No.1 Mk3 accuracy question

As discussed in other threads I recently got a 1914 No.1 Mk3 with a Vickers barrel (Fulton regulated stamped) on which the Charger bridge was un attached on the left side of the receiver. In fact it sits about half a mm away from the left side of the receiver.
Q1: Does this mean that the boltway of the receiver was being held apart by the charger brdige, or was the charger bridge bent in and held taught by being attached to the receiver?
Q2: By losing some stiffness of the receiver will this have a negative effect on the accuracy of the rifle?
Q3: Should I ( and if so, how should I) go about reattaching the charger bridge?

The charger bridge is not an integral part of the structure on No1 rifles - the bridge is just riveted on, and this method of attachment dates from the original conversion of Long Lee and No1 Mk1 receivers. The detached bridge should have no effect on accuracy.

True, the charger guide is just riveted on, but it is riveted on VERY tightly on any rifle I have seen.

There will be no problem with safety, as the original Proof process was quite exacting and gave a good bit of wiggle room there. But I DO wonder about accuracy. It certainly can't help any, having a normally-solid part standing proud of where it normally sits. The charger guide not being fitted properly must have SOME effect upon the twist of the Body under pressure, and I rather doubt that it would be beneficial insofar as accuracy is concerned.

Time for a Project, methinks. I just happen to have an SMLE here which has had the charger guide removed completely during the course of being chopped up by Bubba. It has a decent bore. I also have a charger guide, a $1 gun-show purchase. I think when our world thaws out just could be the time for some serious experimenting along this line. (Right now, we have a foot of snow and it is ZERO Fahrenheit.... and our winter is just beginning.)

If it were my rifle, friend, I would discover what the problem might be and re-attach the charger guide as per factory specs. How does it shoot?
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I would be VERY interested in finding out which component was bent out of shape! If the receiver body has been bent or distorted enough to break the rivets loose, I would have serious doubts as to it's structural integrity. FPI or MPI would be in order. I can't think of why the charger bridge would come adrift on it's own, unless Bubba has had a go at it.

Not so much a bubba as an unbubba. It was purchased from AFAC on gunbroker. However, I suspect that this issue is the handiwork of UPS or the fact it was stacked in a thin box in a gunstore for 6 months before I got to it.

Isn't AFAC less than reputable, as discussed here some time back? Not that I've had dealings, it's just that the name seems familiar.

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Isn't AFAC less than reputable, as discussed here some time back?

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That is correct...on both counts.

Yes - I found out the hard way though. However as I said I think this is more likely to be the handiwork of the shipping company, but of course I cannot be sure.

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Originally Posted by jmoore

I would be VERY interested in finding out which component was bent out of shape! If the receiver body has been bent or distorted enough to break the rivets loose, I would have serious doubts as to it's structural integrity. FPI or MPI would be in order. I can't think of why the charger bridge would come adrift on it's own, unless Bubba has had a go at it.

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Not to go off-topic here, but just what would cause them to be loose? Was it common during it's service life for them to come lose or was it only the result of damage/distortion? I recall seeing one with some slight movement and thought it was unusual.

We were only allowed what we call 'oil squeeze' on the bridge charger guides of both the No1 and No4 rifles. I never saw a loose one on an Army No1 rifle although I admit to only having seen a hundred+ or so, and then, they were what we called at the time 'MOB stores' or mobilisation/reserve stocks EY rifles. Also saw Cadet SMLE's but still never a loose bridge charger guide. Saw a few on No4's and 5's but there was a repair operation for those