Lee Enfield front trigger guard bushing

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MarkdevCanada

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Hello all:

Would anyone know the difference between a #1 and #4 Lee Enfield front trigger guard bushings, or even better yet, what diameter and length they should be? I have a box of what I think are SMLE front trigger guard bushing, but they could be No 4 MkI bushings or both or perhaps even something else.

Thank you, cheers
Mark
 
Dimensionally they are almost the same,my #1 mk3* bushing is L-12mm,ID-7.25mm and OD-9.6mm

My #4 mk1 bushing is L-12.9mm,ID-7.0mm and OD-9.5 mm.

Hope this helps,
Herman
 
Thank you for the information. So does this mean they come in a set of different lengths lengths like front sights or did they custom machine each one to fit?
Thank you, cheers
Mark
 
The shaft that goes through many table lamps to tie everything together is the correct ID and OD for front trigger guard stock bushings. A lifetime supply is easy to find and often free. Cut to length as required.
 
OP, It can be difficult to ascertain the EXACT length of the bushing for a rifle.

This is what I do.

First I use a straight edged to measure the distance from the base of the bushing cut out to the flat. If you have a depth gauge or micrometer even better. Now, be careful to make your bushing only slightly longer than the hole is deep. I am talking about a couple of thousandths of an inch or .05 mm.

If you use more, you will CRUSH the wood between the spacer and the trigger guard.

If your rifle has a cut down/sporter fore end I would simply fill the hole with some sort of epoxy that sets up hard and drill out a Kingscrew hole that gives plenty of clearance.

In the case of the Lee Enfield No 1 and No4, the recoil shoulders for the stock are on the ways at the top of the bedding. The Kingscrew tension is what holds those way shoulders against the receiver and keeps the stock in place so that the proper amount of fore end pressure is maintained throughout multiple usage. It's a very good system but finicky. When the spacer is lost and the Kingscrew is over tensioned then everything changes and accuracy is effected. That's how the poor old Lee Enfield got the nickname "jack handle" or "bent barrel" back in the day. We used to take some rifles that were sold very cheap because they weren't accurate and turn them into great shooters by FIXING THE BEDDING.

I used to love coming across the No 1 rifles with the copper way pads screwed in place. They didn't need much effort to get them to shoot well. The others, if they were sporterized, got some fiberglass bedding in the appropriate spots.
 
Ian Robertson said:
Bushings are to prevent the ham fisted from over tightening screws. Just don't use one, unless you are ham fisted.
Click to expand...


With Lee Enfields, a ham fisted person can cause the small wood separation between the bushing and the trigger guard to compress as well. The bushing is there for a good reason.
 
The entry in my own notes for the torque on the front trigger guard screw reads 'FT'

The trigger guard fit is a very important part of the stocking up process. Give it as much attention as the bedding. Out of all of the furniture screws, how that one is fitted along with the trigger guard is critical to the rifles's accuracy. The fit of the trigger guard also affects the two stage trigger pull off.

Breech bolts and fore stocks are serial numbered to the rifle because they are matched by an armourer. I believe that back in the day, the trigger guard should have been numbered too.

I don't do this myself, and I have argued the point, but some people actually relax that screw for long term storage.
 
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Peter Laidler tels how to properly adjust the bushing, and it goes something like this:

1: Without a bushing, tighten the "king screw" until it stops. Mark where it stops with a pencil. Now unscrew it and count how many turns it takes. Let's say it/s 7-1/2 turns.
2: Now insert a bushing and tighten the screw again, counting the turns. It should stop before the 7-1/2 turns...lets say it's 6-3/8 turns. So now you remove the bushing and lathe a little off the end. Try it again, now lets say you are at 7 turns. Remove a little more, now you are at 7-1/4 turns. Now remove a little more, and it should just tighten up to the original 7-1/2 turns. You now have a bushing set to the proper length......wood is tight but not under the unlimited full compression of the screw. Once everything else (trigger pull) is set up, stake the screw.

It takes a little time, but proper work usually does. Just dropping in a used bushing from out of a parts bin will most likely be out of spec for your particular rifle.
 
stencollector said:
Peter Laidler tels how to properly adjust the bushing, and it goes something like this:

1: Without a bushing, tighten the "king screw" until it stops. Mark where it stops with a pencil. Now unscrew it and count how many turns it takes. Let's say it/s 7-1/2 turns.
2: Now insert a bushing and tighten the screw again, counting the turns. It should stop before the 7-1/2 turns...lets say it's 6-3/8 turns. So now you remove the bushing and lathe a little off the end. Try it again, now lets say you are at 7 turns. Remove a little more, now you are at 7-1/4 turns. Now remove a little more, and it should just tighten up to the original 7-1/2 turns. You now have a bushing set to the proper length......wood is tight but not under the unlimited full compression of the screw. Once everything else (trigger pull) is set up, stake the screw.

It takes a little time, but proper work usually does. Just dropping in a used bushing from out of a parts bin will most likely be out of spec for your particular rifle.
Click to expand...


That's how I do it.

If you don't have a lathe, chuck the bushing into a drill press or even a hand drill and use a file to remove enough metal to get the proper length. When this very important system isn't adhered to, the rifle most likely will not shoot well.
 
Not meaning to be a heretic, but Capt Laidler's description of the procedure needs to be clarified.
cou:
Let me know when it is safe to come out from cover.


Without a bushing, tighten the "king screw" until it stops.

Stops against what?

With or without trigger guard fitted?

Stop when the trigger guard gets tight against the wood?

How tight? Hand tight with a screwdriver? Or keep winding that screw in and crush the crap out of the wood and then stop? Crank it until the screw bottoms out?

Not trying to be a smart arse (dont have to try, it comes naturally), but if interpreted wrong, things could be either just lightly nipped up, or, cranked down severely crushing the wood.

This is an important process.

Laidler says tight but 'not under full unlimited compression of the screw.'

I understand the requirement and have my own enthusiastic amateur method of doing it to give me a measured 10 thou of crush.

I set the length of the bushing and then crank that screw in F=x;ing tight into the adjusted bushing. It comes to a dead stop. It never comes loose.
I don't stake the screw as sometimes I want to take it back out at a later date.

Staking is using a center punch strike back slightly from the edge of the trigger guard hole to expand metal into the end of the screw slot to mechanically stop it from turning and coming undone.

If you do stake, my tip would be to do it just the once staking the guard into the screw slot. Then, if the screw is ever removed and reinstalled you need to stake it again, stake your screw into the existing stake hole in the guard as opposed to staking the trigger guard into the end of the screw slot.

Why? because if you stake the guard into the screw slot a few different times, the stake size starts to grow and you will need to move more and more material over to the screw (looks like crap). If the orientation of the screw ever changes, you will need a new stake im the guard.

I have seen recycled trigger guards with several stake marks, not pretty. Staking the screw into the guard, you will only ever need the one stake no matter how many times. Also, if staking the screw into the guard many times and the screw head becomes chewed up, the screw is a lot easier to replace with a new one than the trigger guard.
 
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