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I have a Fulton Regulated No.1 Mk 3 and on cleaning I noticed that there is no spring pushing up on teh muzzle end of teh barrel from the nosecap. Was this :
a) a standard Fulton thing or b) was it done on a 'whatever makes this rifle most accurate" basis or c) is this evidence of post regulating monkeying around. Need to know before I put one back in whether I should bother.
If the barrel channel is packed with cork sheet or other filler, then this renders the spring stud superfluous. If the rifle appears to have normal No1 military bedding, then the spring stud ought to be there.
So here's the thing. I can't tell if the barrel channel is packed and know whether to add this to make it more accurate unless I take the thing apart and potentially wreck the bedding which is what makes it accurate. Irony I think this is called. Was the regulating process the same within reason for every rifle or was it done on a case by case with some degree of experiementation to see what made that particulalr rifle the most accurate?
The two Fultons I've had/have both do not have that plunger and spring. The 100% original rifle has bedding cork across that position, and the other rifle ditto but had many modifications over the years so may have not been the original set up in that area.
Both rifles were quite different in some significant areas too, so I can't offer an opinion as to whether they tuned an individual rifle or just offered a set menu. My gut feeling is that the Parker Hale No4's were produced to a formula, and that Fultons were too but that some may have been accurized to order, which raises the idea of individual tuning. The one here has the official stamps on the knox and reinforce from both companies, which I find very odd. The rifle was owned by the RNZN so perhaps there was some special treatment ordered for this as a prestigious clients shooting team.
Got pics to share?
(lol, its way time Skennerton or someone else did a comprehensive detailed book about enfields in competition, especially during the golden age.
and FYI, I see the Joe Salter Fulton's rifle has sold in recent months, too bad, it looked a beauty!)
"Fultons regulated" can mean that the rifle was just checked over or even just retailed by Fultons, and not seriously altered in any way. Hence it may be a completely standard rifle.
If it has a spring band over the front handguard, then it is likley to be either cork packed or fitted with spring studs under the top handguard. If the rifle looks normal, with no bowing of the front handguard, then it is probably not packed. In any case, it doesn't hurt to take apart a packed rifle, just so long as you go carefully and ensure the cork isn't being torn by adhesion to both barrel and handguard.
I've got a Maltby No4 stamped Fultons Regulated and it's had the works. New barrel, centre bedded, metal threads fastening the forend through to the wrist, interesting tapered and dovetailed hardwood patch to the front trigger guard inletting around the Kingscrew. Would have been a cracker if the forend wasn't warped to hell.
My favourite No 4 is a AGP setup No4Mk2, ball burnished barrel, centre bedded with packing to the rear from the top of the rear guard, it was the most accurate .303 I've had, and when the barrel was knackered, I rebarreled it to 7.62, and it shoots fantastic. Had it out at 700m not too long ago, and it shoots more 5's than 4's.
Some of the work done on these old things is absolutely horrific, and some it such an enduring favour to the people who use them... 50 years on and longer.