No4 MKII cold weather sticky bolt (temp no longer reason, found something else)

untergang

untergang

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Hey Guys,

I find in the colder weather that the bolt gets harder to push in and chamber a round on my Lee Enfield No.4 MKII. The bolt is clean and only a thin film of oil. If I remove the bolt end and try to cycle it, I get the same results so it is not where the bolt is guided along the side of the receiver. Is there a known clearance issue with the top of the receiver where the bolt is guided (most probable sticking point)? Removing the mag helps a wee bit but not enough to be the cause.

Thanks for any input.
 
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Any issues in normal (around 20 degrees) temperature?

If its really cold, I think the best choice is to run it dry. Their are a few cold temp oils, but they are quite pricey. Another option is graphite powder, but I doubt you will be fireing enough to really need it.
 
X2
It'a ####-on-closing rifle; if the spring is gunked up with heavy grease like they all are, it's quite normal that you'd encounter resistance on closing. Takedown and cleaning with a good solvent is necessary.
PP.
 
the same applies for the no 5 as well- my brother had /has a no 5 that wouldn't work in -40 ( what the heck we were doing in -40 shooting at the range?) but my old 8mm mauser did
 
For extreme cold the bolt / action should be cleaned and dry then use powdered graphite for lubrication. Try to avoid bringing the rifle inside and out repeatedly as this will cause the metal to sweat and the condensation will freeze up the action. So if your outside shooting it and you go in to your veh to warm up whatever leave the rifle outside in an unheated compartment so it remains at the same temperature until your done shooting for the day and you will have less freezing problems.
wyle1
 
I stripped down the bolt todsy to clean, had to make a tool first but that was ok, i was on the clock. It was fairly clean. When I cycle the empty bolt body through the receiver, there is definately a sticky point near the back of the bolt. It could be either the part on the bottom that works with the safety lever or the top of the bolt and the receiver guide. I will try either stoning it or a high grit emery cloth.
 
The germans learned that lesson

In Russia during ww2 the german army had many problems with weapons freezing shut because of oil going solid in the cold. I would run it dry or with graphite.
 
After total stripping and cleaning the bolt and reassembled I ran dummy rounds through and found the bolt was sticky no matter the temp. I lapped the bolt to the receiver it improved a bit but the sticky part is when I cycled brass dummy rounds through and found when the extractor pushed the case to the left side of receiver, it is definatley hard to cycle round in not so bad but case out is the worst. I lightly sanded when the edge of the round travels but it didn't really help. Do I have an extractor issue either not grabbing properly or too much wear on the receiver?
 
Based on your description, its the bolt head binding in the guide rail on the right side of the receiver. This is common with new bolt heads - a bit of moly grease helps. I recall discussing this issue with a CF armorer - he mentioned that it was commonplace to grind a bevel on the leading edge(s) of the bolt head where it contacts the guide. Have a look at your bolt head...
FWIW - The rifle is functional as is. One of my hunting LE's did the same thing, and I left it. When I'm in the field, I have the rifle ready to #### with a shell engaged. The guide rail friction ensures that the bolt doesnt slop around.
 
cosmic said:
Based on your description, its the bolt head binding in the guide rail on the right side of the receiver. This is common with new bolt heads - a bit of moly grease helps. I recall discussing this issue with a CF armorer - he mentioned that it was commonplace to grind a bevel on the leading edge(s) of the bolt head where it contacts the guide. Have a look at your bolt head...
Click to expand...

Ahhhhh, makes sense. While the bolt head doesn't look all that new, both leading edges have a very crisp edge. I will take to work tonight and see if I can't take the sharp edges off.....thanks for the tip.
 
One thought - don't engage the safety with the bolt open. Why?

IIRC, there is a little cam that rises and engages the cocking piece; when the bolt is open, that cam can gouge the bolt... and maybe make the bolt stick in the rifle when operated, due to the gouge lifting a wee piece of steel?

my 2 cents; have a look at the safety and you'll see what I mean, could then have a look at the corresponding surface of the bolt. Maybe, maybe not.

And I think that the removal of cruddy grease from the internals of the bolt is a BrIlIaNt iDeA!
 
Kayser Sose said:
my 2 cents; have a look at the safety and you'll see what I mean, could then have a look at the corresponding surface of the bolt. Maybe, maybe not.
Click to expand...

I have done this already, there were marks that I stoned down but it didn't help the problem much. I took the rough edges off the bolt head where it rides the right side of the receiver. There is an improvement so I just need to tweek it a little more
 
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