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Lee Enfields & Mismatched bolts--Ok?
- Thread starter Smoothbore
- Start date
Hi.
I know there are three bolt sizes in Lee Enfields.
I know that mismatched bolts in Lee Enfields reduce the collectable value.
But does a mismatched bolt make the rifle unsafe to fire?
Are there headspace issues etc?
Should take the rifle to a gunsmith,....just to be safe....NO.4 rifles are pretty easy to adjust the headspace.....there are lots of Lee Enfield fans on CGN...they will be able to help you out
Matching munbers are desirable from a collector's point of view.
Matching numbers MAY indicate that headspace is good. They don't guarantee it. If bolt body is a m/m, the bolt is a replacement from a different rifle. Headspace may or may not be correct. Headspace is easy to check. There are four bolthead sizes for No.4 & 5 rifles, so headspace can be adjusted. SMLE rifles had their boltheads adjusted for headspace, the M, etc. stamped on the head is nothing to do with size. In addition to headspace issues, a replacement bolt should fit properly from the standpoint of contact between the locking lugs and locking shoulders.
Matching numbers MAY indicate that headspace is good. They don't guarantee it. If bolt body is a m/m, the bolt is a replacement from a different rifle. Headspace may or may not be correct. Headspace is easy to check. There are four bolthead sizes for No.4 & 5 rifles, so headspace can be adjusted. SMLE rifles had their boltheads adjusted for headspace, the M, etc. stamped on the head is nothing to do with size. In addition to headspace issues, a replacement bolt should fit properly from the standpoint of contact between the locking lugs and locking shoulders.
"...make the rifle unsafe..." As long as the headspace is ok, the serial number on the bolt doesn't matter. However, how expensive it gets depends on the model. No. 4 bolt heads have a number on them. 0 to 3. If you check the headspace with proper guages and it's bad(the bolt closes on a No-Go and a Field.The bolt should not close on a No-Go, but if it does, try a Field.), you need another bolt head. Usually the next number up, but just changing to the next number doesn't guarantee a fix. That's if you can find the next number up. Also, if your existing number is a 3, you're in for an expensive smithing job.
A No. 1 has no numbers on the bolt head. If the headspace is bad, you need a handful of bolt heads to try with the guages(same guage for both flavours of rifle). Cheap they ain't. $11.30US each from Gunparts, Stateside.
A No. 1 has no numbers on the bolt head. If the headspace is bad, you need a handful of bolt heads to try with the guages(same guage for both flavours of rifle). Cheap they ain't. $11.30US each from Gunparts, Stateside.
