LE No4 MkI mag issues

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mmatt

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Was the mag for a MkI different at all from the later Mks? I have a MkI with a mag from unknown origins and it won't feed reliably.

Is there maybe a fool-proof way I can get it set up or am I doomed to an afternoon bending the tabs until it works?

Could there be an issue with the rifle? When I first go the mag, I had to file down the sides of the mag at the top just to get the bolt to pick up the round.

Any help would be great.
 
The first thing that comes to mine is do you have a No 4 mag? Look at your follower in the mag if the ramp on it comes to the left front tab you have a No1 mag.If it is about a 1/3 inch back then you have a No.4 mag and you might have to fiddle with the lips abit.
 
One way to tell the magazine differences is to look at the back. The SMLE mags have the retaining rib going all the way down whereas the No 4 magazines have it stop half way. Niether magazine will interchange properly between the two different rifles without some work involved.
 
Is this the original stock or a replacement ? If the trigger guard is not positionned the same way as it was originaly it can move the mag away from the bolt.
 
Sometimes you get one that has the wrong follower in it. (No.1 type is slightly concave) Can make the difference.
Some Savage-Stevens magazine cases are formed slightly differently and won't work in all rifles.
 
Thanks so far for all the good info and suggestions. Not fixed yet but it appears that we are getting closer to the solution.

I should have been clearer in the OP - I have a No4 MkI rifle, but had no idea what mag I had for it. That is until you guys described to me what I should be looking for.

It is not the original mag but it does appear to be for a No4. Also, the mag wasn't working properly before I switched stocks so that isn't the issue either.

It looks like the rounds are falling into the mag a bit when it clicks into place. I had to look carefully to see it. Obviously this is why it won't feed. The bolt isn't even contacting the rim as the cartridge is too low. When the mag is not in the gun, the cartridges look like they're high enough to work. I guess the front to back squeezing action of the mag catch is deforming the mag slightly and causing the rounds to sink? I dunno.

Here is a video that might help diagnose:

[youtube]bexISVR6Kvg[/youtube]

I still don't have the tabs bent right either but I found a good website that I'm sure will help me get started:

http://towhichireplied.########.com/2009/06/enfield-magazine-feed-lips.html
 
mmatt said:
Was the mag for a MkI different at all from the later Mks? I have a MkI with a mag from unknown origins and it won't feed reliably.

Is there maybe a fool-proof way I can get it set up or am I doomed to an afternoon bending the tabs until it works?

Could there be an issue with the rifle? When I first go the mag, I had to file down the sides of the mag at the top just to get the bolt to pick up the round.

Any help would be great.
Click to expand...

Have you tried giving the mag a good slap with the palm of your hand to make sure it's actually engaged in the rifle? Also, magazines were never meant to be kept loaded and installed when needed like they are today. A rifle only had one magazine that only came out for cleaning or jams. Loading was through the top using 5 round charger clips.
 
Yes, I've made sure that the mag is is seated properly and I've only ever been removing it to try and get it to work. I understand that it's meant to be fed with stripper clips. If only I had any. :)
 
So I had it working for a few minutes until I realized that the bolt was dragging on the front tabs. So I bend them down so the bolt clears them, and it stops feeding again. Arrrg! This is frustrating!
 
1. The magazine is not seating evenly against the bottom of the receiver. You could confirm this with engineer's blue if you want to.

2. The position of the trigger guard can also affect magazine seating.

3. Remove the front guard screw and the little tubular bushing that goes on the screw. You may need to adjust the length of this bushing.

4. Also, the trigger guard inletting in the stock itself may not be correct, making the guard sit too high or low. More likely to be the bushing length however. Try assembling the action and guard with screw and bushing out of the stock. Will the mag seat when you do that?

5. The trigger guard may be bent. It should not be.

6. With or without the stock fitted, after removing the front guard screw and bushing, you could put a clamp over the bottom of the mag and the top of the action and gently tighten it. If you feel or see the mag move upwards you will know it is not properly seated against the receiver bottom. Try to find out where the interference is.

7. The position of the barrelled action in the stock will affect the alignment of the mag well in the receiver with the mag well in the stock. It could be there is incorrect contact there also. Look for contact with the stock. Hard to see in black of course.

8. Look under the mag lips for damage or dirt.
 
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Hey buddy
This can be a problem when an enfield is sitting in a new stock. Wish I could be there to diagnose this for you. RRCo had brought up a bunch of good points but before I add to this answer the following and we'll take it from there.

Does this rifle have a 2 stage trigger or a veeery long single stage trigger? The first pull or slack should be 3 or 4 pounds. The second pull should be from 5 to 6 pounds.

Let me know.

Your answer will "Help me - Help you".
Where is Tom Cruise when you need him?

PS: Never slap the bottom of the mag to get it to seat. This bends the tabs down a bit and sometimes causes issues with effective ammo cycling (especially with round nose bullets)... You should hear an audible "click" when the mag seats properly - and it shouldn't require a death grip to do it! This may require a bit of fitting but that's another story. One thing at a time.
 
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My NO 1 MK III is really hard to seat the mag without pulling the mag release, as it is being inserted. When I don't do this it appears to seat, but then I get the issue you are describing.

Try seating the mag while holding the mag release so it doesn't interfere.
 
Suggest you might want to find somebody in your locale with a No. 4 and borrow his mag long enough to check feeding with dummy rounds. This should indicate whether the problem is the mag or the rifle. If it's the mag, consider going on EE to buy one (they're not expensive and fiddling with the tabs and such is guaranteed to drive a saint mad). If it's the rifle, RRCo's excellent list gives you a way to go.
 
OK then
I would look at all of the following:

1. Has someone filed any material off the mag retaining lip so that it sits lower in the action and thereby allowing the bolt to slip overtop of the ammo in the mag. Someone may have also done this to your mag release lever.
2. The rear cartridge retaining tabs have been closed-in there-by not allowing cartridges to attain the proiper height inside the mag
3. Remove the follower and spring and clean the inside of the magazine. Are there any obstructions stopping the follower from achieving max height? Anything hanging it up?

Mags can be a pain with enfields but most of the issues are easily fixed...
 
I think the OP has indicated that he has filed material off the top of the mag and therefore it could be sitting higher in the mag well.Now he has a problem of the bolt dragging across the front feed lips.It could be a case of too much removed to soon.
 
mmatt said:
Yes, I've made sure that the mag is is seated properly and I've only ever been removing it to try and get it to work. I understand that it's meant to be fed with stripper clips. If only I had any. :)
Click to expand...

Did it clearly 'click' into place and did it snap up over the mag release?
 
In your video at about 00:45, the empty cases may not contact the bolt head because having no bullets in them, they do not sit in the mag the same way a loaded round does. A loaded round with the bullet retained under the front mag flanges will sit higher at it's base. You can see this easily by comparing the two in the mag.

You still have some other problem of course...
 
Thanks for all the help guys! I finally solved the problem - I got a new mag. :p

I just couldn't handle all the messing around with those friggin tabs anymore. Maybe someone more skilled than I could get it operational but it was definitely beyond me.

The new mag was given to me (so the price was definitely right) and it works like a dream.

Thanks again for all your help, suggestions and encouragement! :)
 
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