Building a match #4

Today I picked up the perfect candidate for building a match grade #4 Lee Enfield. It's a late war Savage with mis-matched bolt, mint bore, bolt head #0. It took two try's to find the right gun I hack-up on before I got lucky but, this one should do nicely. I have a manual printed in Canada. that nicely goes over the re-inforcement of the trigger guard and setting sear stop. I'm looking for any additional information anybody may have on what make's these guns shoot straight. I am considering glass bedding and free floating, but, would like to find out if there is a dark side to this approach. Any information appreciated-SDH:runaway:

Glassing and floating will work great, but would nto have been match legal back in the day. what are you intending to use it for? Legitimate military matches, or accurate fun shooting?

If you want to max out its potential and not enter real matches, then glass it, free float it, get a huber concepts trigger, stone the cocking piece and sear engagements and work out sights/scope arrangements.

If you want to do the same and match legal, you are limited to cork, wood shims, paper, etc. You manual should outline it. Using traditional methods, you'll want 3 to 5 lbs of upward pressure at the muzzle exerted by the forestock. Make sure hte stock inletting isn;t pushing the barrel transverselay at the muzzle too or you'll get fliers.

This one is just for fun, but, I want the basic lines to stay intact. The only outside change may be adding on a P/H sighting system. I'll be glassing it, adding a steel pad under the forward trigger guard. I'm thinking on putting in some hard stops on trigger travel and then blue print and polish the trigger as you've suggested. I'm considering sealing the wood on the inside once bedded to minimize movement. The front wood is in pretty good shape and appears to be stained birch and I have a new O.E.M. rear stock that should due just fine.

This could be fun, once done I'm taking a day off and bringing all the Lee Enfields out for a day at the range to see how they stack up. I think I'm coming down with the Lee Enfield bug, I can't seem to take my eyes off them at the gunshows. I've noticed in Pennsylvania there doesn't seem to be too many of them around, but, in New york state there are many at reasonable prices (for now). Many thanks-SDH

You might want to check this manual out, it has a whole section on competition bedding in it along with all other sorts of information:

http://canadianranger.sslpowered.com.../No4Mk1Arm.pdf

Thanks very much, I have the re-packaged version of this manual, I will be using it exclusively-SDH

The DND Manual looks great! I wish it had been available to me in the early 1990's when I undertook a similar project to this one in order to compete in our New Ontario Shooters' Association shooters version of Military Rifle matches at the Mt McKay 500 yard Range at the Lakehead/Thunder Bay.
In the spirit of the Match some modifications were allowed as to glass bedding and reinforcing the trigger guard of the No. 4 Mk I *.

At that time I had acquired two absolutely mint 1950 and 51 Korean War era Long Branch No. 4 Mk I's I selected one to glass bed and left the other completely stock. The latter I later shot at Connaught in 1998 at CFSAC and again in the 2001 version of the DCRA APM Historical Military Rifle Matches at Connaught Ranges. Ten shots on score at Fig 11 at 300 metres with issue sling.

This said, I would recommend as well the NRA Manual for glass bedding the No. 4 for target work while keeping the exterior totally stock appearing. Kinda like a stock Dodge from the 1960's with either a 440 Hemi or 383 under the hood as the improved bedding will help you shoot at least five shot inch and a half groups measured to the outside of the bullet holes at 100 yards. At least that is what I was able to achieve with my NRA manual glass bedded No. 4.

Essentially you need to achieve at least five shot 2" inch groups at 100 yards or 100 metres so that at 300 yards/300 metres the groups will stay on the Fig II Target centre as good as you can hold with iron sights. At 300 yards your optimum 2" groups shot with an ISSUE web sling from prone will now be 6" or better.

I would recommend using mismatched or "beater grade" rifles for glass bedding or modifications. The NRA Excellent No. 4 from 1990 costing $179.00 from Districorp at that time would now be worth about $600 or better..maybe more.

I would recommend having a side mount installed on your No 4 for a Central sight for testing handloads versus the PH sight which is heavy and costs as much as the rifle. The Central sight is also easier to acquire or use in my opinion. Then in the Historical Military Rifle you can just take it off. without any major alteration being present.

Hope your No 4 has a milled ladder sight verus the pressed metal one.

I bedded a couple of mine with the centre bedding method and a glass job on the action, as per the canadian article you're referring, and with good loads with 174 gn sierra matchkings I've been getting consistent 2" groups (of 5 shots) at 200 meters. Just follow the glass bedding and centre bedding instructions to the letter, and the only thing you'll have to tweak, or tune is the amount of upward pressure at the centre band. I found this to be very sensitive, and critical to good groups