problem with ejection for n0 1mk 3 and no4 mk 1

[boltcarrier]

i have the same problem with both the no 1 mk 3 and no4 mk1 in that both locked and closed ok but when i tried to eject the bolt handle moved half way up and everything is stuck.

can't move up any more and failed to open and eject.

please advise

Information

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[Bindi2]

Can you cock the rifle by pulling the cocking piece then open the bolt. Is the safety fully forward.

[Roger Payne]

Agree with Bindi. Make sure safety is fully off (forward), & that the bolt handle is fully closed (down), & THEN try pulling the cocking piece backwards to full cock......

(making sure you're pointing it somewhere safe if there's an unfired round in the chamber!).

[boltcarrier]

Safety is off, ie full firing position. after pulling on the trigger on the dummy round, i lift up the bolt handle to eject, but it goes half way, and stuck.

i had to use my palm to hammer it upwards so i can pull it backwards to eject.

[Alan de Enfield]

If it happening on both a SMLE and a No4, the same problem on two different rifles then I would suggest that it is 'user error'

Are you sure your dummy rounds are 303 ?

As suggested above - have you tried manually re-cocking by pulling the cocking piece backwards ?

[30Three]

What was the last thing done to the rifle prior to it failing in this way?

[boltcarrier]

What was the last thing done to the rifle prior to it failing in this way?

i bought these rifles a few months ago and never fired them, i figured that i should check out all the mechanics before using live rounds,

---------- Post added at 05:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:33 AM ----------

If exactly the same thing happens with both rifles & you have tried the above & it has not worked, then as has been mentioned, perhaps you have a problem with your dummy rounds? If the rims are thick you may well have a problem opening the bolt. If you have any spent cases that fired, extracted & ejected satisfactorily through the rifles, try those, if you've not already.

so as suggested by some that i should use a mallet to hammer the bolt upwards, and that works but i sure would like solve the problem instead of having to do this every time.

[Alan de Enfield]

Ibought these rifles a few months ago and never fired them, i figured that i should check out all the mechanics before using live rounds,

Have you done ANYTHING to these two rifles since you bought them, have you removed anything. cleaned anything, stripped it down ?

It looks as if it is the bolt head sticking, did you remove the bolt head, extractor screw, extractor ?
Have you removed and dissasembled the safety or trigger group ?
Everything is interconnected and a slight mismatch in one area can have a big effect in another.

I'm still thinking it could be your rounds - it is so unlikely that two separate rifles of different types should exhibit the same problem at the same time.
Are you sure those are 303 dummies ?
Do you have any live 303 rounds that you can pull the bullet and tip out the powder and try ?

[butlersrangers]

You have an "extraction" problem, not an "ejection" problem. (They are separate functions).

The most likely culprit is the brass cartridge case that you are testing (function) with.

It is likely that it was fired in a rifle with a sloppier chamber than the two rifles you are trying it in.

Being over-size, the case is likely seizing-up in the tighter rifle chambers.

IMHO - It is a 'stuck' case that is causing the difficulty in opening the bolt.

Clean both of your rifle chambers and try using a properly sized cartridge case.

(BTW - Your No.4 rifle's "Receiver-Ring" has been 'drilled & tapped' for a scope-mount. You should make sure there are no burrs or roughness on the inside of the Receiver that are dragging on the bolt-head).

[butlersrangers]

p.s. - You should not need to use a "mallet" to open your Lee-Enfield rifles!

The simple answer is that the cartridge-case you are using is 'overly expanded' for your rifle chambers.

This would be a problem in any make of rifle.