No1 Mk3 Magazine seating issue

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bennypoo

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Hey Guys,

Just bought a SMLE off a member. I noticed the mag wants unlatch itself after some fast cycling or running the bolt a little harder. I took it apart to find that the magazine catching is barely catching on to the magazine. Do i buy a new magazine or do i figure out how to modify the rifle? I'm afraid of iI bought new mag that it wont work then I'll have to modify the rifle and potentially destroying it. I've also loosen and tighten the bolt that holds the trigger guard together and i couldn't get it to latch properly. Any suggestions would be handy. Thanks in advance.

https://mystuff.bublup.com/ui/landing_page?item_id=001-i-62549caf-e4ff-4a43-b38b-ec4926505903

https://mystuff.bublup.com/ui/landing_page?item_id=001-i-6f503738-720d-44be-8c4d-5d1f1b677be9

https://mystuff.bublup.com/ui/landing_page?item_id=001-i-62549caf-e4ff-4a43-b38b-ec4926505903
 
OP, to me it looks like you likely need to replace the spring on the mag release lever.

I've had what you describe happen and that's usually the best fix.

Or, if someone has filed down the spine on the back of the magazine, you may need to get someone to build it up with TIG weld and file it to fit.

From your photos, that spring doesn't look like it has enough force to push the mag release lever all the way forward.

Again, from your photos, the spine may be a few thousands of an inch to long, which would prevent the mag lever from being able to lock up properly.

Is your magazine all the way home? They're not meant to be taken out regularly. The magazine should fit tight and be difficult to remove. If they drop out easily, they're to loose.
 
bearhunter said:
OP, to me it looks like you likely need to replace the spring on the mag release lever.

I've had what you describe happen and that's usually the best fix.

Or, if someone has filed down the spine on the back of the magazine, you may need to get someone to build it up with TIG weld and file it to fit.

From your photos, that spring doesn't look like it has enough force to push the mag release lever all the way forward.

Again, from your photos, the spine may be a few thousands of an inch to long, which would prevent the mag lever from being able to lock up properly.

Is your magazine all the way home? They're not meant to be taken out regularly. The magazine should fit tight and be difficult to remove. If they drop out easily, they're to loose.
Click to expand...

The Magazine is all the way home. I even took out the cut off plate to see if it was obstructing. So to file down as we see in the photo wouldn't be good until i have some tig well done to add more material?
 
The catch is not engaging the magazine.
Can you wiggle the magazine until the catch engages fully?
If the spring is good, and the magazine doesn't engage with a bit of wiggling, I would suggest filing a slight amount off the magazine catch until it engages.
If you want, I'll send you a spring and catch to experiment with. PM your mailing address.
 
tiriaq said:
The catch is not engaging the magazine.
Can you wiggle the magazine until the catch engages fully?
If the spring is good, and the magazine doesn't engage with a bit of wiggling, I would suggest filing a slight amount off the magazine catch until it engages.
If you want, I'll send you a spring and catch to experiment with. PM your mailing address.
Click to expand...

I'll try filing a little bit first. See how it goes. Is the trigger guard/ mag well screw to be tighten all the way? I find if i have it looser the fitment is slightly better?
 
The screws should be pulled up tight. The engagement of the magazine and the catch should be independent of the trigger guard. Is there a small tubular bushing round the front guard screw?
 
tiriaq said:
The screws should be pulled up tight. The engagement of the magazine and the catch should be independent of the trigger guard. Is there a small tubular bushing round the front guard screw?
Click to expand...

Ill have to check when i get home. But from the times ive taken it apart I didn't notice any bushings.
 
bennypoo said:
Ill have to check when i get home. But from the times ive taken it apart I didn't notice any bushings.
Click to expand...

That bushing is called a KING SCREW BUSHING and acts as a bedding pillar as well as a deterrent to crush the wood and screw up the ways(bedding pads for receiver)

If that tube (pillar) is missing, it might be causing your problem.

