Why does every #4 I've handled....

i don't know if this is what you mean, but my stock is ever so slightly loose, so it jiggles a tiny bit from side to side..
i just need a really long flat head to get in there and tighten it
 
Wrong Way said:
rattle in the stock? I've had a bunch pass through my hands, and every one rattled....seems like the forestocks are too big?

Just curious.
Click to expand...

If you're talking forestock-they are supposed to have some movement when you grab the barrel and lift it- there's supposed to be a certain amount of downward pressure which is set by skillful bedding of the action back near the king screw area. You're supposed to lift the barrel up and it comes back down under a certain pounds of force right in the middle.
Also, some people have free floated them so it doesn't touch the forend at all.

If it's rattling loose, something isn't right.
 
As Cantom mentioned, the front of the barrel should rest on the wood and require about 3 to 6 pounds pressure to lift it off. So if you whip the rifle around, you will hear/feel the barrel move a bit. The key to a properly bedded #4 is that the barrel MUST return to its bottom position, and be centered.
One of the first things I do when I am looking to purchase an Enfield is to check that the barrel lifts, and when moved upwards and to one side or the other, returns to it's bottom centered position.
 
I know I have occasional problems with my buttstock, I'm afraid to overtighten and strip it, but I also don't like the idea of it being only semi attached when firing. I'll probably put a thick leather washer under the bolt to snug everything up a bit.
 
H Wally said:
I know I have occasional problems with my buttstock, I'm afraid to overtighten and strip it, but I also don't like the idea of it being only semi attached when firing. I'll probably put a thick leather washer under the bolt to snug everything up a bit.
Click to expand...

Oh no, not the thing to do. Go to Canadian Tire and buy the biggest, heaviest most massive slotted screwdriver they have. Mine is 17" long and the last three digits of the Mastercraft number are 09-2.
With that beast I can remove the tightest buttstock bolts with ease. If you have one you will use it over and over...that's why the stock number is partially rubbed off on mine...:)

Yours is loose? No good at all. Remove the stock with your new screwdriver. Use a small screwdriver or long pin punch to remove the stock bolt by tapping it out from the front. Then check to make sure you have the little spring washer in there-it's a special Enfield part. They often stay in when the bolt comes out and are not that easy to remove...you can use your handy screwdriver to tap it and if you hear that metallic noise then it's in there.

Get that stock bolt really tight. It's designed to be so. Not easy to strip it unless your bolt has buggered threads, and if it does get a different one.

stockbolt.jpg
 
Last edited:
Flopping forend?

stencollector said:
As Cantom mentioned, the front of the barrel should rest on the wood and require about 3 to 6 pounds pressure to lift it off. So if you whip the rifle around, you will hear/feel the barrel move a bit. The key to a properly bedded #4 is that the barrel MUST return to its bottom position, and be centered.
One of the first things I do when I am looking to purchase an Enfield is to check that the barrel lifts, and when moved upwards and to one side or the other, returns to it's bottom centered position.
Click to expand...

I bought some repro king screw bushings and found out that Numrich had them made up too long. They're like a 32'nd of an inch too long, very minor right? Not so minor- that tiny amount of difference makes a huge difference in bedding- by installing one of them, the forend was flopping around like a fish out of water- I was wondering what the hell was wrong. All of those parts were precisely made to balance and be in spec.
 
cantom said:
Oh no, not the thing to do. Go to Canadian Tire and buy the biggest, heaviest most massive slotted screwdriver they have. Mine is 17" long and the last three digits of the Mastercraft number are 09-2.
With that beast I can remove the tightest buttstock bolts with ease. If you have one you will use it over and over...that's why the stock number is partially rubbed off on mine...:)

Yours is loose? No good at all. Remove the stock with your new screwdriver. Use a small screwdriver or long pin punch to remove the stock bolt by tapping it out from the front. Then check to make sure you have the little spring washer in there-it's a special Enfield part. They often stay in when the bolt comes out and are not that easy to remove...you can use your handy screwdriver to tap it and if you hear that metallic noise then it's in there.

