Disastor at CMP games vintage match with mk4

took a savage mk 4 (1942) virtually unfired, almost new condition to the CMP games to use in vintage match, had some south african 303 to shoot at 200 yards

problems:

at prone position the stock is so low that i had to rest chin onstock to see thru sights

started off with rear sight at the 200 yard mark, first shot was almost a paper miss at 7 oclock on cardoard almost not even on the target frame. moved to the 400 yard mark and only move the strike up about 6 inches still a full 24" to the left..

had to put rear sight at almost 600 yards to equal the center of black, but still 24 inches to the left..

no windage adjust at all, sight had been drifted somewhat in the past.

had to pick up a imaginary spot on the right side of target to get into blac

not a good day

and previous day i had shot the M! and missed hi shooter by X's

i'm guessing that its probably better to shoot a rifle a time or two before using it in a match.
...
Two usaf airmen were driving across country on leave. They come to a Marine Corps base and decide to visit. They approach the gate and the Marine Guard walks up to the driver's window, and taps on it with his nightstick. The driver rolls down the window, and the Marine smacks him in the head with
the stick. The driver says, Why'd you do that?
The Marine says, You're on a United States Marine Corps Base, son. When I come up to your car, you'll have your ID card ready.
Driver says, I'm sorry, We're in the Air Force, and we didn't know.
The Marine examines the I.D. card and gives it back to the driver.
The Marine walks around to the passenger side and taps on the window. The passenger rolls his window down, and the Marine smacks him with the nightstick.
The passenger says, What'd you do that for?
The Marine says, Just making your wishes come true.
The passenger says, Huh?
The Marine says,
"I know that as soon as you pull away you're gonna say, 'I wish that sucker would've tried that **** with me!"

maybe so, but never ever got a rifle off the rack ready to be issued that was off by four feet at 200 yards..

and test fired a bunch of m14's thru the years and never found one that did not fire at least in the 8 ring off the bench with guesswork elevation for first round

Sounds like you need to check the bedding, looks like the forend is a bit warped and bearing on one side of the barrel

Without any doubt whatsoever, this is a classic but extreme case of an ill fitting fore-end. We wouldn't even try to correct it and in this case, the fore-end would be diverted to the DP tray for fitting to a DP rifle at some later date. Waste not, want not as we used to say

another question, are all enfield stocks the same as far as comb height, my cheekweld on the us military rifles give a clear sight picture thru all apertures

with the brit rifle, the same cheekweld gives me a clear sight of the back of the bolt..

quite a bit of difference in ht, when a dowel inserted thru the barrel and distance between center of dowel and top of stock is measured it is clear that the difference is astounding between M1,03,03A3, M1A and MK4

Enfields have low combs. Just how they are. Target shooters were allowed to drape a piece of sheepskin shearling, etc. over the comb. Basic zeroing is done at 30 yards, elevation zero is obtained by changing foresights. Windage by shifting the front sight laterally. With the amount your rifle is off, its unlikely windage could be zeroed simply by moving the foresight.

Try the "spot weld" (something I was taught as a recruit at Fort Dix when the M14 was brand new). The cheekbone rests on the thumb of the firing hand, providing consistent head position.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...leesling-1.jpg

The "combless" Lee-Enfield stock was designed for an upright head position that was in fashion during the late 19th century and early 20th. Face contact is along the side of the jaw rather than high on the cheek. In the offhand position, it's actually a reasonably solid and comfortable position once learned.

The observaton that this is very different from US rifles is accurate only for US stock designs adopted after WWI. As can be observed in the image below, the critical distance from line-of-sight to comb is actually slightly greater with the original 1903 Type S stock than with the Lee-Enfield. The '03 Type C and "scant" stocks do have a higher comb, as do the similarly-dimensioned M1 and M14 stocks.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ecombgif-1.jpg

FWIW, your Savage Lee-Enfield, is a Number 4, Mark 1 - not a "Mk 4."

and to add that the rear sight had to be on the 400 yard mark made it even higher. i do know that could be adjusted out with some front sight work

shot prone with a c stock 03 and shot a 99/5 (one snuck out)

cleaned it with the M1

shot prone with the brit and did hit black a few times using my imagined spot at 3 oclock on cardboard

"your Savage Lee-Enfield, is a Number 4, Mark 1 - not a "Mk 4.

oops

"...cheekbone rests on the thumb..." Hurts like an SOB with a No. 4.
"...virtually unfired..." So you had never fired it before you took it to a match? Shame on you.
Did you check the headspace at least? Even an all matching rifle gives no guarantee the headspace is ok.
"...the stock is so low..." You're holding it incorrectly. Too low on the shoulder. It's also possible the butt stock is the wrong length for you. Butt stocks come in several lengths.
"...no windage adjust at all..." Windage is adjusted with the front sight. Move it in the opposite direction you want the group to go.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sunray

"...cheekbone rests on the thumb..." Hurts like an SOB with a No. 4.

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Not necessarily. If you have a normal human thumb, examine it and you'll notice a reasonably straight section between the two joints. Align this under the cheekbone and maintain firm contact - no pain required. Of course if we rest face lightly on the pointy knuckle part and let recoil slap it back smartly, it's going to sting a bit.