LE No 1 blowup or how not to dissemble a Lee Enfield (Update post #97)

Do you, per chance, have pistol pounder on your shelf? This could have been an example of many things going wrong all at once.
Good to hear your ok though.
Ivor
 
Actually, I suspect that a lot of gas was being directed the wrong way, If you will look at the pictures, you will note the striker is blown back out of the bolt body and the safety almost engaged which was exactly how it was when I looked at it, ( yes, I was there when it went up ) so, go figure. headspace only, that a lot of headspace........
 
glad to hear you're intact. shame that was a really nice sporter. I concurr that had nothing to do with headspace. I have yet to see any evidence that excessive headspace has any effect beyond case failures and extraction problems, because it doesn't.
 
sunray said:
You check the headspace before shooting it?
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A necessary part of enfield revival, imho. I have 3 with head spacing verified. All good shooters.

Too bad about the ops luck.

Feel bad for you bdft. For your loss and for your wounds.
 
 
I hope he soon gets it analyzed in a proper lab, where the cause of the eruption can be found.
 
I don't know where I would get it analyzed or what I would get it analyzed for. I doubt that I will ever know exactly what happened. As to the headspace issue, would someone please explain to me how excessive headspace would cause such a catastrophic failure. It would certainly cause case separation and gas, etc released around the bolt face but how would it contribute to such a pressure spike? It would seem to me that excessive headspace would cause less pressure in the chamber as gas is being released between the boltface and the mouth of the chamber. Or maybe not. :confused:
Here's an interesting article on the subject from the illustrious Riflechair:
http://riflechair.########.ca/2011/03/evaluating-headspace-lee-enfield-rifle.html
 
the article posted by badgerdog is quite interesting and spells it out. Lately it seems to have become fashionable to scream" headspace " anytime a SMLE or its later variants is mentioned. I mean really, how many of us routinely run around with a set of go\nogo headspace gauges in our backpocket???? I currently own about eight 303 rifles of varying flavours and descriptions, and I have yet to check the headspace on any of them.... or any I've ever owned or fired and I started at about 14 yrs old and am now pushing 60. for some strange reason, they all seem to work as was intended I mean, really the Brits only built about ninety gazillion of the flaming things..:)
 
bdft said:
I don't know where I would get it analyzed or what I would get it analyzed for. I doubt that I will ever know exactly what happened. As to the headspace issue, would someone please explain to me how excessive headspace would cause such a catastrophic failure. It would certainly cause case separation and gas, etc released around the bolt face but how would it contribute to such a pressure spike? It would seem to me that excessive headspace would cause less pressure in the chamber as gas is being released between the boltface and the mouth of the chamber. Or maybe not. :confused:
Here's an interesting article on the subject from the illustrious Riflechair:
http://riflechair.########.ca/2011/03/evaluating-headspace-lee-enfield-rifle.html
Click to expand...

You are right in the headspace bit, in my opinion headspace had absolutely nothing to do with it. I have been standing shoulder to shoulder on the firing line of high powered rifles, when the shooter nest to me had a complete case separation, due to excessive headspace. When he opened the bolt only about 1/2 inch base of the case came out. Neither he, nor I next to him, knew anything was amiss, until he opened the bolt.
The RCMP probably have the best labs in Canada for analyzing guns, I wonder if they would do it for you?
This was serious and the cause certainly should be known.
 
Given what is left of that rifle to the RCMP will only encourage them to disarm the collectors and shooters even more as it would likely be done to "save us from these dangerous things".

I would take it to a reputable gunsmith and avoid the RCMP.
 
Nabs said:
Given what is left of that rifle to the RCMP will only encourage them to disarm the collectors and shooters even more as it would likely be done to "save us from these dangerous things".

I would take it to a reputable gunsmith and avoid the RCMP.
Click to expand...

I'd avoid them too.
 
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