Enfield Rifle No.1 Mk III light primer strikes

[Cherokee180]

Hi all,
I'm getting failure to fire due to light primer strikes.

The firing pin looks OK, maybe a little "blunt".

Does anyone know the following dimension (bear with me, a 1911 guy):
after removing the bolt assembly, it is possible to rotate the back of the striker, which allows the striker to go forward, exposing the firing pin a bit. How far should the pin extend past the bolt head?

Also, the firing pin strikes are a bit off center.

Thanks.

PS The headspace was checked by the gunshop before I bought it.

 

[Jim K]

I don't have a spec, but a protrusion of .05-.06" should do fine. The firing pin tip should be rounded.

Do the rounds fire if you recock with the cocking piece (opening the bolt is not advisable with a misfire)? Also, what ammo are you using? Some of the surplus .303 on the market is old or has been badly stored and has given misfires.

Jim

 

[rbernie]

Some of the surplus .303 on the market is old or has been badly stored and has given misfires.

You're being gracious. Anyone shooting POF headstamp 303 surplus, for example, should be glad that it goes BOOM at all....

 

[Cherokee180]

"Good Ammo"

Hi Jim,
Thanks for the reply. I'm using Federal, UMC, and Hansen ammo. If I recock it, it won't fire the second time either.
The indentation from the firing pin is much less than on my .45 and .38 fired cases.
Perhaps a new firing pin or firing pin spring? (or both).
Thanks.

 

[rbernie]

The springs can sack out, but the pin's pretty hard and not likely to have worn. The firing pin *could* be mismatched to the bolt length (headspace is corrected on these rifles via different length bolts), but I've never actually seen that kind of issue in my limited experiences.

You can check for firing pin protrusion and all that kind of stuff, but if this were me I'd start with one of these, and see what happens.

 

[Jim K]

One thing to check on the SMLE is that the firing pin is screwed in to cocking piece to the right point. Look at the back of the bolt and you will see a screw and the end of the firing pin. If the end of the firing pin is even with the end of the cocking piece, you are OK. If it is not, and is protruding, you will have to adjust the firing pin.

If that end is OK, and the firing pin protrusion is too short, you need a new firing pin (try www.gunpartscorp.com). You could also have a headspace problem, but if the rounds that do fire show no signs of excess headspace, like a bright ring around the brass case, that is probably not the problem.

If the firing pin and its protrusion check out OK, get a new firing pin spring. If you need to adjust or replace the firing pin and/or spring, you will need a special bolt tool, which Gun Parts Corp. also sells.

Jim

 

[Cherokee180]

Thanks guys...I'm going to get a new firing pin and spring, and the bolt tool. I'll report back--hopefully it will be fixed but I'll definitely learn something.