Lee Enfield No.4 Mk2. rifle front sight windage adjustment?

[Mjolnir]

Good evening from a hot South Africa,

I have been trying to get information on the Lee Enfield No.4 Mk2. rifle front sight windage adjustment. I bought one recently and after testing accuracy it is clear that the windage has to be adjusted.

From information obtained off the Web it appears that windage cannot be adjusted with the rear flip up sight and that a special tool is needed to adjust windage on the front sight.

I will be grateful if someone can help me with this information.

Regards

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.

[Thunderbox]

Its really just a matter of drifting the front sight blade across; it doesn't really matter if you have the solid sight base or the one with a friction screw - a gentle tap with a punch or similar instrument is sufficient to drift the blade across.

As a rough guide, one width of the front sight blade gives you about 5" adjustment on the target at 100 yds.

[paulseamus]

Adjustment of the Front sight is easy if you have the right tool.

You need a driver with a slot cut into it.

Rather than buy one, I found a suitable diameter screw driver in my kit. It was a phillips head that was past its prime.

Make sure that your selected driver has a shaft diameter small enough to fit into the front sight.

I simply cut of the phillips end and then I cut suitable slot into the end of the remaining shaft.

Followed by a quick cleanup with a small file and a coating of oil for protection

Ten minutes of fiddleing in the shed resulted in one front sight adjustment tool.

Correctly adjusting the front site to accurately zero the rifle is another story.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[Peter Laidler]

Or better still, just replace the crap reverse screw in the foresight block with a 4BA allen bolt and be done with it!

The original screw was there so as to be 'soldier proof' It might have been but it was also Armourer proof too once they'd been there for over a week and had corroded a bit!

[RDSkidmore]

I have never read such drivel for front site windage adjustment for the Enfield No. 4 Mark 1/2.

Always use the CORRECT tool even if you have to make the thing. Never ever use a drift punch.

To adjust the front sight on the SMLE Enfield requires three tools (1)slotted screw driver with a 5 mm head, (2) a locking screw too (I made mine), and (3)Sight Adjustment Tool (I purchased my from Numric Gun Parts Corp. through my local gun shop). A forth tool, a mm ruler may be used if one does not purchase the Sight Adjustment Tool. The ruler is used to measure the increment adjustments as you bring the front sight blade to center on the rifle in its location.

The front sight is locked with a locking screw that must be released before adjustment can be made. I made my tool to unlock the front screw. Use a screw driver, either Philips or Slotted that has a shaft diameter of 5 mm. Cut of the end of the screw driver (flatly/square with the shaft). Then cut a 2mm slot on the end of cut off and in the middle. I used a cold chisel to mark where I would cut. The depth of cut was 2 and ½ to 3 mm. This tool will fit into and over the head of the locking screw. For the cutting I used my Dremel tool with cutting disks. Simple job.

Undoing or sufficiently loosening the lock screw allows the front sight blade to be adjusted left or right. Doing this properly will prevent damage to the front sight assembly.

Now there is a front sight windage adjustment tool that can be used, and this tool requires that the front cap be removed to align the tool with the front sight. On my No. 4 this is held on with one slotted screw.

The Front Sight Adjusting tool was purchased through my local gun shop, but the manufacturer is Numeric Gun Parts Corp. Address: 226 Williams Lane, PO Box 299, West Hurly, New York 12491. Toll free number is 866 686 7424; Web: e-gunparts.com.

The part number is 255950.

Do enjoy.

RD Skidmore, Prof.

[tbonesmith]

I have never read such drivel for front site windage adjustment for the Enfield No. 4 Mark 1/2.

Always use the CORRECT tool even if you have to make the thing. Never ever use a drift punch.

Nice intro!...

[Terrylee]

I made this tool for adjusting the sights of a No.4, and if I could do that I'm sure that there are lots of others who can. It works very well. I also live in South Africa and if you happen to live in the Johannesburg region, you are welcome to borrow it.

Attachment 32587

[Beerhunter]

Nice intro!...

Yes. Reminds me of that book/film/etc.: "How to Win Friends and influence people".

[Peter Laidler]

Good morning RD Skidmore. I'll not beat about the bush............. I have been an Armourer since I started my apprenticeship in January 1963. When I say 'Armourer' I don't mean an enthusiastic amateur or one who has tinkered with a few No4's and the like, but I mean a REAL Armourer who's been there,and done that - you know the spiel......... I am also a graduate engineer so from that, you can take it that when I tell you something about a No4 rifle, having spent my formative years, on the bench, fixing literally - and I mean it - hundreds and hundreds, probably thousands of them, day in and day out AND range testing, accuracy testing and zeroing huge piles of them, you and the rest of this forum can take it that when I tell you about sights and zeroing, then it's the real McCoy.

Now come closer and listen as I don't want everyone to hear........... The issue tool to adjust the foresight, regardless of whether it has got a reverse headed keeper screw or not, is a complete waste of rations. Say that after me slowly..... 'A COMPLETE WASTE OF RATIONS' Good.

It was taught during your apprenticeship, together with the variations per turn by rote. But once you got out into the real world, it was left back in the workshop cupboard along with the other theoretical crap, while you learned from the more experienced Armourers, who had served from Monte Cassino to Korea how things were REALLY done.

There IS a place for the forked/reverse headed screwdriver and foresight cramp. You could give it to someone you don't like as a fishing weight or you could slip it into your range bag so that you will look like a bit of a wally (you know the saying, all the gear and no idea) if anyone peeks in.

Real Armourers as opposed to the all the gear and no idea queens just know that on a No4 rifle it's 'FORESIGHT INTO THE ERROR' So if your shots are sneaking over to the left at, say 100 yards, just a slight tweak of the foresight blade to the left with a brass drift and small hammer through the foresight protector will do the job. Oh yes, I almost forgot. A real Armourer will just KNOW from years and years of experience exactly hyow much to move the foresight over too.

There, that wasn't toooooo difficult was it. Now just a little decorum from now on and you'll be welcome. But, it's not wise to tell the most senior Armourer in the Army that what he's written about sights and zeroing and what you've read is drivel.

Thunderbox and that Peter Laidler bloke, you can both now rest assured that you're dead right

[Buccaneer]

Good morning RD Skidmore. I'll not beat about the bush.............

Now now Peter put your claws away I'm sure he meant well, next time he will probably think a little more carefully about how he phrases what he wants to say. When he realises just how great the depth of knowledge and first hand experience of Enfield Rifles is on this forum he will hopefully understand that what the book says and what is actually done is not always the same thing.........