I have an Enfield No. 4 Mk. 1 that my grandfather gave me. He said it hadn't been fired in about thirty years, so after a passing inspection by the local gunsmith, I took it to the range and found a weak main spring. 2 out of 20 shots (Remington ammo) required a second strike to fire. I ordered another spring and replaced it, but now it won't feed properly. The rim of the rounds catch on the firing pin and are pushed at an angle into the chamber. Has anyone ever heard of this, and is there an easy fix? Thanks in advance.
Enfield problem
- Thread starter donster
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rcmodel
Member in memoriam
You screwed up the firing pin protrusion adjustment when you had it apart.
The firing pin must not be sticking out of the bolt face like that, or it could fire a round out of battery and shoot your eye out!
See this about that:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=1300408&postcount=2
rc
The firing pin must not be sticking out of the bolt face like that, or it could fire a round out of battery and shoot your eye out!
See this about that:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=1300408&postcount=2
rc
I tried turning the bolt head last night, but the pin still sticks out. I'm not a gunsmith, so I don't have the special gauge to check the length. I also noticed that the new spring is longer than the old, but I figured that was because it was stored cocked when I got it. Is it possible I rot a #1 main spring instead of a #4?
Also, before I changed springs, the rounds would not come out of the mag at all. I made no modifications to the mag, just the main spring, and now it picks up the rounds easily.
rcmodel, you said I screwed up the adjustment, but the post says I need to replace or permanently modify my firing pin to fix it. If it's so easy to screw up, shouldn't there be an easier way to fix it?
Also, before I changed springs, the rounds would not come out of the mag at all. I made no modifications to the mag, just the main spring, and now it picks up the rounds easily.
rcmodel, you said I screwed up the adjustment, but the post says I need to replace or permanently modify my firing pin to fix it. If it's so easy to screw up, shouldn't there be an easier way to fix it?
It is my belief that you did not thread the firing pin sufficiently into the cocking piece.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/no4/boltdisassembly/index.asp
As for the old spring being shorter than the new, well springs take a set after being under compression.
I do not believe there is anything wrong with your bolt head.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/no4/boltdisassembly/index.asp
As for the old spring being shorter than the new, well springs take a set after being under compression.
I do not believe there is anything wrong with your bolt head.
Winger Ed.
Member
Glad ya got it fixed.
On some old guns like yours, the original spring will still work if the bolt is taken apart and cleaned.
Old grease or oil gets harder/thicker over time, and can 'slow down' the firing pin enough for it to miss fire like yours did-
especially if the weather is cold.
I've bought used rifles that worked OK.
But after flushing out the bolt, you could tell the firing pin traveled faster, and hit harder.
On some old guns like yours, the original spring will still work if the bolt is taken apart and cleaned.
Old grease or oil gets harder/thicker over time, and can 'slow down' the firing pin enough for it to miss fire like yours did-
especially if the weather is cold.
I've bought used rifles that worked OK.
But after flushing out the bolt, you could tell the firing pin traveled faster, and hit harder.
Al LaVodka
member
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Gosh man, that was an accident waiting to happpen. Whew!
Al
Al
Winger Ed, I made sure to clean it out before I went to the range the first time. The new spring was actually about a quarter of an inch shorter than the old spring, and I would guess it had been stored cocked for at least 15 years. I think everything will work now. My next step is to find a store with some ammo for it.
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