My new to me Enfield No 2 Mk 1

[Baal]

Thanks Vintage Hunter. I was also just told that gap should be 0.060" to 0.066". So I'm way out of spec there.

Peter, or anyone else with the knowledge, is there a way to remedy this?

[Peter Laidler]

Firstly I'd get the striker protrusion at .050" or very close to it. I realise that .050" is the MAX setting but it is within the limit set in the bible (the EMER). You can do this by changing the striker. But as I happen to know that you don't have access to new parts you could try 'adjusting' the beating face - that's the surface of the hammer that prevents further forward movement. This is relatively soft material for reasons to do with the metallurgy and all that stuff.

In the last years of the old No2 revolver we had several (3?) different thicknesses of shield - or as we called it, the recoil plate. I have not seen this mentioned in any of the recent literature but I mention it in the small chapter of Mark Stamps excellent book. But I think that they only went standard, +004" and a +.007" size. I forget the recoil plate to cylinder gap but will look it up later

[Baal]

Thanks for the advice Peter. I'll look into adjusting the beater face.

Maybe a dumb question, but can the recoil plate or cylinder also be shimmed somehow?

[Peter Laidler]

Not the recoil plate. Thinking on my feet...... If yoiu shimmed the cylinder rearwards to close up the CHS you'd simply be opening up the gap between the cylinder and the barrel. Was/is your pistol a mix-and-match of differently numbered barrel, cylinder and body? They came as a matched set. The barrel and cylinder COULD be replaced but only at Base workshop where really skilled Armourers resided

[Baal]

Yeah this revolver is pieced together. The frame is 1930 (serial 2621). The barrel is dated '45 and the original serial number was removed and 2621 stamped in its place. The cylinder was originally 5323, but that's x'd out and 2621 stamped beside it. The new barrel and cylinder serial number stamps match so they were added to the frame at the same time.

The cylinder gap is 0.005" with the trigger pressed. But that opens up to 0.020" if I push the cylinder rearwards with thumb and forefinger.

[Baal]

What about a moon clip with a thickness about 0.020"? Would something like that work? Are there moon clips that work with 38 S&W?

[Peter Laidler]

Not the answer in my opinion Baal. I would replace the cylinder cam that prevents the cylinder moving backwards but I'm not sure it will cure it but it certainly might help as this is what allows fore and aft motion of the cylinder. I think that you ought to get the FPP up first. Others might suggest that you use those neoprene O rings but I'd baulk at the very idea - as I do when I see them mentioned regarding .303 reloads.

[Peter Laidler]

JUst looked up the EMER:

Gap betewen face of cylinder and face of barrel with cylinder forward Low .002". H .018" ( .;015" at Base workshop level)
CHS. Slip gauge .070" must NOT pass across face of firing pin hole in recoil plate and cylinder in all 6 positions
FPP L .040" H .050"
Bore .350" must run freely. .358" must not enter breech or muzzle

Loads of other stuff of course

[A square 10]

for what its worth the checkered grip scales are correct for your revolvers date , 1927-1933 , the rest you have been well informed on ,

[Peter Laidler]

As a matter of interest we only had a couple of options re the grip sides after 1954 according to the EMER and parts list. They were the full/high wood or full high plastic. The other variants were obsolescent. You'd still see them of course but as they needed replacing, out they went!