1912 SMLE Enfield Retoration Project Wrap-up

I am in the final stages of bring a sporterized version of this rifle back to its full military condition. It had a FTR, maybe done by BSA, so I'm trying to keep this refurb true to that FTR.
Questions
Would this nosecap have a small or large diameter head cross-screw?
I think that I have the draws nice and tight on the replacement forend and I have barrel to wood contact only an inch on either side of the inner band area, under the barrel reinforce and the lower surface of the receiver.. I'm a little unsure of the bedding of the barrel from from the inner band to the muzzle. Apparently the barrel must not touch the inner surfaces of the nosecap but how is this possible when the sprung plunger is pushing it upward?

Welcome to Milsurps may I suggest you use the search function and look at the threads there on bearing surfaces for the MKIII Mr Peter Laidler has kindly donated his hard earned wisdom and experience for us tinkerer's to learn from his articles are worth their weight in gold as sometimes the books can be a bit ambiguous and may be interpreted incorrectly.
But nothing beats hands on experience of doing them......as Peter has done lots and lots of them over the years.....!

Thanks Cinders. I will give the search function a shot. I used Peter's detail instructions for the stocking up process but this last part is a bit cloudy for me. I have to say that the stocking up process took me a long time to complete but I'm sure that practice makes perfect.

Regarding the nosecap cross screw, The larger head cross screw turned up in WW1 possibly in conjunction with the 'Flanders Flap' which it holds into place quite nicely. From then on it seems all new production was to be with the larger cross screw as the larger cross screw is less prone to being stripped , however in accordance with British practice, older stock was to be used up rather than being discarded. So, If the FTR was shortly after WW1 then it may have had the smaller cross screw, however if the FTR was in the 40's or 50's then the cross screw would most likely be the larger size.

Thanks for the info Roy. I have a cross screw that's in really good shape so I willuse it. From all I've researched and seen in person I know that there is no set in stone configuration and, as you alluded to, they used up whatever they had in stock before using the new stuff.

No worries, the small cross screw is much smarter.

You have restored to MkIII specs with cutoff but without volley sights? Photos when you are done!

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Originally Posted by Roy

No worries, the small cross screw is much smarter.

You have restored to MkIII specs with cutoff but without volley sights? Photos when you are done!

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It won't have a cutoff or volley sights. My goal with this project is to have the rifle in the condition it would likely have been in when it was issued after its 1953 FTR. I think it got a new BSA barrel at that time so I'm guessing that BSA did the FTR.
I have been taking lots of photos and just did the metal bluing today. Ihope to get it to the range next week and will post pictures of it then.

The large dia screws heads were called 'coin-slot screws' by the old Armourers as they were made to be unscrewed with a coin and not the usual screwdriver. NOT popular among Armourers because guess what....... Give the normal crunchie a screw that ain't staked down or closed and guess what? And guess what happens next? And guess what happens next....? Yep right each time. First he unscrews it with a coin, next he loses the screw in the mud, sand or grass and next he hands the rifle in, incomplete and doesn't tell the arms storeman.......

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

The large dia screws heads were called 'coin-slot screws' by the old Armourers as they were made to be unscrewed with a coin and not the usual screwdriver. NOT popular among Armourers because guess what....... Give the normal crunchie a screw that ain't staked down or closed and guess what? And guess what happens next? And guess what happens next....? Yep right each time. First he unscrews it with a coin, next he loses the screw in the mud, sand or grass and next he hands the rifle in, incomplete and doesn't tell the arms storeman.......

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Thanks for the info Peter. Thanks also for all of the info on the stocking up process and all of the other armourer's related info. I have a whole new level of respect for the person who did this in the factory and for the armourer's in the field. I regularly do detailed woodwork as a luthier but this process seemed to take me forever. Anyway, I think that all of the boxes are checked off and I have a fit that requires the forend to be lightly tapped off the receiver at the wrist end. The metalwork was blued yesterday and is soaking in oil awaiting assembly. The rifle is going to,the range next week so a few rounds up the spout will be the proof in the pudding. I have been documenting this transformation with lots of photos that I will post after its test firing.

A coin slot screw would be useful for taking a Flanders flap off in the field. Perhaps the problem was its name. Maybe it should have been called Screw, Nosecap, Extra Duties?

Attachment 95690Hi Gang,
I finally got some photos sorted out so here are some stocking up photos. I was able to score a reproduction walnut forend and a set of hand guards for this project. I will reuse the original beech stock (it will be stained to match the rest of the furniture). I have included an advert from a 1958 Eaton's catalogue where I think this rifle may have come from. I got the rifle given to me for FREE so I was okay with putting some $$ into this project. The third coat of BLO is drying now and the rifle will be assembled Thursday. Comments and suggestions are always suggested. Attachment 95680Attachment 95679Attachment 95678Attachment 95677Attachment 95676Attachment 95681Attachment 95682Attachment 95683Attachment 95684Attachment 95685Attachment 95686Attachment 95687Attachment 95688Attachment 95689

Was that a stock set from Ralph in Yukon? Looks nice...

The recoil draws look like they'll need some work for proper fit on the recoil lugs. that would be one of the things to watch for.

Looking good with that repro stock. Can't wait to see the final go...

The stock came from Stuart at Enfield restorations in Saskatchewan. There was a generous amount of wood on the draws to work with - the more, the merrier.

Well, it's done. It came together pretty well and I'm happy with it. I won't post targets until I get it zeroed. I only had a few rounds through it today as a shake down. Nothing fell apart
Anyway, here it is and one of the pics has my military Cooey 82 trainer with it. The similarities are obvious and the Cooey was an excellent and accurate inexpensive training rifle.
Attachment 95704Attachment 95705Attachment 95706Attachment 95707Attachment 95708Attachment 95709Attachment 95710Attachment 95711

I had the Mk. III to the range today and and its needs some foresight adjusting but I sure can't complain about the grouping. 6 rds in 1.5" @ 100 yds. Load data - Hornady 174 FMJ/BT on top of 38.6 gr of Hygrade 100. Attachment 95722

That's a lovely old lathe that you've got HHunter. What make and year is it? Clearly not a Korean or Chinese import!

Thread 11, photo 2nd from last, bottom row. Those 'ears' on the upper and lower handguard. As apprentices, we had to repair/replace those and wood pin using that hot animal glue. It's probably been banned now under some obscure EU legislation...., anyway. Nobody ever knew exactly why we had to patch repair these things as by the early 60's the No1 rifle was already well obsolete and except for the odd ones used as EY's and assault course DP's plus those still with the public school Cadets, you'd never see one. The irony of it was that even if you did, the EMER instruction was to remove the broken one AND the good one and make good. And if you did one, then you'd do all four for good measure!.

No nobody really understood all the torture.

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

That's a lovely old lathe that you've got HHunter. What make and year is it? Clearly not a Korean or Chinese import!

Thread 11, photo 2nd from last, bottom row. Those 'ears' on the upper and lower handguard. As apprentices, we had to repair/replace those and wood pin using that hot animal glue. It's probably been banned now under some obscure EU legislation...., anyway. Nobody ever knew exactly why we had to patch repair these things as by the early 60's the No1 rifle was already well obsolete and except for the odd ones used as EY's and assault course DP's plus those still with the public school Cadets, you'd never see one. The irony of it was that even if you did, the EMER instruction was to remove the broken one AND the good one and make good. And if you did one, then you'd do all four for good measure!.
No nobody really understood all the torture.

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The lathe is an earlier restoration project I took on last winter. It's a 1922 South Bend Model 25Y. It has a 9" swing and uses changes gears rather than a quick change gearbox to adjust feed rates and for thread cutting. It has minimal wear and works like a charm.
Hand guard ears - it's easy to see how these little fingers could get damaged or snapped right off. When stocking up this rifle I made sure that the front ears weren't touching the rear sight mount and the ends of the front ears did not touch the rear ears. It was also tricky to get clearance for the rear guard clips to clear the stock. BTW - animal glue is still used these days, especially in instrument construction and restoration.

South Bend lathes. When I was an apprentice in the early 60's most of our lathes were well used but immaculately maintained lend-lease South Bend lathes.