One more time.
The barrel "should" touch the nose cap hole opening at approximately 12:00.
It is the spring and studs job to push upward on the barrel until it contacts the nose cap hole opening at approximately 12:00.
My name is Ed Horton and I supplied 95% of all Enfield books and manuals you see on the Internet today, and I even read them.
What I can't show you because it is copyright protected is the 1946 "Competitive Rifle Shooting" by Jim Sweet with the "Black arts of SMLE bedding" which goes into even more detail.
If your barrel is not touching at the top of the nose cap opening something is wrong with the spring and stud.
Now ask yourselves a few simple questions:
1. What is the diameter of the nose cap barrel hole?
2. What is the diameter of the barrel at the muzzel?
3. If you put a spring under the barrel near the muzzle with so little clearance between the barrel and nose cap barrel hole where do you think the barrel is going to touching.
Remember this!
The spring and studs job is to supply up pressure at the fore end tip.
The center band screw is to only be tightened until spring compression is felt. If the center band screw is over tightened the barrel is pulled down in the middle and this will cause the rifle to shoot high. (the barrel will be bent in a "U" shape)
Trust me I even have Enfield manuals written in Dutch.
And even ACIs in simple English.