LEC restoration help plz

Hi guys,
i would need the help and collective knowledge of the community to restore a LEC i've found a few months ago.
It came to me as a barreled action. Missing the butt stock and the fore end chopped.
Of course no handguard or nose cap too.
Anyhow i managed to track down almost everything needed, i'll fabricate the handguard and do a graft on the cut fore end.

Not having one to compare side by side wont make it easy but i should be able to turn something acceptable.
Now what i would need help with is at least one measurement.
I would need to know how much the barrel sticks out (or protrudes) from the nose cap.
With this i should be able to mockup up things and go from there.
Any and all help/information is greatly appreciated in advance.

Pulled an LEC Mk I out of the safe, and it looks like the barrel extends just over 1/4 of an inch past the nose cap. I also used a meter tape-measure, and I counted 7mm of barrel protrusion.

Good luck with the resto!

Once again thank you for the help… just what i needed.
It wont be as nice as yours but for a first one it will be good enough.
I also have a NZ one to do and either another LEC or a RIC too… not sure which model the 3rd one was, it's been butchered too much. Have to do more research on it to figure it out.

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Originally Posted by smle addict

Pulled an LEC Mk I out of the safe, and it looks like the barrel extends just over 1/4 of an inch past the nose cap. I also used a meter tape-measure, and I counted 7mm of barrel protrusion.

Good luck with the resto!

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Here's what i'm starting with...

Plenty of scope for imagination and outcome there! ;)

I have a forend here I can send you photos of, and few measurements if you need them.

:lol: Well since i only have a twisted imagination i'll just hope the outcome is good

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Originally Posted by 22SqnRAE

Plenty of scope for imagination and outcome there! ;)

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---------- Post added at 05:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------

Thank very much… i'll take any help i can. The more informations and pictures i have on hand the ''easier'' it will be (if there is such a thing as easy when doing this)
Should i send you my personal email in PM ?

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

I have a forend here I can send you photos of, and few measurements if you need them.

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Getting slowly there there
Attachment 106895

Quote:

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Originally Posted by smle addict

Pulled an LEC Mk I out of the safe, and it looks like the barrel extends just over 1/4 of an inch past the nose cap. I also used a meter tape-measure, and I counted 7mm of barrel protrusion.

Good luck with the resto!

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Originally Posted by tatou

Getting slowly there there
Attachment 106895

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Well done!

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Originally Posted by tatou

Getting slowly there

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Looking very good, very nice.

Mock up and fabrication is basically all done but i am having a minor trouble with the band retaining spring.
It's not ''springing'' like i thought it would be… not sure if it's missing a part under it or if the inlet of the fore end as something to do with it.
Instead of a spring motion i end up with more of a rocking motion and the part under the band doesn't get back to it's full original position.
I know i could easily install some sort of spring but my guess is the issue is the inlet itself….
Never having seen one before and online research proves unfruitful, would any of you guys have pictures of the inlet without the spring installed ? Surpmil maybe ?
Thanks again
Attachment 107204Attachment 107205

I think I have an answer to your "limp" retaining band spring. No pun intended...:D

I pulled one of my carbines apart and the recess for the spring is angle cut. It starts very shallow towards the muzzle end, and slopes deeper towards the action.

Hope the pics help.

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Originally Posted by smle addict

I think I have an answer to your "limp" retaining band spring. No pun intended...:D

I pulled one of my carbines apart and the recess for the spring is angle cut. It starts very shallow towards the muzzle end, and slopes deeper towards the action.

Hope the pics help.

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Limpy … my second name :madsmile:
Those help a lot !!
Thanks for taking the time to disassemble one and take pics of it… that's more than i could of asked for.
I had a feeling the recess was sloped by looking at the old fore end tip i have but it is so badly sanded i could not be sure.
it will be an easy fix… i only have to glue a small piece of angle cut wood in my recess… with a careful trim it should do the trick.

Also forgot to add.. The deep end of the angle cut is .105 inches. Measured with my dial caliper (which also has a depth gauge). I was unable to measure the start of the angle, as it is almost imperceptible.

