SMLE safety issue

j_06

j_06

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I recently picked up my first lee enfield and noticed that when I work the safety on and off while the rifles cocked the bolt handle slowly works its way up, opening the bolt. Every time I function the safety whether it's on or off the bolt lifts 1/16th to an 1/8th inch up. It will continue to do so until it the lug is just barely engaging. Anybody experienced the same and have any idea how to remedy this?
 
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The safety engages the cocking piece and keeps it from moving forward, and since the safety moves upward and lock the cocking piece it will move the bolt. The amount of bolt movement is governed by how much wear the bolt raceway has. Meaning the older worn rifles will have more bolt movement than a new Enfield will. And a worn bolt raceway was just one reason to scrap a receiver.

Bottom line don't worry about it, its part of the older rifles "character" and will not hurt anything.

P.S. Word of warning, if you play with your bolt head too much you will go blind. :evil:
 
Ooops, edited my op .I should have said the bolt handle rises, opening the bolt. What your saying that as the safety is applied the cocking piece moves back? or are you referring to what's happening in the video?. Their is just over 1/4 inch of space from the bolt handle to the receiver collar when the safety is worked 3-4 times with minimal lug engagement left. I can't foresee the situation that I worked the safety that much but if decided to carry one in the spout out hunting and flick the safety off the bolt is still rising, losing that much engagement. Haha, so far 20/20ish.
 
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Sometimes the ends of the firing pin spring can grab or bite into the collar on the firing pin and the rear of the bolt. Or the firing pin spring becomes weak and the coils rub on the inside of the bolt. And both can add to a twisting force to the bolt, and all of this has to do bolt jump and any upward movement of the bolt handle. In another forum this was discussed and some said this is why some rifles were carried at half #### and others said when taking the safety off the bolt should be pushed down. To be honest you could ask your question at milsurps.com Enfield forum addressed to Capt. Peter Laidler the senior British armourer in the UK and Enfield author. (meaning if anyone knows the answer it would be Mr. Laidler.)

I think it is caused by worn parts and lack of adjustment/fitting by a trained Enfield Armourer. But again your Enfield is not brand new, was sold as surplus and the bolt jump is something that needs watching. In my experience it is something older worn Enfield and other rifles do but was never a problem shooting the rifle as long as you are aware of what happens and just push the bolt down.

Bolt jump
http://www.jouster.com/forums/showthread.php?39469-Bolt-jump
 
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Your safety is mis aligned! Had 2 no4 Mk1 that was sent to me with the exact same problem last month. The safety screws in and engages with a worm type gear. I noticed in your video that you did not and perhaps could not engage your safety fully. Remove safety and re install making sure it is able to move the full range. If it is a safety out of another rifle then you might be out of luck because, for example a Longbranch no 4's safety will not perfectly match up with an AG India made no 4 Enfield made in the same year even though 90% of the parts are interchangable.
 
On my no1 mk3 the bolt would move just a tiny bit up and the cocking piece just a tiny bit back (towards the butt plate) and you would feel the safety push on the cocking piece as well as hear a "click" sound. The safety arm should rotate from the 10pm position to the 3pm position when viewing the rifle from the left side. If it does not move fully or significantly binds up, I would, as others have suggested, take the safety off and check the alignment of the two grooved pieces.

Also, when you take the bolt out of the rifle, engage the safety and look at the rear of the receiver, you will see a metal lip that projects up. This piece is what holds the cocking piece back. If you this looks damaged or warped out of shape you may need to replace it.
 
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When someone takes apart the safety on the Lee Enfields, (usually with the excuse of "cleaning",) they can assemble it wrong. There are six possible ways to assemble a SMLE safety, five of which are WRONG.

Check the stickies and you should be able to find how to correctly assemble it.
 
I know someone who shot a hole through the door of a truck while attempting to unload a #1 Mk III. He had opened the door and was standing beside the truck with the rifle pointing toward the inside of the door. When he disengaged the safety the rifle discharged. It was one of the commercially sporterized rifles commonly sold after WW2 that had belonged to his father. When they checked it over afterward, they found that sometimes when the safety was disengaged the firing pin would fall. Don't know if this is a failure that is known to occur, but seems to me that it must involve the trigger mechanism more than the safety.
 
bushwhacker said:
I know someone who shot a hole through the door of a truck while attempting to unload a #1 Mk III. He had opened the door and was standing beside the truck with the rifle pointing toward the inside of the door. When he disengaged the safety the rifle discharged. It was one of the commercially sporterized rifles commonly sold after WW2 that had belonged to his father. When they checked it over afterward, they found that sometimes when the safety was disengaged the firing pin would fall. Don't know if this is a failure that is known to occur, but seems to me that it must involve the trigger mechanism more than the safety.
Click to expand...