Tiriaq is pointing out a very common issue. Lots of folks take the fore end off and either lose the pillar or just don't bother to put it back in. BIG MISTAKE.

To show how important these pillars are, they can be found in different lengths so they fit properly.

The nominal length pillar is .500 inches. They come in increments of .001 - .005 on the plus or minus side.

The fore end stocks came from different manufacturers and of course the tooling dulled and needed to be swapped out. It's amazing how well the manufacturing tolerances were adhered to 80 years ago. Still, all tolerances have plus or minus guides and that's the reason for different length pillars.

If you take the fore end off, be very careful to pull it down, without using the tip of the fore end to "lever it down"

Levering the fore end down compresses the ways and will cause other issues you don't need.

Having a proper bushing (pillar) is desirable but you can get by with just about anything that will allow the King Screw to move freely and the ends fit into the recesses in the receiver and trigger guard bases.
 
bearhunter said:
That bushing is called a KING SCREW BUSHING and acts as a bedding pillar as well as a deterrent to crush the wood and screw up the ways(bedding pads for receiver)

If that tube (pillar) is missing, it might be causing your problem.

Tiriaq is pointing out a very common issue. Lots of folks take the fore end off and either lose the pillar or just don't bother to put it back in. BIG MISTAKE.

To show how important these pillars are, they can be found in different lengths so they fit properly.

The nominal length pillar is .500 inches. They come in increments of .001 - .005 on the plus or minus side.

The fore end stocks came from different manufacturers and of course the tooling dulled and needed to be swapped out. It's amazing how well the manufacturing tolerances were adhered to 80 years ago. Still, all tolerances have plus or minus guides and that's the reason for different length pillars.

If you take the fore end off, be very careful to pull it down, without using the tip of the fore end to "lever it down"

Levering the fore end down compresses the ways and will cause other issues you don't need.

Having a proper bushing (pillar) is desirable but you can get by with just about anything that will allow the King Screw to move freely and the ends fit into the recesses in the receiver and trigger guard bases.
Click to expand...

I took a photo of this piece bedded into the stock would this be it? it does stop dead once i have the screw tighten up to the max.

https://mystuff.bublup.com/ui/landing_page?item_id=001-i-81efefed-205f-4862-9715-75248614efd8
 
bennypoo said:
I took a photo of this piece bedded into the stock would this be it? it does stop dead once i have the screw tighten up to the max.

https://mystuff.bublup.com/ui/landing_page?item_id=001-i-81efefed-205f-4862-9715-75248614efd8
Click to expand...

That's it.

Now you're going to have to file either the mag release notch or the spine on the magazine. This should take all of a few minutes.

Don't have a file? you don't need an expensive one for such a small job. DON'T try using sandpaper. It will round off the edges. With a file, you can keep things square.

From the piece missing behind the King Screw bushing, I would say someone had pried that stock of the rifle a few times. A bit of glass bedding on the ways would alleviate the issues caused by that.

Don't be afraid to file the mag release arm notch, it's pretty difficult to ruin it, if you're careful. As mentioned above, it's one of the parts on these rifles that need to be fitted properly.
 
bearhunter said:
That's it.

Now you're going to have to file either the mag release notch or the spine on the magazine. This should take all of a few minutes.

Don't have a file? you don't need an expensive one for such a small job. DON'T try using sandpaper. It will round off the edges. With a file, you can keep things square.

From the piece missing behind the King Screw bushing, I would say someone had pried that stock of the rifle a few times. A bit of glass bedding on the ways would alleviate the issues caused by that.

Don't be afraid to file the mag release arm notch, it's pretty difficult to ruin it, if you're careful. As mentioned above, it's one of the parts on these rifles that need to be fitted properly.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tips and tricks! I think i have it resolved by lightly filing the magazine itself. I noticed the magazine release lever protrudes more now that its actually fitting a lot better
 
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