Lee Enfield Mk4 question

i think i got the oring idea from smellie or biged, i tried it because i was having issues with two of my Enfields where even a single firing would stretch the case so much that it would show signs of separation especially with commercial loads
since i've started doing the first time firing with orings brass is easily reloaded numerous times and shows no signs whatsoever of stretching/case head separation
 
"...I've got "newgunwannashootitis"..." There ain't no cure for that except felt recoil.
"...eventually set it up..." You really need a set of guages. As I recall, Marstar lists stripped(you use the extractor and spring you have)No. 1 bolt heads at $19 each. You might want to jump on it. Stuff like that tends to disappear.
"...they'll be just washers..." Real .303 Brit headspace guages aren't really far from that. Just the rim with a half inch or so of case body. Mind you, you'll have to or should heat treat then finish grind your washers. Washers being soft and all.
"...there is no excess head space..." Yes there is and a rubber washer won't fix it.
"...totally deforms under pressure..." And melts under the intense heat.
 
Proper tool steel guages properly heat treated is the way to go if they are used regularly. But for one time or once every three or four years and used with care there's no reason why the soft steel washers can't do the job. The key being to not really wedge down on them. Just close until the lever stops moving. Even mild steel as used on washers isn't THAT crushable.

Thanks for the Marstar tip. I'll be ordering up the No1 bolt head as soon as I finish posting this.

Keep in mind that the rubber ring only needs to hold the case back against the head until the primer is set off. Once that happens its job is done. And that happens before the heat can do anything to the rubber.
 
Just to be crystal clear on this, you guys using the o-ring trick are only using it ONCE, correct? On the first time the case is used? It's not required on subsequent firings?
 
shredder said:
Just to be crystal clear on this, you guys using the o-ring trick are only using it ONCE, correct? On the first time the case is used? It's not required on subsequent firings?
Click to expand...

Correct. As long as you neck size only. Full-length re-sizing will set the shoulder back again, making the use of O-Rings in the first place rather redundant.
 
TYLER is correct.

Once the cartridge is fire-formed to any particular chamber, it headspaces on the SHOULDER, just like the wonderful .30-'06.

The O-ring (or ponytail tie) holds the cartridge back AGAINST the bolt-face and PERMITS it to expand to FILL THE CHAMBER.

It WORKS.

It even works on those 1905 Rosses with the huge chambers.

After that, you neck-size only and you are halfway to Match-grade ammo.

Full-length sizing, of course, will set the shoulder back all the way....... so you have to start all over again.
 
Credit where credit is due.

I have been boosting the O-ring idea because it WORKS.

Often, I refer to them as "Ed's Famous O-Rings" because I got the idea from our friend Big Ed, the P-51 guy.

Ed says that he got the idea from a Canadian but, to me, they will always be "Ed's Famous O-Rings".

And they will always work, too. Can't forget that part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom