11/44 ROF(F) No5 MkI with MkII rear sight

[Peter Laidler]

Bad practice, or what I'd call pxxx-poor practice I agree Beery, but perhaps not a 'safety' bad practce I would argue

[browningautorifle]

Well, if he chose to never show us another picture of his stuff, I wouldn't blame him.

[madcratebuilder]

I do store my LE's with the bolt closed and FP spring uncompressed, but does it make a difference? Mag springs do not wear out when stored loaded, I don't think a FP spring would wear out from being stored in a compressed condition, although I do agree it's poor practice, but I don't know why, unless the FP spring is made of inferior material. Fire arm springs wear from being used, the action of compressed and uncompressed. Is a photograph of a cocked rifle dangerous? Did the photographer place himself in a precarious position when taking the photograph?

[boltaction]

I think it's pretty clear the OP took the photo with the rifle cocked because he wanted to show it cocked. He has said that was for the photo only, and that he stores his rifles with the bolts open. Trying to judge someone's safety practices from one static photo is impossible, unless someone posts a photo of a gun being pointed at someone else. As for storage, for Lee-Enfields, bolts open or closed is fine. I don't like leaving Mausers bolt open because then they are cocked and that DOES put some constant strain on the springs.

I'd like to thank the OP for showing us his rifle--it's a very nice looking wartime Jungle carbine. Hope you come again to the forum.

Cheers

Ed

[shmlnaaa]

Ha, I'm not taking criticism badly. I know that I use safe gun handling practices, so that's enough for me. It does seem to me like you guys are just getting wound up over nothing though, lol. Pictures that have composed subject as a far cry from how things really are. I don't leave my rifles sitting out loose like that and so close to ammo! (even if that ammo is collectable and display only) I just took the pictures there because it was an easy spot t take them and it was too dark outside. The rifle was cocked because I thought it looked better. As for storage, generally it doesn't matter all that much of the spring is compressed or not. Only movement of the spring wears it out, same reason storing mags loaded is fine to do. So long as they are stored unloaded, away form where ammo is handled, checked and double checked, and periodically inspected for signs of rust they should be fine. Another reason I like to store with bolts open is because it allows for a faster visual inspection of the chamber with no manipulation required of the weapon usually. The obvious exception to the being stored away from ammo rule are guns being stored for fast access as a weapon, which obviously need to be loaded (not sure about the rules in other countries, but the US Supreme court ruled that guns have to be allowed to be stored loaded and ready to be fired in case of self defense). But, you should have more direct control over it than guns squirreled away for general storage. Practicing the three rules is paramount for safety when you do handle the firearms, no matter their storage condition.

I hope you guy did at least enjoy seeing pictures of my No5. I've wanted a good WW2 example of a No5 for a long time, so I'm excited about it. what I've read about the rear sight is that they were only produced and installed on rifles during WW2. After the war, they were declared obsolete in favor of the MkI milled rear sight, and almost all of the No5's that had the MkII rear sight had them replaced with a MkI.

[browningautorifle]

what I've read about the rear sight is that they were only produced and installed on rifles during WW2. After the war, they were declared obsolete in favor of the MkI milled rear sight, and almost all of the No5's that had the MkII rear sight had them replaced with a MkI.

Don't know about that for sure. All I know for sure is they are supposed to have a sight graduated to 800 yds...Peter will know for sure, and a couple others...

[Peter Laidler]

I don't think that they were ever declared obsolete. We still had them in the 60's. Obsolescent maybe but that meant that they could continue in use until there were no more stocks available from Ordnance

[Brian Dick]

I've had hundreds of No.5's through the years and very few fitted with wartime Mk.2 rear sights. In fact, I could probably count them on one hand if I could remember. It's a nice, honest rifle.

[Bindi2]

I think you need to take and breath and relax. You're preaching to the wrong people. Specially this one.

Bad unsafe practices in ones own company tend to be practiced in company of others.
I do like breathing and having been very close to not breathing, today is a good day in fact a very good day.

[browningautorifle]

Mk.2 rear sights

Are those the cheap thin type sights? Not the simple two range flip...and I know what the Mk3 looks like...