Collecting Tips for Lee-Enfields (No. 1 Mk. III/*s, No. 4s, No. 5s)

[ssgross]

I just have the correct tools and more years of, (mostly long distance), instruction gleaned from folks I truly consider experts than I care to admit. You can make this stuff as difficult as you want and to be honest, it's a huge waste of energy and money that would be better spent on ammo and components if you're a reloader and like to shoot. Learn how to assemble bolts and carefully fit forends properly. You can have the cleanest, sharpest, most expensive Lothar Walther or CBI barrel on your rifle to over tight SAAMI specs which are useless when it comes to Lees and if these other things aren't in spec, you're wasting your money.

I normally don't ever argue with experience (..I'm not now..read on) - and especially if I don't have it. I will say in agreement that having a scope has made me worry more than I need to when it comes to tired old milsurps because of exactly what Brian says - then again I have read enough to know better, always been interested in learning to do the things you speak of - proper stock fitting etc. After reading and re-reading many of P.L.'s great articles I've salvaged two enfields I adore - mostly because of the satisfaction I gained from learning to do it right (here), and then doing it. They wouldn't be worth much to anyone else. The years of experience and advice presented here is what drew me to this forum, and the cordiality and collegiality of its presentation and members is why I stay.

By way of an analogy about experience, I had my whole house painted a few years ago, and had an electrician update all the electrical sockets and light switches to new fancy ones. I asked if he wanted me to lead him to the breaker box...he said know he didn't need it, and did the whole house with hot wires. Certain skills can only be learned by years of experience, and often years worth of hard lessons. The rest of us usually resort to what could be called crutches as we learn. I'm comfortable doing most of my own small electrical tasks, but I absolutely turn off the breaker, and have bought a good reliable multimeter to double check (those cost more than the bore scopes we were talking about)

I like the instant gratification I get with a cheap scope telling me all is still well, I did my part right and good when cleaning, or that a previous owner left a rifle unusable. When I was a noob (arguably still am), having a cheap scope kept me from over cleaning my rifles, the money-pit of more and more new fangled harsh chemicals, or more harmful things. I had training wheels on my bike when I was a kid too.

What number bolt head do you need Brian? I have a #2 I may not need - but would need some gauges to check and be sure. I'm only half sarcastic. Seriously though, the "target" Mk 2 I posted about after Christmas has a #2 on it I'd swap you for if I figure out I don't really need it.