Lee Enfield no 4
- Thread starter RSA gunnut
- Start date
No. 4 barrels don't get bedded. The receivers don't very often either.
Is this a full military configuration rifle or a bubba'd rifle? Either way, check the headspace before you do anything else. Thousands of Lee-Enfields have been assembled out of parts bins with zero QC. Not even checking the headspace to ensure the rifle is safe to shoot. If the headspace is bad, you need to fix that first.
To work on accuracy, start by slugging the bore. Hammer a cast .30 calibre bullet through it and measure the bullet with a micrometer. This will tell you the diameter of the barrel. No. 4 barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and be considered ok. Larger than .315" and the barrel is shot out.
If the barrel measures ok, use a bullet that is as close to the measurement as possible. Factory ammo usually has a .311" bullet or a .312" bullet. .313" and .314" bullets can be had from .303british.com/. Add the W's.
You should be posting this kind of question on the Milsurp forum too.
Is this a full military configuration rifle or a bubba'd rifle? Either way, check the headspace before you do anything else. Thousands of Lee-Enfields have been assembled out of parts bins with zero QC. Not even checking the headspace to ensure the rifle is safe to shoot. If the headspace is bad, you need to fix that first.
To work on accuracy, start by slugging the bore. Hammer a cast .30 calibre bullet through it and measure the bullet with a micrometer. This will tell you the diameter of the barrel. No. 4 barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and be considered ok. Larger than .315" and the barrel is shot out.
If the barrel measures ok, use a bullet that is as close to the measurement as possible. Factory ammo usually has a .311" bullet or a .312" bullet. .313" and .314" bullets can be had from .303british.com/. Add the W's.
You should be posting this kind of question on the Milsurp forum too.
"...marksman competition rifles..." Yes, but not all current No.4's are suitable for use as target rifles. Most of 'em, the bubba'd ones at least, are used for hunting. In any case, there's no point doing anything if the headspace is bad or the barrel is shot out.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Over on the military surplus knowledge bank is an article from the 1960s recording the results of various bedding technique tests. Gun that were used for one Bisley match or another were graded and referenced. Poke around the surplus forum header.
You cannot "bed" a No.4 like a more conventional Mauser-style one piece stock. There are angled and vertical surfaces at the rear of the foreend that need attention. Otherwise the force required is a certain amount of upwards pressure against the barrel. A free-floating No.4 .303 barrel is not as reliable as one, to use the terminology, that has been properly stocked up.
You cannot "bed" a No.4 like a more conventional Mauser-style one piece stock. There are angled and vertical surfaces at the rear of the foreend that need attention. Otherwise the force required is a certain amount of upwards pressure against the barrel. A free-floating No.4 .303 barrel is not as reliable as one, to use the terminology, that has been properly stocked up.
I improved the accuracy on mine by floating the barrel and bedding the action. It was very easy to do, I basically just had to sand down just a little bit more than the lump at the bottom front end of the stock to get it completely free, there is loads of clear space on the upper guards. I know they were not free floated in military service, but I would assume that is because they were likely to get beaten about quite a bit. I used JB weld to bed the action.
I have free floated all of my milsurps, even if they shoot good as is there is always an accuracy improvement.
I have free floated all of my milsurps, even if they shoot good as is there is always an accuracy improvement.
- Location
- WMU248 near Edmonton
I see you followed the link 
as discussed, you can bed the action, and some experimentation was done on bedding the barrel at various points but the original had the presure point at the muzzle.
as discussed, you can bed the action, and some experimentation was done on bedding the barrel at various points but the original had the presure point at the muzzle.
With thanks to Edward Horton and Ian Robertson, check the article in the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965 (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=867
Regards,
Badger
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Milsurp Knowledge Library (Click HERE)
The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965 (click here)http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=867
Regards,
Badger
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Milsurp Knowledge Library (Click HERE)
