New Manufacture No4 Barrels

[Parashooter]

. . .The barrels will be "short chambered" the same as the Krag barrels are. There is a raised collar of steel that is higher than the flat of the back of the breech around the chamber. . .

The raised collar as described does appear visible in this Krag barrel image from Criterion's website -



Maybe they should use a different term than "short-chambered" since the chamber is actually longer with the raised collar present than it would be after "reaming" some of it away. Perhaps "long-faced"?

[logandiana]

There is no problem importing Lothar Walther barrels. And I expect my shipment of UK made, newly manufactured No4 barrels in .303 and 7.62, with bayonet lugs, blackened and proofed, after several delays, in the next week or so... and won't that be a relief!

A No4 barrel in .308? I though it was just the Ishapores that were made in 308 (7.62 Nato)...
Do you have a No4 in .308 or are you working on some project to convert one?

$800 is steep, I wonder if the Criterion barrels will be any cheaper here in the US.
Most of the other barrels on their website are available for around $200 US...

[Brian Dick]

The Criterion barrels haven't been priced yet but the general consensus is that they'll be considerably cheaper than Lothar Walther and Armalon barrels which are problematic to import to the USA right now anyhow.

[Alan de Enfield]

A No4 barrel in .308? I though it was just the Ishapores that were made in 308 (7.62 Nato)...
Do you have a No4 in .308 or are you working on some project to convert one?

...

There are 1000's and 1000's of 7,62 Lee Enfields (in addition to the Ishapores) - some Military Issue and some Civilian modifications.

Have a search for L39 and L42 rifles, both Military issue in 7.62.
Have a search for 'Enforcer' - An Enfield manufactured Lee Enfield in 7.62 for the UK and Commonwealth Police.
Have a search for DCRA (Canadian) Modified Lee Enfields in 7.62

[Peter Laidler]

It's worth bearing in mind that when we re-barrelled a No4, we had a selection of about 15 - 20 or so on a rack and chose the one that would give the nearest hand-tight underturn. They were all made to the same spec, as were the rifles but a slight low or high tolerance at the thread start or other datum would make a huge difference in the ultimate breeching up indexing due to the geometry of the threads in relation to the nocks form or foresight blocks or extractor way.........

I just feel that the current barrel makers will make every barrel identical to the pattern they selected to back engineer simply by virtue of the inherent accuracy of modern machinery. While thyis is most admirable, it might mean that where there is body wear etc etc etc, there will be problems.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

So.................

Given that Lee-Enfields are not a "Shake and Bake" design, why not produce a (slightly less expensive?) barrel that is "almost there" and sling some work in the direction of starving gun-plumbers? Breeching shoulder; a few thou rearwards, Tenon; a bit long, chamber; a bit short, etc. Ten minutes of measuring by the gunsmith should provide all of the right numbers to provide correct "adjustments" so things will fit at the correct breeching torque.

The Krag-like "extension" collar is one neat trick, but ONLY if it has to be trimmed shorter to finalise the headspace on a PROPER bolt head. And no, we do NOT need Nos.4, 5 and 6, etc. size boltheads!!

If the receiver / bolt / bolthead combination does not gauge up correctly, one or more of those three components is "unserviceable". Once the receiver body has lost the VERY thin hard skin on the locking shoulders, it is effectively just a very interesting paperweight. (Or MAYBE a candidate for building into a .22 RF "trainer" / "fun-gun".......as long as you can get the parts, etc.........)

So, what we REALLY need is a barrel that is "gunsmith-fit" only, AND, a bunch of Lee-Enfield-savvy gunsmiths, who should be able to weed out the worn, stretched, cracked etc. original parts.

[Brian Dick]

Bruce in Oz makes an excellent point about worn bodies. I know the telltale signs of one thats too far gone to mess with but sure wish I could lay my hands on a calibrated test bolt. I just know I'm going to get worn out Century Arms and other "imports" from God knows where belonging to people who are looking for a new rifle with a new barrel! The real world will strike!!

[CINDERS]

Good for you Oz as the Gunny's here could use some extra dosh as in W.A our turn around for additions is having our shops on the verge of extinction and any work they can get helps them survive if you have a 0000's dollars of ordered weapons sitting there waiting for the Contractors to check your paper work not the local police station as was the way in the old days. There are plenty of old 303's that could use a new tube and to have some finals done to the new tube would aid our ailing gunnies and ensure the job in done safely and not a back yarder.

PL why did not say Lithgow, Maltby, Faz, L B and so on go with indexing marks was this used as a guide to the U.S.A Amourer's so they could measure the amount that has to be machined etc to align the marks to speed up the process or were their tolerances so much tighter than the Commonwealths speaking on the '03's of course.
TIA

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, yes....., index marks..... NOTORIOUS for being easy to misinterperet. What one sees as perfect alignment another will see as out! The L85/SA80 is a classic example. Even NO4's weren't immune even though parallel gauges were used. And so they might....., but if one part is incorrect or worn or machined slightly out, then the rest of the set-up is too!

If you allow some of these 'gunsmiths' to set about your rifles, then........ Well, lets just say that I prefer to put some of these in the 'well meaning enthusiastic amateur' category. Some of them seem to be aware of keeping them going bang but no in-depth knowledge to speak of. But don't get me going.......

[ssj]

I agree with Peter. Give modern gunsmiths an AR15 and no issues, give them something "old" and frankly luck walks in the door, while the money in your wallet exits fast.

Hence I will probably buy myself a AR15 to shoot in service rifle day to day shortly and bring out my golden oldies a few times a year.

regards