Lee-Enfield 303 - Cocking lever

rsako

rsako

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Hi Folks,

Anyone know what may have caused these 'busted chips' on the bottom side of the cocking lever on this SMLE bolt?

I'm not familiar with the 'limiting factor' on these old bolts when they fire.

Cockinglever-Broken.jpg

Cockinglever-Newer.jpg


My local 'smith' suggests metal fatigue. I may agree. But when i look at the replaced part (used)...it shows signs of striking something as well.

Just looking to get educated...maybe i need to 'fit' the new cocking lever more than i originally thought. I won't fire (or dry fire) till i know for sure.

any help is much appreciated.
 
rsako said:
looks perfect... any idea what the 'second' notch does for a living?
Click to expand...

Half-####. Pull the cocking piece back half way and you get half-####. Can't fire, can't open the bolt until you pull it back to full ####. Nice safe way to carry one up the spout without the firing pin being able to touch the primer if struck on the cocking piece by the rifle being dropped etc.

Steel is over-hardened from the photos. Was the bolt dropped on a hard surface? Can't think of anything that the rifle could do to cause that kind of damage.

Target shooters used to heat and harden their cocking pieces to get a smoother let off, or so they thought. I've seen a few buggered up by over-hardening to the point that they would fracture. Can't tell from your photos if that one has been messed with.
 
Last edited:
All makes sense. everything else looks fine. I'm going to test fire it and see how it all goes :) Thanks for the input folks.

RRCo. said:
Half-####. Pull the cocking piece back half way and you get half-####. Can't fire, can't open the bolt until you pull it back to full ####. Nice safe way to carry one up the spout without the firing pin being able to touch the primer if struck on the cocking piece by the rifle being dropped etc.

Steel is over-hardened from the photos. Was the bolt dropped on a hard surface? Can't think of anything that the rifle could do to cause that kind of damage.

Target shooters used to heat and harden their cocking pieces to get a smoother let off, or so they thought. I've seen a few buggered up by over-hardening to the point that they would fracture. Can't tell from your photos if that one has been messed with.
Click to expand...
 
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