Enfield bolt defect?

[I0sens]

Hi guys,

this weekend I had a strange experience: All of the sudden the bolt of my Enfield No4 Mk1* would not close anymore. First I thought it was a damaged round, but it turns out it is the bolt.

What my investigation has shown is that when I push the bolt forward, it will only half-cock and not close completely.
If I pull the trigger while closing, it will close completely but still stay half cocked (of course), and cannot be fired (trigger will not move).

If I pull the hammer back to the position of full cock, the trigger can be pulled and the bolt can be fully released.

Somehow it looks as if the notch for the second (full) cock position is broken.
I have ordered a bolt tool, but before I take it apart I would like to see if somebody here has seen this.

Thanks !!!

 

[Jim K]

I am confused. There is no "notch" for the full cock position; it is the front of the cocking piece, and would be pretty hard to break. I have tried to duplicate those conditions and can't seem to do so.

Did you disassemble the rifle at any point or did the problem occur during a shooting session?

Jim

 

[.45&TKD]

It sounds weird to me too. Is the bolt head tightened down all the way?

 

[I0sens]

Hmm..

no I did not do or dismantle anything, I have shoot probably 500 shots with this rifle and it happened in the middle of a shooting session (about 40 shots into it).

I think I got the bolt tool today, I will look at it on the week-end in detail.

Jim, you are saying that there is no notch, but after you pulled the trigger you canmanually pull back the cocking piece and it will click two times.
With me rifle now it will only click once for the first half cock position.
If you pull it all the way back, there is no click and it will go back to half cock.

Thanks

 

[I0sens]

Hi

Jim, you were right, I inspected how the cocking piece really works and it broke of right at the full cock notch..,
Don't ask me how or why. Luckily it did not break during the assault in the Normandy....

Got my bolt tool and dismantled the bolt - 60 Years of dirt...

Part is on order with Numrich.

Thanks for your help !