Lee Enfield No.4 Mk2. rifle front sight windage adjustment?

[Peter Laidler]

Good morning RD Skidmore. I'll not beat about the bush............. I have been an Armourer since I started my apprenticeship in January 1963. When I say 'Armourer' I don't mean an enthusiastic amateur or one who has tinkered with a few No4's and the like, but I mean a REAL Armourer who's been there,and done that - you know the spiel......... I am also a graduate engineer so from that, you can take it that when I tell you something about a No4 rifle, having spent my formative years, on the bench, fixing literally - and I mean it - hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands of them, day in and day out AND range testing, accuracy testing and zeroing huge piles of them, you and the rest of this forum can take it that when I tell you about sights and zeroing, then it's the real McCoy.

Now come closer and listen as I don't want everyone to hear........... The issue tool to adjust the foresight, regardless of whether it has got a reverse headed keeper screw or not, is a complete waste of rations. Say that after me slowly..... 'A COMPLETE WASTE OF RATIONS' Good.

It was taught during your apprenticeship, together with the variations per turn by rote. But once you got out into the real world, it was left back in the workshop cupboard along with the other theoretical crap, while you learned from the more experienced Armourers, who had served from Monte Cassino to Korea how things were REALLY done.

There IS a place for the forked/reverse headed screwdriver and foresight cramp. You could give it to someone you don't like as a fishing weight or you could slip it into your range bag so that you will look like a bit of a wally (you know the saying, all the gear and no idea) if anyone peeks in.

Real Armourers as opposed to the all the gear and no idea queens just know that on a No4 rifle it's 'FORESIGHT INTO THE ERROR' So if your shots are sneaking over to the left at, say 100 yards, just a slight tweak of the foresight blade to the left with a brass drift and small hammer through the foresight protector will do the job. Oh yes, I almost forgot. A real Armourer will just KNOW from years and years of experience exactly hyow much to move the foresight over too.

There, that wasn't toooooo difficult was it. Now just a little decorum from now on and you'll be welcome. But, it's not wise to tell the most senior Armourer in the Army that what he's written about sights and zeroing and what you've read is drivel.

Thunderbox and that Peter Laidler bloke, you can both now rest assured that you're dead right

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[Buccaneer]

Good morning RD Skidmore. I'll not beat about the bush.............

Now now Peter put your claws away I'm sure he meant well, next time he will probably think a little more carefully about how he phrases what he wants to say. When he realises just how great the depth of knowledge and first hand experience of Enfield Rifles is on this forum he will hopefully understand that what the book says and what is actually done is not always the same thing.........

[Beerhunter]

Thanks Peter. I use a drift on all of my rifles and have done ever since I learned how to do so in the CCF at school.

Until yesterday, I didn't realise quite how naughty I had been but now, in your company, it doesn't seem quite so bad after all.

[don311]

Hi Peter
you may remember my question about the No5 front sight adjusting tool fitting the No 4 Mk 2, and your answer was no it won't try using drift and hammer, well before I got a chance to use drift and hammer a friend loaned me a No 4 adjusting tool and guess what you just as you stated with your wonderful knowledge it was about as much use as trying to move it with a ripe banana, after returning the tool to my friend I used a small hammer and brass drift, two little taps later I was bang on target. I bow to knowledge of all things Enfield.