MK 1 No4 Why is this so complicated?

I'm in Toronto and greyman441 has offered to check the headspace for with the correct field guage. But considering it's going back to the seller I didn't really see a point in getting another person to check it.

Hopefully, the seller will agree the headspace is out and either replace the bolt head, exchange it for another rifle or just refund me, either way I'll be happy.

Definitely going to order my own guages though, sounds like they're worth their weight in gold.
 
mike12 said:
He used all 3 guages; go, no go and field and he said he was able to close the bolt on all three. He tried this on the original bolt that came with the gun and the replacement from the 1st gunsmith, same result. Is this not black and white, if it the bolt closes on the field its got too much headspace?

After he checked the headspace he show me the bolt moving, it was with an empty chamber and cocked, he was able to push the bolt forward towards the chamber. While driving home I did wonder, would you not have that movement because there is no chambered round?
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Rather irrelevant now, but there are Military gages and SAMMI gages. The SAMMI Gages will often fail a perfectly good tifle. AND even if the headspace is ok, you CAN close the bolt on the correct gage if you use more than very light pressure. Oh by the way, the go gage is rather worthless unless you are installing a new barrel
 
I give up. Believe the gunsmith knows what he's talking about if you will, but he did NOT know what he was talking about by moving the bolt around on an empty chamber to demonstrate headspace.
 
I wonder, does headspace affect the strength? Not to my knowledge, as long as the lugs and recesses are fine.

then the handloading thing. Take a small O-ring and roll it up to the rim and cram it home and shoot.. perfect headspace on the shoulder. Now... set up your FL size die on those and go shoot!
 
mike12 said:
I'm in Toronto and greyman441 has offered to check the headspace for with the correct field guage. But considering it's going back to the seller I didn't really see a point in getting another person to check it.

Hopefully, the seller will agree the headspace is out and either replace the bolt head, exchange it for another rifle or just refund me, either way I'll be happy.

Definitely going to order my own guages though, sounds like they're worth their weight in gold.
Click to expand...

It doesn't sound to me like the gunsmith knew how to deal specifically with the Lee Enfield rifle, but I'm just a country boy and that would be my two cents. :D

Since you're soliciting opinions, why not ask Peter Laidler? He's probably forgotten more about the Enfield rifle than the average gunsmith you're going to encounter.

Either specifically interview him here…

Interview Peter Laidlerhttp://www.milsurps.com/vbinterviews.php?do=showinterview&id=1

… or, ask your question in the dedicated Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forumhttp://www.milsurps.com/forumdisplay.php?f=72, where he, Dr. Roger Payne and Ian Skennerton answer questions specifically on this genre of old milsurps.

Captain Peter Laidler is the senior Armourer in the UK Military, now retired, but based as a Technical Officer at the UK Military Small Arms School. Peter has written an extensive series of technical articles for the on-line Knowledge Libraries. In addition to being a trained and highly experienced military 'Armourer', Peter has authored two excellent books about the No.4(T) sniper rifles and their No.32 scopes. They are titled An Armourer's Perspective: .303 No.4(T) Sniper Rifle, which he co-authored with Ian Skennerton and his own dedicated work, Telescope Sighting No.32.

You also will find several other British rifle armorers in the latter forum, who also may be able to add some value to your questions and recent experience.

Regards,
Doug
 
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