Enfield realiability problems

Good Day All!

I'm loving the early No4Mk2 that I got recently, I do have two problems however.

First, the rifle came with two magazines, one serialed (though not to my rifle) and one with no markings whatsoever (but certainly not of "new" manufacture). The serialed one is of No1 stock, with the ribs going all the way to the base of the magazine. It fits very snugly but is quite solid upon locking. The unmarked one is of No4 stock with the ribs not getting all the way to the base, and it is an act of God to get it to even look like it's seated properly. Both are worn but serviceable.

I have had reliability problems with the magazines feeding, with the bolt not picking up the next round. It seemed intermittent but I wasn't paying that close of attention at the time (idiot!).

I have read that No1 and No4 magazines are not interchangable. There is always that fine line between them "not" being so and "making" them so. I also know that each magazine (though not all, apparently) were serialed to that particular gun because each fed differently. I have also read that some people tune their own magazine feed lips to get them reliable. What would y'all advise on this?

Second, my ejection was, at best, anemic. This strikes me as highly unusual. Any sage words of wisdom other than "go buy a new extractor spring"?

When I bought both my Rifles (No4 Mk1 and No5) neither came with a magazine, so I had to buy one for each. I had to play around with the angle of the ears to get them to feed correctly. Be careful though, because too much bending and they can snap off. Once fitted and working you don't need to ever remove the mag (apart from for cleaning) as you load from the top.

The extraction problem might be due to the extractor screw on the side of the bolt channel being worn down

The screw on the body side is the EJECTOR screw and this really is the last resort of ejecting the spent case. It should be ejected long before it strikes the ejector due to the fact that the case is forced against the shallowing tapered depth of the left inside wall of the body. It is held against this face by the extractor claw - under tension from the extractor spring. So there really are no other words of advice except.............. go and buy a new extractor spring!

scoobsean,

Yeah, it's not an AR-15, where mags work like that, I'll never take it out as long as I live once I have it reliable!

Thanks for the tip on the extractor screw. Do you mean that the screw would be worn from the inside, or that it would be visible from the outside (i.e that the screw head would have sheared off)?

---------- Post added at 04:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:43 PM ----------

Peter,

Thanks, God knows that's an easy enough fix!

I did mean work down from the inside, but Peter has probably laid my theory to rest!
I once found a website which suggested feed lip angles to try for the magazine. Do a google search and you will probably find this info easily too

What I think I'm going to do is order a new extractor, new ejector screw, and new extractor spring all at once so I'm not having to trial-and-error it for weeks on end.

Thank you both very much!

I've had similar problems. Bought one No.4 which had a No.1 mag. Another had a DP'd mag. Others wouldn't feed, some would jam, and one would not extract. Here's what I found:
-1) Use the right mag for the right gun. While you can get the No.1 mag into the No.4, use the right one for the right gun. Little things like fit and feed make a big difference.
-2) Be sure the mag you buy is "fresh" (New Old Stock). I bought on that was dated '56 and had never been used. The follower spring was brand new.
-3) Be sure the follower travels easily in the mag. One I had was too tight because the follower bound on the sides along the grooves. I took out the follower, then, using a Dremel tool, ground a shallow curve in the area of the mag groove, filing any hard edges, and then using a little grease to make sure there was no binding between the follower and the mag -- it had to slide easily.
-4) The feed lips are very delicate both front and rear. For me this was trial and error. If the forward feed lips aren't properly adjusted, you will experience failures to feed, and failures to strip. This can show up in a variety of ways: Last Round won't feed, Every Other Round won't feed, or something every round jams. The forward feed lips just barely hold the front of the cartridge in place. The rear feed lips must be set so that their is enough of the cartridge rim to be picked up by the bolt. This problem can be made worse if the mag isn't seated firmly and completely in the mag well. Additionally, the rear feed lips have to have the right "tilt" so that the round angles properly into the chamber when the bolt contacts the cartridge rim. And be aware that each of the rear lips must be carefully adjusted independently.
-5) None of this adjusting will prevent "rimlock" -- when the rim of the top round is behind the rim of the next lower cartridge.
-6) Lastly, in my experience, chambering a cartridge must be a quick, snappy movement. A slow movement of the bolt can result in cocking the cartridge, with the bullet jamming before it enters the chamber.

The extraction problem I had on one Enfield was caused by a worn extractor claw that intermittently grabbed the cartridge rim. It needed replacing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fullm3taljacket

What I think I'm going to do is order a new extractor, new ejector screw, and new extractor spring all at once so I'm not having to trial-and-error it for weeks on end.

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Take Peter's advice and ignore the ejector screw. I have seen rifles eject fired cartridges without one!

Just get a new extractor spring first. While you have to old spring out, check for "slop" on the extractor claw. That may mean you have a worn extractor claw screw.

However this problem is nearly always fixed by a new spring.

Before you buy anything, take all the existing parts out of the bolt and thoroughly clean them. The problem may be as simple as grease build up under the spring/extractor.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by fullm3taljacket

Good Day All!

I'm loving the early No4Mk2 that I got recently, I do have two problems however.

First, the rifle came with two magazines, one serialed (though not to my rifle) and one with no markings whatsoever (but certainly not of "new" manufacture). The serialed one is of No1 stock, with the ribs going all the way to the base of the magazine....

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Would a No1 mag have ever been numbered to match a No4? Not that I've ever heard of;some 3rd world country perhaps?

Ergo someone has been messing about with your rifle. Is the bolt marking electro-pencilled like the receiver side markings, or stamped?

I ask because if someone went to the trouble of faking the markings on the mag, they may have done the bolt as well, and bolts are not swap-in, swap-out parts.

My money's on a nos extractor spring and possibly a little tweaking of the feed lips on the magazine.

buy a couple of magazines, find the best three that work reliably. keep them and return the rest.

I relaise the magazine is not replaced like.... say... an AK47. put its poinless even in an enfield to have a magazine that does niether fit nor work. I think each soldier was issued one magazine in his rifle and two spares.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mike16

I think each soldier was issued one magazine in his rifle and two spares.

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Nope. Just the one fitted to the rifle.

The Lee-Enfields are not designed for magazine changing as a loading method.