Project No 5. Need a flash hider.

[BurtonP]

I would be more tempted to hunt up a nice set of sporter wood, made with cheekpiece and snobble forend and just do that. I had one of those come by that looked just about the same and had a perfect bore...I turned the barrel off and sold it for a profit while parting the action out. I wouldn't try to refurbish that one. The flash hiders are scarce and maybe $200CDN if I could find one here and then may not be right.

All good points, however I do this as a hobby, and won't be selling any time soon. Cost is a factor, but not the only one. I consider money spent fixing these old beauties to be much the same as money spent watching sport or going to the pub. An interesting diversion, where I have a lovely historic rifle at the end of it.

[Bindi2]

That's interesting. I just assumed that a shorter and lighter barrel would make it even worse.

The shape of the exhaust cones on a rocket and the flash hider are similar. They do buck more because of the less weight and length. The rubber butt was not for recoil it was to protect the floor in air craft. These have now gone hard being smaller than normal butts impacts a higher recoil per sq in of contact. My go to work No5 came with a No4 butt. I don't find it unpleasant to use in fact I like it compared to some others.

[browningautorifle]

Cost is a factor, but not the only one.

There was an individual in Canada making #5 wood among other things...there was info here for a while. If you look back through the Lee Enfield forum you may find it. Also there was a set for sale on either CanadianGunNutz or Gunpost. Guy that had it was in over his head fitting it. Brand new wood...

[BurtonP]

Hi Jim, yeah I have a wood set, which is the reason I bought this project No 5. I may well have posted about the guy who made it. He was retiring so I bought sets for No 1 Mk III, and a No 4, which have both been used, and a No 5 set which is the last one. What I really really need is the flash hider or facsimile.

[browningautorifle]

That's the guy...we'll see about the FH now...

[oldfoneguy]

I've been hunting with my No5 for 38 years. In that time I've replaced the buttstock with a Fajen pistol grip high comb and cheek piece, removed the rear sight to add a no drill scope mount, replace the forestock and handguard with self customized No4 wood and removed the flash hider. Subsequently I have replaced the original forestock and handguard because I like the way it looks and there's more support as it's factory free floated.

For the unknowing it's a junk frankenrifle and looks the part but it shoots like a custom build. With the original flashider removed the accuracy has definitely improved. I read from an unremembered source decades ago that removing the flashider could be good for up to a 1/4" tighter grouping. The reasoning was removal of dead weight from the end of the barrel reduced whip as the bullet exited. With no sights and a scope this is practical. I have no idea how you could pull this off with iron sights however short of hacksawing off the cone.

As a side note the Numrich repop flash hiders I'm familiar with are for installation on cut down No4 barrels and are much wider inside than an actual No5 item as the barrel is reduced in size on the genuine article.

[BurtonP]

Thanks, yeah. At this stage I'll take what I can get. If I have to shim it I will.

Your comments on accuracy are very interesting. I don't hunt, so I'm more interested in the restoration of something approaching it's original condition. Well, I don't hunt yet. We'll see what the autumn of the pandemic brings...