Some Enfield parts you don't see every day...

[Peter Laidler]

These 'bolt, locking' appear in the SAI's, (the Small Arms Instructions) of 1943 somewhere but I'll have to look, to the effect that in order to overcome shortages and bottlenecks leading to stoppages, '........these dimensionally different' locking bolts will be fitted to rifles at the Ordnance factories periodically. So far as I am aware, they were never issued as spare parts through the Armourers system, only at the factories as that simplified locking bolt doesn't feature in the earliest known No4 Ordnance/REME parts list. The post war EMER's did mention it somewhere but can't be bothered to look through now. But suffice it to say, when spare parts were plentiful, it would have been changed as an 'A' class modification or miscellaneous instruction.

As Wheaty says, that locking bolt without the catch just prevents the rifle from being fired which is really as safe as it gets! Although you can still load of course...............

I'm a bit puzzled about its use on the big old tank smoke launcher Wheaty.................. They were only made/based on worn out SMLE actions. Will the No4 bolt locking fit onto a SMLE?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[krinko]

Will the No4 bolt locking fit onto a SMLE?

Just did a test in the parts room----yes they will fit and function.
-----krinko

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

Left is an SMLE expedient safety-Australian? Center for a smoke discharger, stamped "NO SAFETY" on the enlarged thumb piece. No clue on the right one-a No.4 safety with the shaft pushed in, rotated almost 180 degrees and repinned.