Evaluating a No5 shooter, advice?

I am doing a pre-shooting evaluation of a No5 shooter and looking for advice, please? I have fired it a bit years ago but want to redo it right. The plan is confirm the rifle is ready for shooting. Then shoot 20 rounds of Rem UMC to check function get the right sight info for sighting in. Then use the fire formed brass to setup tooling and start hand loading some IVI brass.

The barrel is not free floated with a pressure point at the front of the forearm wood's channel. I understand this is improper spec. The nose cap does not touch. It would if the wood directly behind were relieved.

The action is complete except for the tube spacer between the action screw and nose of the bottom metal and the receiver bottom. The little lock washer is in place on the action screw.

Is this part the same on a No4? Can the rifle be safely shot without it?

The action internals are like new with minor witnessing. The bolt lugs have even and equal witnessing. The bolt and action match.

The inletting is very crisp and shiny in all the right places and is wiggle free. The draws are well defined and have a pressure face shine that is not battered or disturbed.

Overall the condition and precision of this rifle speaks volumes about the BSA factory in 1945, outstanding.

The sn. is BD4XXX and the socket is stamped 1945. I thought it was June 1945 but have no idea were I got that. Close examination shows no markings to indicate that.

Don't shoot the rifle without the spacer. Yes it is the similar as the No4. They are a fitted part. A d E has the correct instruction on how to do it.

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Originally Posted by Bindi2

Don't shoot the rifle without the spacer. Yes it is the similar as the No4. They are a fitted part. A d E has the correct instruction on how to do it.

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I'm not familiar with A d E acronym. Where would I find a link or contact info?

Alan de Enfield... https://www.milsurps.com/member.php?u=1937

Thanks, I've read and bookmarked many of his posts.

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Originally Posted by Canuck Bob

I'm not familiar with A d E acronym. Where would I find a link or contact info?

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It is actually instructions from Peter Laidler who did a series of 'Training Presentations' back in 2008 on the old Jouster forum.

For your delectation, here is an extract on fitting the collar again :


Now it’s time to fit the trigger guard and Screw, rear, tie, fore-end if you have a Mk1/2 or 1/3. There’s a good chance that the rear of the trigger guard will foul due to the height of the new wood. If that’s the case, then simply scrape away the wood inside its seating to allow it to seat correctly all the way to the front. The trigger guard should not spring at the rear or front….., NO it shouldn’t! If it was meant to, it’d be made of spring steel! Now for a little tip. The COLLAR. You MUST have a collar and spring washer. This is what WE used to do. Put the front trigger guard screw into the trigger guard and body WITHOUT the washer or collar. Reverse it (that’s anti-clockwise …..) until you hear it click over the start thread and tighten it BUT COUNT THE TURNS UNTIL IT TIGHTENS AND LOCKS. Say, that it’s 7 ¼ turns to lock. Now do this with the collar fitted if it’s now, say 6 ½ turns, shorten the collar, a smidgin at a time, until the screw tightens up at exactly 7 ¼ turns. That way, you KNOW that the screw is tight, the fore-end is tight between the trigger guard and the screw and you are not crushing the living daylights out of the fore-end. And if it feels a little loose in a years time, then you can safely turn a few thou off the collar.
Now there’s a slight relaxation to this rule. If, after a days shooting, a gap between the rear of the fore-end and face of the butt socket opens up, up to .010”, then this is acceptable providing that there’s no noticeable play fore and aft (there won’t be if you’ve adjusted the collar correctly …) and the correct bearings at the reinforce, draws, magazine well sides and muzzle are intact.