SMLE # 4 unused ejector screw
- Thread starter snowhunter
- Start date
The only time the SMLE # 4 ejector screw actualy works as expected, is when a live round is being extracted from the chamber, because the front of the bullet is still inside and touching the chamber wall, when the rim of the 303 british cartridge case, pass the charger thumb cutout along the raceway for the bolt, and thus prevent the live round from being thrown out by the charger thump cutout, until the rim reaches the ejector screw.
I can only imagine that the charger clip, thumb cut out was never intended also to function as the ejector of empty cases, but that is just what happens when the bolt raceway is interrupted with this charger clip, thump cut out, that just changes the direction of an extracted empty case, when being pulled out from the chamber. Wondering in the designers of that charger clip, thumb cut out, on the SMLE # 4, had any knowledge of this double function of their design ?
After also posting about this intersting design flaws in the extraction of the SMLE # 4 and # 5 in gunboards, Edward Horton posted some nice pictures, clearly demonstrating how spend cartridges from SMLE # 4, are being thrown out by the ejector and ejector spring, when the rim of the spend cartridge reached the opening on the bolt raceway, made by the charger clip cutout 
Will be interesting to see if some gun designer will incoporate this obvious, but positive flaw, in furture gun designs ?
Will be interesting to see if some gun designer will incoporate this obvious, but positive flaw, in furture gun designs ?
After further study of the ejection of empty cartridges of SMLE # 4 and # 5, it now appears that the SMLE # 4 and # 5 have two set of ejection system, one of spend cases and one for live rounds.
I forced the spend case to remain on the bolt when it reached the charger clip cutout, and found that the ejector screw does not work well on spend cases. Often the spend case would just flip 180 degree's witout being ejected.
It appears that the metal around the charger clip cutout have been formed, also to function to function as part of the ejection system of spend cases ?
The lenght from the end of the chamber to the charger clip cutout has lenght of a spend case, and soon as the spend case clears the chamber, the rim of the spend case reaches the charger clipo cutout, and thus starts the sequence of the very effective ejection of the spend case.
I forced the spend case to remain on the bolt when it reached the charger clip cutout, and found that the ejector screw does not work well on spend cases. Often the spend case would just flip 180 degree's witout being ejected.
It appears that the metal around the charger clip cutout have been formed, also to function to function as part of the ejection system of spend cases ?
The lenght from the end of the chamber to the charger clip cutout has lenght of a spend case, and soon as the spend case clears the chamber, the rim of the spend case reaches the charger clipo cutout, and thus starts the sequence of the very effective ejection of the spend case.
