Collecting Tips for Lee-Enfields (No. 1 Mk. III/*s, No. 4s, No. 5s)

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Originally Posted by Roger Payne

Would be delighted to hear if someone can quote us chapter & verse on it!

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Ask and ye shall receive :

Thanks Alan........in fact you shamed me into getting off my backside & checking out the reference myself! For those who have access to it it is in Instructions to Armourers 1931, (page 48 IIRC) - along with a lot of other very useful information.

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Originally Posted by WillSarchet

Precision ground pin gauges only cost a couple dollars apiece. If I didn't have a full case it would be well worth the $10 or so to get a .301+, .307-, .308- and .310-.

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Have you used those for gauging Lee-Enfields specifically? I like your idea because they are a premade set and are probably fairly similar to sets that you used to be able to get commercial for target shooting (Bore Gauge | Gunboards Forums) that I've seen in these forums and Gunboards, just minus the lines for .25" and whatnot.

Nice to see another Washingtonian!

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Originally Posted by Pedantic_Potato

Have you used those for gauging Lee-Enfields specifically? I like your idea because they are a premade set and are probably fairly similar to sets that you used to be able to get commercial for target shooting (Bore Gauge | Gunboards Forums) that I've seen in these forums and Gunboards, just minus the lines for .25" and whatnot.

Nice to see another Washingtonian!

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Yes, I've used them on Enfields before. Usually with some Dy-kem to show exactly how deep the pin went. Now that I think about it though there is no reason I couldn't use a height gauge to scribe a line at 0.250" from one end. There is no knurled end but you can make or buy handles for them if you wanted.

And hello from the Southwest corner of the state!

If any forummer were to acquire and sell sets of pin gauges for the .303 barrel, I for one would be interested to buy a set.
To me, bore wear is more important than head space.

R D do you think the USA will get that message. :bash:

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Originally Posted by WillSarchet

Yes, I've used them on Enfields before. Usually with some Dy-kem to show exactly how deep the pin went. Now that I think about it though there is no reason I couldn't use a height gauge to scribe a line at 0.250" from one end. There is no knurled end but you can make or buy handles for them if you wanted.

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Awesome! I have an original MoD .308" on order from BRP so I have a reference point, but I'll pick some of those pin gauges to get the jobs done. I may scribe them at .25" once I have them but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Will update this thread with what I end up successfully using on a Lee-Enfield.

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Originally Posted by RobD

To me, bore wear is more important than head space.

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That's a good point, and that's why I'll be getting and using both headspace and muzzle/bore/throat gauges when looking at any .303 barrels (cover the whole barreled action).

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Originally Posted by Roger Payne

Thanks Alan........in fact you shamed me into getting off my backside & checking out the reference myself! For those who have access to it it is in Instructions to Armourers 1931, (page 48 IIRC) - along with a lot of other very useful information.

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A disappointingly small volume that; perhaps reflective of how much was passed on in those days without documentation?

The British Army has never been very keen on issuing people with printed material - probably a legacy of the days when they recruited from a section of society that had limited or nil reading abilities.

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Originally Posted by Brian Dick

I was told by a client in California that Forster did make a small run of .074 military spec. No-Go gauges. As I instructed earlier, call them and ask for Scott. He can fix you up providing they are still available. He only had a half dozen several weeks ago so if you want one, act on it because I've told a number of people about them.

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UPDATE: October 20 - Scott has some 303 British 0.074" gauges in stock. I ordered one. Thanks for all the great advice on this subject. It was quite expensive, but given my Lithgow Lee Enfields are rapidly procreating, it is a good investment.