lee enfeild no1 mk3 problem
- Thread starter coolhandluke
- Start date
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
Sounds like it needs a really good cleaning. Scrub that chamber out. I have a Ruger M77 that had that exact same problem.
blasted_saber
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- A blue part of Ontario
It was a build up of excess gun oil in my Ruger. This may or may not apply, as I dont have a LE here with me to look. Not sure if im using the correct terminology here, but it was where the lugs on the bolt rotated (after the bullet is in the chamber). Their was a pocket here which was loaded with excess oil. You couldnt see it with out really looking for it, but it was what causing the problem. I had to use a fairly large bore brush to get it cleaned out.
It would only stick once the gun was fired and the chamber warm.
It would only stick once the gun was fired and the chamber warm.
got a picture of what your talkin about?? im a shooter not a gunsmith
The ideal situation then would be for you to get a gunsmith (or someone with headspace gauges) to check headspace.
Headspace is the little bit of free space between the bolthead face and the rear of a chambered, unfired round. In a Lee Enfield it has to be between 0.064" and 0.074".
Lou
x2 on giving the chamber a good scrub. I had the same problem and it was due to an invisible waxy coating on some cheap surplus ammo.
I agree with the former recommendations of cleaning and checking the chamber (shotgun brush and cordless drill) and check head space. no gauges no-problem if you reload (which you have indicated). place a unused primer loosely in the pocket of a new or fully resized casing, chamber and carefully close bolt. remove casing, measure with calipers the rim thickness and the amt of protrusion of the primer. add these totals and you have your headspace. Compare to the numbers Lou previously posted.
Alternatively take it to your local gunsmith and ask him to polish the chamber and check headspace and for less than $40 you're done. (My local smith polished a rough chamber and squared and crowned the muzzle for $35)
Alternatively take it to your local gunsmith and ask him to polish the chamber and check headspace and for less than $40 you're done. (My local smith polished a rough chamber and squared and crowned the muzzle for $35)
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dont reload yet. the custom loads are from hornady (factory loads). i got some buddys coming over and we are going to clean our guns. so im going to try a good cleaning and see what happens.
"...only ammo that shoots well..." Good. It means the headspace is likely ok, but have it checked anyway. Thousands of Lee-Enfields, of both models, were assembled out of parts bins with zero QC.
Headspace is a rifle manufacturing tolerance that allows any maker's ammo to be used in any like chambered firearm. If it's too large, the cartridge comes back upon firing and causes the bolt to be hard to open. Among other things. Hard extraction, flattened primers, et al. The absolute worst case is the locking lugs on the bolt breaking sending the bolt into your head. Relax. That rarely happens.
Fixing bad headspace is easy. You change bolt heads using headspace guages until you find one that keeps the bolt from closing on a No-Go guage. It's not inexpensive with a No. 1. You need a handful of bolt heads at $22.00 each to try with the guages.
Take it to a smithy. You'll have to find one who has the guages though.
Headspace is a rifle manufacturing tolerance that allows any maker's ammo to be used in any like chambered firearm. If it's too large, the cartridge comes back upon firing and causes the bolt to be hard to open. Among other things. Hard extraction, flattened primers, et al. The absolute worst case is the locking lugs on the bolt breaking sending the bolt into your head. Relax. That rarely happens.
Fixing bad headspace is easy. You change bolt heads using headspace guages until you find one that keeps the bolt from closing on a No-Go guage. It's not inexpensive with a No. 1. You need a handful of bolt heads at $22.00 each to try with the guages.
Take it to a smithy. You'll have to find one who has the guages though.
Use a shotgun mop/swab with a little oil and J&B bore paste or Iosso bore polish and clean/polish the chamber, you have 50 years of buildup in the chamber.
Next clean the chamber with acetone, alcohol etc and remove any and all grease or oil from the chamber and bolt head.
The oil or grease is causing increased thrust on your bolt which can cause increased wear, headspace or damage.
Next clean the chamber with acetone, alcohol etc and remove any and all grease or oil from the chamber and bolt head.
The oil or grease is causing increased thrust on your bolt which can cause increased wear, headspace or damage.
