October Purcahse gone Bad with a good outcome

Mac_63

Mac_63

CGN Regular
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Location
Nova Scotia
In october I picked up three nice enfields, one of which was this numbers matching 1916 No1 MkIII BSA

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I took the No1 to tne range and discovered something that I would have never thought to check in a millions years. When I bought the rifle I knew it had been drilled for a scope at some point in its life. The mounting holes had been plugged and blued. Which didn't realy bug me to much.

Until I took it to the range, after fireing three rds, I tried to eject number three but it wouldn't. After a few mins I was able to remove the spent rd from the chamber. I was thinking split case, like most of you are thinking,,,,,,,but noooooooooo.... I inspected the case to find this perfectly round 3 mm bump on the case. Which turned out to match the hole that BUBBA drilled all the way through the barrel into the chamber. note the hole plus in the circle.

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So as not to have a total loss I went on the hunt to find another No1 MkIII, I did find one, a local friend and fellow CGNer had a numbers matching rifle as a doner for me. I picked up a matching beach butt stock from aother CGNer. Stripped and tung oilded the wood to end up with this No1 MkIII SMLE at the end of the project.

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So all and all I am pretty happy with the rifle,,,although not the cheapest way I could have gotten another rifle.
 
Glad it worked out, mate. Nice rifle in the end, and an awesome paperweight.

One is left to marvel at the thought processes in play on a job like that.

The first hole would have gone all the way through. The goon operating the drill press would have though "Hmm, that's interesting. A little too deep, maybe?"

And then he did it again.

Once is a mistake born of ignorance. Twice is wanton destruction. Damn your black soul to hell, Bubba, wherever you are.
 
If the paper weight rifle has a good enough bore to warant the work, I will suggest a fix that i think will work and be safe to shoot.
If the hole is threaded and just has a blind screw insalled I would remove it...finish taping the hole all the way through if it isn't already. Find a screw (not hardened, with head or blind, it doesn't matter) tthat is long enough to protrude into the chamber (full diameter of hole) by a few thou. If i were using a headless screw, I would leave it shorter than it needs to be too protrude out of the hole and anchor it by a spot of welding over the hole.

Next I would take a roughing reamer and cut the inside screw protrusion off, smooth up with finishing reamer and dress the weld up for a touch of cold blue.

I haven't used this fix on anything but see no reason why it wouldn't work if the only holes are in the chamber area. If any of the holes are in a rifled section then i think your hooped.
 
I personally would have the rfile deactivated, it would be worth more and no liability or chance of anyone firing it....
 
enefgee said:
Marstar has stripped receivers for No1 MkIII's for $40 - if the rest of the parts are decent........
Click to expand...

The barrel is drilled through in the chamber, it's pooched. The action most likely is usable, but for cautions sake the guy who did the drilling may have also done more to the rifle.
 
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I have kept the parts, bolt, safety, sight's the remainder is a paper weight. I think I ended up with s decent rifle, havn't had it to the range yet.
 
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