Bubba'd Enfield, safe to fire?

Cdamen

Cdamen

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Recently inherited a bubba'd Enfield. When i got it the action was stiff and the rifle hadnt been cleaned in years...
After a complete strip and clean. i reassembled the rifle and tested its function. The action was smooth now and everything seemed well oiled.

One possible problem that caught my eye was, when i dry fire the rifle, the bolt rotates up alittle bit.
Is this a possible serious injury waiting to happen or am i over reacting (never had a bolt rotate up when fired).
If this is a serious problem, how can i remedy it?

Before firing

207013_167777149943991_100001351228041_350510_1008569_n.jpg


After firing

206614_167777176610655_100001351228041_350511_6330201_n.jpg
 
Not a problem. Many, perhaps most of them, do that, including two of mine that I have shot lots. One of them isn't bubba'd.
 
good to go

It would have to open a long long way more before you could risk eating the bolt. It's not a ross rifle so your face is safe.
 
Cdamen said:
Recently inherited a bubba'd Enfield. When i got it the action was stiff and the rifle hadnt been cleaned in years...
After a complete strip and clean. i reassembled the rifle and tested its function. The action was smooth now and everything seemed well oiled.

One possible problem that caught my eye was, when i dry fire the rifle, the bolt rotates up alittle bit.
Is this a possible serious injury waiting to happen or am i over reacting (never had a bolt rotate up when fired).
If this is a serious problem, how can i remedy it?

Before firing

207013_167777149943991_100001351228041_350510_1008569_n.jpg


After firing

206614_167777176610655_100001351228041_350511_6330201_n.jpg
Click to expand...
No problems there, i have 3 Lee Enfield and they do same as your, i'm pretty sure all Lee Enfield do this.
 
I asked this of a old sportered no1mkiii that i acquired a while ago, and though i haven't fired it yet, the general consensus was that it would be ok, and it's quite common with these rifles. Try it with a piece of spent brass with the dead primer still in it, or put a new primer in it for that matter, and give it a shot. You'll probably find that it doesn't move as much as with an empty chamber. Also, when firing an actual loaded round, i think the cartridge pushing back against the bolt face provided enough friction to keep this from happening.
 
Two SMLEs I own do the same thing with the commercial converted SMLE more closely resembling yours. It bothered me for a while as I wasn't sure what was going on. I did notice that the bolt side locking lug was still locked down safely.

It does make the bolt handle easier to grasp if you want to perform the "Mad minute" :D.
 
All of mine do this but then, I have only a couple of dozen together these days. When I get the rest rebuilt, I can check them, too.

All funning aside, this is a normal condition, especially with an empty chamber. If you check the rifle very carefully, you will see on the underside of the bolt the relief cuts for the cocking-piece. In order for the rifle to become dangerous, it would have to break out a BIG chunk of bolt, first. Any other time, the thing would be trying to etract its own firing-pin at the same time as the thing still was moving forward: rather difficult.

Nice thing is that they work very well..... and this condition pretty much disappears when the thing is burning up a box of rounds.

Most important points:

You have inherited rather a nice Number 4. Congratulations!

Do have fun!
.
 
Internally is the bolt gummed up w/ old oil or grease? I've never come across this condition before. Do you have any fired brass that you can chamber and use it like a snap cap? See if that changes anything.
Click to expand...

No Fired brass as i have yet to fire any. The lifted bolt upon dry fire raised my eyebrow.

Do the serial number on the bolt and receiver match?
Click to expand...

Yes they do, would be a great restore project minus i think the end of the barrel has been lathed down to accomodate a new front sight..

If you have any thoughts if i could restore this with full wood i could take more pics for some advise!

Thanks for the help guys, when i fire some brass ill take some "####" pics for yah.
 
i have to confess some dislike of the ross

But In my defence it is an inherited condition. my grandfather saw fist hand the proclivity of ross rifles to eject bolts rearward when a friend of his got really hurt by one. He would not allow ross rifles to enter his home after that.
 
One thing is clear, the shortcoming with regards to disassembly / re-assembly of the breeches could have been addressed some time before it actually was, when the bolts were riveted. I can say though that my bubba Mk II Ross can shoot like a house on fire, with me just along for the ride more or less. Incredible performance for a rifle close to 100 yrs old, and no aftermarket parts to make it 'better'. Sorry to hear about your grandad's friend. There are many senseless accidents and friendly fire incidents in CF campaigns, even today, as we are all aware of.
 
Last edited:
mg4201

Sorry to hear about your Grandfather`s friend.
Unfortunately a person was the cause of that accident.
Ross bolts do not self eject.
The bolt of the M-10 (M-1910) Ross must be removed from the rifle and messed with. Then put back in to the rifle back into the rifle by someone that has no knowledge of what to check before firing a Ross.
The Ross M-10, M1910 action was by far the strongest action of it`s time.
Good thing Grandad didn`t witness one of the many mishaps with the Lee Enfields or you would have been denied that fine rifle as well.
 
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