Done (still have to glue it in place)… not perfect by all means but as long as it's functional i'm good with it.
I'm more concerned about the outside appearance.
I had a scarp of walnut that was already cut at an angle so that speeded up things.
I end up a bit more deep 0.120 but again that doesn't botter me nor will it affect anything.
I also notice that the vertical inlet has to be very tight and i'm very slightly loose.
By adding a small shim the spring isn't limp anymore and does exactly what's it's suppose to do.
Attachment 107209Attachment 107210

Finally done :)
The pics are not the greatest (fluorescent basement lighting) but i'm pleased with the result.
I started with this Attachment 108221

I lengthened the fore end, installed some brass washers and a pin that were missing. I fabricated a handguard
I also lengthened the buttstock, made a patch on the left side and a plugged hole.
The nose cap is a reproduction that i distressed with a Dremel a little, i blued it and ''aged'' it.
This was my first attempt at reproducing an ''aged'' look on metal and it took me a while to get a satisfactory look. I tried several new techniques but in the end i think it's a combination of everything that made it work.
Not perfect but it will do the job.
Many thanks to ''smle addict'' and others. for the crucial help.

Attachment 108219Attachment 108220

Outstanding work and a nice save on that needy carbine!

Thank you and thanks again for the help. I'm very grateful. I now have a LEC, a NZ and a RIC
Next on the bench is my Mk I*** wire wrap (minus the wire) you also provided information on … to be continued

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Originally Posted by smle addict

Outstanding work and a nice save on that needy carbine!

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Nice, nice looking little carbine.

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Originally Posted by tatou

Getting slowly there there

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Are you trying to motivate me to work on the two desecrated MK1's I have..... You are doing a fine job of it.

It looks magnificent. Well done!:thup:

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Originally Posted by usabaker

Are you trying to motivate me to work on the two desecrated MK1's I have..... You are doing a fine job of it.

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Well that wasn't my intention but if you really want motivation about Mk I's here's 2 i did last year. Both were sporters when i got hem.
LSA 1904 Mk I
BSA-Sparkbrook 1907 MK I*

Nice looking rifles, the early ones remind me of artwork.

tatou, you have a gift....

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Originally Posted by tatou

:lol: Well since i only have a twisted imagination i'll just hope the outcome is good


---------- Post added at 05:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:07 PM ----------

Thank very much… i'll take any help i can. The more informations and pictures i have on hand the ''easier'' it will be (if there is such a thing as easy when doing this)
Should i send you my personal email in PM ?

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By all means. Sorry I hadn't seen your post earlier.

It’s a good felling bringing a cut down sporter back to life I have done a few smle and a couple of martini rifles finding the parts is hard and exspensive especially the martini

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

Nice looking rifles, the early ones remind me of artwork.

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Indeed they are.
They are sexy (you can say that, right) and show a long gone craftmanship. An era when things were made to last and still be beautiful. They had souls
When they made the No4's (i'm gonna get hate for saying that) they made the Lee Enfield a much better killing tool and faster to produce… but they lost all of the above.
That is at least my personal opinion.

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Originally Posted by Roger Payne

tatou, you have a gift....

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Thanks… that's very nice of you to say.:o
Not the first one i have restored but i'm a bit of a private guy i didn't post much on forums throughout the years. I stay hidden in my corner and read you guys.
I've learned great deal from all of the other well known restorers out there.
I got the pleasure to know them and learn from them.
These restorations are in the reach of most people… it just takes patience, time and practice practice practice.
In the old days, gunsmithing wasn't taught in schools… skills were developpe over years of trials and errors with he help of mentors.

---------- Post added at 01:01 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:54 AM ----------

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Originally Posted by pisco

It’s a good felling bringing a cut down sporter back to life I have done a few smle and a couple of martini rifles finding the parts is hard and exspensive especially the martini

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I love the hunt and i like to take my time… i only work on them when i feel it's right. After all this is a hobby, it's suppose to be fun and without rush.

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

By all means. Sorry I hadn't seen your post earlier.

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Haha, no worries… i just figured you hadn't been online since.
Even though the rifle is done i will probably still take you up on that. Just to see if what i did looks ok.
There's ALWAYS room for improvement :thup:

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Originally Posted by tatou

They are sexy and show a long gone craftmanship. When they made the No4's they made the Lee Enfield a much better killing tool and faster to produce… but they lost all of the above.

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Agreed on all that...

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Originally Posted by tatou

i only work on them when i feel it's right.

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That eliminates mistakes, gives you time to do the work over and over in your head. I do that too...

Perhaps then, time to show some of the others, specially if you have before and after pics.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

That eliminates mistakes, gives you time to do the work over and over in your head. I do that too...

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You know… as silly as it sounds i've never really thought about it or paid attention to it but you are exactly right.
I just did it instinctively i guess... i go over and over it in my head, like you say.
See what works, what or how i can do it and visualize the end results.
When i'm confident enough about the whole process i just start to work.

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Originally Posted by tatou

When i'm confident enough about the whole process

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Right, I'll have something sitting for extended periods and can't start until I've done it dozens of times to completion. Then when the light goes on I can start and expect a good result.