Get that stock bolt really tight. It's designed to be so. Not easy to strip it unless your bolt has buggered threads, and if it does get a different one.

stockbolt.jpg
Click to expand...


Although the initial complaint in this thread was about the forestock, one problem I have seen with the butt is that the screw you are talking about has been bent. Makes it a bugger to get off in the first place, and almost impossible to get tight on a new piece of wood.
 
Wrong Way said:
rattle in the stock? I've had a bunch pass through my hands, and every one rattled....seems like the forestocks are too big?

Just curious.
Click to expand...
As was mentioned, a properly bedded Enfield is bedded about halfway up the stock, with only slight pressure.
The rest of the barrel is flosting.
This type of bedding is called "center bedding" (go ffigger) and is the correct way to bed an Enfield #4.
this allows the rifle to lay on its pillow block but resonate wwhen fired.
Cat
 
cantom said:
I bought some repro king screw bushings and found out that Numrich had them made up too long. They're like a 32'nd of an inch too long, very minor right? Not so minor- that tiny amount of difference makes a huge difference in bedding- by installing one of them, the forend was flopping around like a fish out of water- I was wondering what the hell was wrong. All of those parts were precisely made to balance and be in spec.
Click to expand...

Ummm, un-fitted bushings are supposed to be "too long".

Bushings were fitted individually to each gun & stock.

Manufacture of the tools were part of the armourers "apprenticeship"...

Often today the stocks have dried out and slightly shrunk, this means that the bushings may have to be refitted. The quick fix is usually to remove it, but then you risk crushing or splitting the forend.

The "official" fix for loose butt stocks is/was a shim (possibly just paper or tape).

Check to see if the thrust & lock washers are installed....
 
Sported enfields often develop a loose forestock. In particular, if an attempt has been made to free float the barrel, you end up with a poorly unsupported cantilever. Over time, the bending moments caused by handling can cause play to develop at the action fixing points. (Convention one piece stock rifles dont suffer from this contraint...)
 
Interesting, I never heard that before.
How would one shorten a bushing? I've got two of them sitting here unusable. Probably need a milling machine or something...I thought all bushings were the same. It seems a lot of skilled hand fitting was done in setting up a new Enfield.


Lee Enfield said:
Ummm, un-fitted bushings are supposed to be "too long".

Bushings were fitted individually to each gun & stock.

Manufacture of the tools were part of the armourers "apprenticeship"...

Often today the stocks have dried out and slightly shrunk, this means that the bushings may have to be refitted. The quick fix is usually to remove it, but then you risk crushing or splitting the forend.

The "official" fix for loose butt stocks is/was a shim (possibly just paper or tape).

Check to see if the thrust & lock washers are installed....
Click to expand...
 
The tool you want is a file, NOT a milling machine.;)
As a matter of fact if you go to www.thedealershowroom.com
and click on British rifles, you will see the filing gage for the king screw bushing.
PLease don't ask me how to use it. I am sure someone else will have the answer.
 
Last edited:
Not too hard to envision how the gauge works - its a sleeve gauge, similar in principle to the depth indicator on a vernier. Insert into top of forestock with triggerguard in place, lock, and remove. Insert bushing in other end and file to flush. The guage would be designed to give a pre-determined, and repeatable, crush - something like 10 thou below the wood surface...
Cantom - all you need to do is slap the bushing in the chuck of a drill press and file to the right dimension - its important that the filed surface be square.
 
Last edited:
cosmic said:
Not too hard to envision how the gauge works - its a sleeve gauge, similar in principle to the depth indicator on a vernier. Insert into top of forestock with triggerguard in place, lock, and remove. Insert bushing in other end and file to flush. The guage would be designed to give a pre-determined, and repeatable, crush - something like 10 thou below the wood surface...
Cantom - all you need to do is slap the bushing in the chuck of a drill press and file to the right dimension - its important that the filed surface be square.
Click to expand...

That sounds good...I'm glad you didn't say hacksaw, I always end up with a moon shaped cut...:(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom