Help - stuck bolt on a No 1 Mk3

Hello - I am new to Lee-Enfields and have just received my first one - a 1918 No1 Mk3 FTR in 51.

Due to length shipping restrictions, the seller removed the butt and after picking up the rifle and taking it home, I just screwed it back on. Was this all i had to do. Looking at the book "The 2012 Complete Book on Lee Enfield Accurizing", it seems that I should have taken off the front stock before re-installing the butt?

Also,this may be un-related but the bolt did seem rather hard to close so, after putting it away in the safe for a few days, I took it out and now the bolt is stuck. cannot move the bolt handle.

Now, what do I do? Give it a few gentle taps with a rubber mallet? Attachment 95773

OK first thing is first: STEP AWAY FROM THE MALLET. Its possible the safety is in the wrong position and is binding on the bolt body, and when the bolt was closed it slipped into the 'safe' position which effectively locks the rifle. So firstly you should check your safety and that it is in the forward position, and if it is still tight you may have a larger issue.

In regards to the butt, well it should not have just screwed in there. It would have required a lot of force to get it back on, so I am thinking the butt-stock bolt on your's may be ground down flat with the butt-socket, in which case you have dodged a bullet. Otherwise you will need to pull the fore-end off and thoroughly inspect the rear-end of it to see if it has been split, then check forward of the main screw and trigger guard for a corresponding crack running down towards the muzzle. If they are there you will need to do some repairs. If the butt-stock is screwed all the way home then the butt will be solid with the rest of the rifle and have no play. I had a bent bolt in one rifle that meant no matter how tight you got it it would stay loose.

So I pray all is well, and welcome.

Could it be at half cock? Everyday problems occur every day........

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

Could it be at half cock? Everyday problems occur every day........

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Hi - ho do I tell that it is at half-cock?

Pull the cocking piece back, see if it comes to full cock.
You are going to have to disassemble the rifle, removing the forend, to determine if the keeper plate inlet into the rear of the forend has been deformed, and if the stock has been split as a result.

I'll ask what I haven't seen the other respondent ask - Is the safety lever set on safe?

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Originally Posted by Paul S.

Is the safety lever set on safe?

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First thing post two asked...

If you have the rifle cocked and with the bolt shut down and you pull the trigger while holding the cocking piece back you can let it move forward just a little, then let the trigger go and the cocking piece will sit at half-cock, which locks the bolt and the trigger. As tiriaq said you need to pull the cocking piece back to full cock in order to unlock the gun.

A few pictures of the bolt area would give us the information we need to advise properly.

Thanks for all your help guys.

I managed to get it all apart and there is no damage to the forestock - the stock bolt seems to have been shortened. Maybe this was done as part of the FTR in 1951 ?.

All the wood is slightly varnished as well - did they also do this as part of the FTR?

Thanks again guys

I have no recollection of them implementing stock bolt shortening as an armourer's instructions after a certain time, except with the indians. If it were implemented then Lithgow's after 1940 likely would not have come with the square or the plate, but they did. Also I don't know of any kind of varnishing done through FTR's, unless during the FTR they applied an extra coat of linseed which has stuck to the top and gone shiny (which is very very unlikely). Could be someone's target rifle where they refinished it and ground the bolt down. What about the bolt? How did it come out?

But back to where we came in........ What was the cause of the stuck bolt?

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Originally Posted by Peter Laidler

But back to where we came in........ What was the cause of the stuck bolt?

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My Enfield incompetence mainly - and I think this - "If you have the rifle cocked and with the bolt shut down and you pull the trigger while holding the cocking piece back you can let it move forward just a little, then let the trigger go and the cocking piece will sit at half-cock, which locks the bolt and the trigger. As tiriaq said you need to pull the cocking piece back to full cock in order to unlock the gun."

Hey....., just a minute - and I don't want to steal Tiriaq's thunder............. But wasn't it me that said it was on half-cock?

but when have we ever listened to you, peter.

:D

That made me chuckle!!!!!