted troops were still around when the No4 was designed for that matter.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
That's what I read different sources too Lou, but the maunfacturer write ups indicate that the barrels were totally free floating. Perhaps Skennerton will have an answer.