I believe this is a possible failure mode for the safety systems such as on mauser, enfield, Win Model 70, etc. where the safety actually should slightly pull the firing pin (striker) off of the trigger sear - when in "safe" the trigger sear does not hold the striker, the safety does. Then, if trigger is pulled when the safety is on, and is grunged up with crap, or has been "improved" with an angle grinder to the sear face angle or by attempt to remove 2 stage humps, the trigger sear is not capable of engaging the striker when the safety is released. The safety becomes the "sear". I check this with a "new-to me" unloaded rifle by cocking the action, engaging the safety, pull the trigger and release, then flip the safety off - the thing should not fire. Then, with safety off, #### the rifle and drop it butt first about 12 to 15" onto floor matt to give it a real good jolt - trigger should not release. Finally, especially on mauser, I visually check that I can see the striker move slightly rearward when the safety is engaged, and go forward when released back onto the trigger sear, then, also, visually confirm that striker moves slightly rearward as trigger is squeezed.
 
Garaldtao said:
Your safety is mis aligned! Had 2 no4 Mk1 that was sent to me with the exact same problem last month. The safety screws in and engages with a worm type gear. I noticed in your video that you did not and perhaps could not engage your safety fully. Remove safety and re install making sure it is able to move the full range. If it is a safety out of another rifle then you might be out of luck because, for example a Longbranch no 4's safety will not perfectly match up with an AG India made no 4 Enfield made in the same year even though 90% of the parts are interchangable.
Click to expand...

X 2 on this one. It's easily remedied if this is in fact the issue
 
wow, I appreciate all the reply's! The safety seems to moves free enough fore and aft and the small lip that holds the striker back appears fine, no gouges and all wear looks even. Ill check out the sticky's and see if its put together incorrect, again, thanks everyone!
 
Garaldtao said:
Your safety is mis aligned! Had 2 no4 Mk1 that was sent to me with the exact same problem last month. The safety screws in and engages with a worm type gear. I noticed in your video that you did not and perhaps could not engage your safety fully. Remove safety and re install making sure it is able to move the full range. If it is a safety out of another rifle then you might be out of luck because, for example a Longbranch no 4's safety will not perfectly match up with an AG India made no 4 Enfield made in the same year even though 90% of the parts are interchangable.
Click to expand...

What is an AG India made no 4 Enfield ?
 
j_06

I haven't shot any of my Enfield rifles in over eight years and I have checked on this post several times, so I just checked my safety operation. When you apply the safety it should move the cocking piece to the rear away from the sear and lock the bolt.

Questions

1. Does your safety even work and lock the cocking piece/firing pin and prevent it from firing?
2. Does your cocking piece move slightly to the rear when the safety is applied and lock the bolt handle?

I get the feeling the safe is sliding under the cocking piece, lifting it and the bolt and has nothing to do with the firing pin spring and bolt jump.

Read the link below and the photo in Thunderbox's posting.

safety catch problem on LE No1 MkIII
http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=14433
 
Turns out it was assembled wrong by one position on that little worm gear. It now has a lot more tension and a much more positive feeling going on/off. Being off by one spot allowed it to work but as pointed out it wasn't moving the full range and being my first enfield,the safety covering the forward detent made me think it was.PP, yes a chambered round does stop the bolt creep, good enough for me! Big Ed, yes it was working, but is much better now, the cocking piece also moves a C-hair,maybe two.
bigedp51 said:
j_06

I haven't shot any of my Enfield rifles in over eight years and I have checked on this post several times, so I just checked my safety operation. When you apply the safety it should move the cocking piece to the rear away from the sear and lock the bolt.

Questions

1. Does your safety even work and lock the cocking piece/firing pin and prevent it from firing?
2. Does your cocking piece move slightly to the rear when the safety is applied and lock the bolt handle?

I get the feeling the safe is sliding under the cocking piece, lifting it and the bolt and has nothing to do with the firing pin spring and bolt jump.

Read the link below and the photo in Thunderbox's posting.

safety catch problem on LE No1 MkIII
http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=14433
Click to expand...
 
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