Lee Enfield Problem - Firing pin

dannyd123

dannyd123

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Hi everyone,

So this problem is perplexing me. My 1945 longbranch No4Mk1* was firing fine. Last time at the range I started to get misfires. I could tell the firing pin wasnt going in all the way from the cocking piece being a quarter inch to 1/8 " out. The primer wasnt being touched. I disassembled the bolt cleaned the firing pin and cocking piece guide, and the gun started firing normally again.

This past weekend I decided to take her out again. Fired 27 rounds no problem. Lots of rest time between firing. Then then misfires again. Light primer strikes this time, and again the cocking peice not all the way forward. Tried cocking and firing with an empty chamber twice. On the second time it went all the way forward, but I luckily decided to check the bolt face, and with the bolt cocked the face had the firing pin exposed!

Luckily I did not chamber a round, or the bolt would have blown back in my face. The peice of pin was stuck in there good. Had to bang the base of a screwdriver to get it out! Heres a pic. It was not a straight shear, there is an odd piece of metal/flake attached to the broken piece.

What could have caused this? I will be putting a replacement on there soon, but I dont want this to happen again.

P.S. I was using factory winchester ammo.


IMAG1565_1.jpg
 
"...Excessive dry firing?..." Don't be daft. Dry firing will not hurt a Lee-Enfield or any other centre fire. Old age certainly will though. Smack anything hard for years and it'll get work hardened and therefore brittle.
 
Was the firing pin adjusted forward when this happened? It' not a hard fix, just make sure you have the correct firiing pin protrusion.

Pete
 
Thanks for the replies!

No Pete, the firing pin was not adjusted forward. There was proper protrusion I believe, and the end of the firing pin was screwed in completely to the cocking piece with the locking nut installed. Im curious as to why the pin sheared that way and its cause.

The spare firing pin I have doesnt have proper protrusion, so I have a couple NOS ones on the way here.
 
sunray said:
"...Excessive dry firing?..." Don't be daft. Dry firing will not hurt a Lee-Enfield or any other centre fire. Old age certainly will though. Smack anything hard for years and it'll get work hardened and therefore brittle.
Click to expand...

Appreciate the insight...and the self-righteous tone.
 
I would atribute it to age, looked like the tip was making to much contact inside the bold head, but pictures can be decieving as it looks like normal wear too. Could have also been cracked forca whil to. Lots of speculation. Try ebay, I saw a batch of nos enfield parts still in the original boxes.

Pete
 
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