Lee Enfield chamber reaming in the Great war?

[Son]

.303 Mil . I asked him how they ad. If they could get them,yes. But the number they needed was not always available out in the field. 95% of the time the bolt body was shortened

Surely not, the threads still remain in the same place, and what about overturn.[/QUOTE]

I argued that (among other points) at the time, and got howled down. They could not get it through their heads that all you were doing was removing the load bearing surface and making the threads take the pressure of firing transferred through to the locking lugs. It does not matter what you do to the face of the bolt body, unless you remove enough for the head to go on another turn, it will always be in the same place once it is in the boltway.
That was one part of the hand fitting the No1 rifle needed to be set up.... selecting a bolt head that either provided the correct headspace, or was long enough to stone down the face to get the correct headspace. The No4 rifle used "sized" bolt heads to give a selection but as has been proven, these were more just an indicator rather than a true size range.
Of interest on this point, when the Aust Army re introduced the No1 MkIII* HT sniper rifle into service as an interim measure in the 1970's, the parts list included a selection of measured bolt heads to provide a quick and easy fix for headspace.

Attachment 69509

[mike1967]

Never seen that chart, thanks for sharing.

[Peter Laidler]

The input from the knowing on this forum v. the enthusiastic amateurs on the other forums is patently clear in this thread. Thanks Son and Bruce and others.....

Can you just imagine giving your out of spec rifle to some of these clowns to fix.......? It's mind boggling!

[Sentryduty]

Of interest on this point, when the Aust Army re introduced the No1 MkIII* HT sniper rifle into service as an interim measure in the 1970's, the parts list included a selection of measured bolt heads to provide a quick and easy fix for headspace.

I found this chart quite valuable so I took the liberty of quickly transcribing it and reposting as a crisp document format for all to keep.

Interesting there is no number "8" 0.638" bolt head in the selection.

[Peter Laidler]

Just a couple of points. Were these Oz bolt head size variables actually NEW production? Or were they just old production, sifted and sorted to give the sizes illustrated? As a matter of interest are these numbered No1 bolt head sizes readily available in Oz? I ask this because if so then it may well be that these sizes (or similar.....) were already in use in India in order to CHS their 7.62mm No1's. Beats ages on the bench stoning, trying, stoning, trying etc etc for ages to get correct CHS with a tray full of assorted bolt heads.

As I often remind forumers, something similar applied to Bren barrel nuts. It might have size 4 on the barrel nut but after a few years use on a Bren, the size 4 and measurements relating to it didn't relate to any known criteria that ACTUALLY applied to a size 4 barrel nut! It just became another barrel nut that you tried ad-infinitum. Same as Bren and L1A1 locking shoulders, No4 bolt heads, breeching up washer sizes etc etc. And just as bad, SA80 breeching up washer sizes were just as variable!

[newcastle]

is there any writing on the "re-introduction of teh HT snipers in the 1970s'" I am intrugued???

[Son]

Just a couple of points. Were these Oz bolt head size variables actually NEW production? Or were they just old production, sifted and sorted to give the sizes illustrated? As a matter of interest are these numbered No1 bolt head sizes readily available in Oz? I ask this because if so then it may well be that these sizes (or similar.....) were already in use in India in order to CHS their 7.62mm No1's. Beats ages on the bench stoning, trying, stoning, trying etc etc for ages to get correct CHS with a tray full of assorted bolt heads.

As I often remind forumers, something similar applied to Bren barrel nuts. It might have size 4 on the barrel nut but after a few years use on a Bren, the size 4 and measurements relating to it didn't relate to any known criteria that ACTUALLY applied to a size 4 barrel nut! It just became another barrel nut that you tried ad-infinitum. Same as Bren and L1A1 locking shoulders, No4 bolt heads, breeching up washer sizes etc etc. And just as bad, SA80 breeching up washer sizes were just as variable!

I have never seen or heard of a size marked No1 bolt head anywhere. Not to say they didn't get out, but realistically they were supporting a couple of hundred rifles max with a thousand more in store and were only an interim measure at that point. so they probably wasnt a whole lot done. I think that they would have been sorted from stores by that stage as the factory was in production of the FN, but have seen no writings on it.
If a HT does not have a number on the bolt head (once again, can't recall ever seeing one) it would mean it never needed re headspacing in service after the re introduction. The majority of these rifles were in store by then in a fit to function state, and never saw the light of day until they were sold off.

More later, after work....

[Mk VII]

1929 Textbook of Small Arms

[5thBatt]

The input from the knowing on this forum v. the enthusiastic amateurs on the other forums is patently clear in this thread. Thanks Son and Bruce and others.....

Can you just imagine giving your out of spec rifle to some of these clowns to fix.......? It's mind boggling!

The same forum that brought you the 'how to bed a No5' thread that i know you just love!

[Peter Laidler]

Mind boggling.................... Credit card and coke cans...........