No.1 Nk3 trigger work. Where to start.

[30Three]

I have a question for the armourer's.
When you redress the contact face of the cocking piece; for example to remove some wear in the face. Do you case harden the surface after correcting it?
If so; what method do you use?

[Badger]

Although this is about a No.4 trigger, it may be useful.

With thanks to Advisory Panel member Peter Laidler, check his article presented in two parts in the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here).

"The Trigger Pull-Off" - Part 1 (By Peter Laidler) (click here)

"The Trigger Pull-Off" - Part 2 (By Peter Laidler) (click here)


This interesting article is accompanied by a detailed photo montage of a previously damaged skeletonised No.4(T) rifle, used as a training piece for budding Armourers to learn with and develop their skills. As Peter says "It appeared that this ‘rifle’ had never been finished as a ‘T’ as the front pad hole had not been drilled. During bead blasting after a hard life as a skeletonised rifle, it was established that the screw had sheared off and simply been made off level. Drilled out and extracted, it’s back to its former self. Waste not, want not as they say…". Other photos in the article show the clear interaction of the sear, cocking piece and trigger during various phases of its operation.

Article Extract .....

Pictorially, this shows the trigger at the end of the first pull, both ribs touching the trigger bent or flat of the sear with the sear nose at the extreme edge of the cocking piece………, just ready for the off.


(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Regards,
Doug

[Parashooter]

The two "bumps" on the front face of the top half of the trigger must NOT be modified apart from the removal of a couple of microns of surface coating so that there is no odd "drag" as the trigger acts on the lower arm of the sear. . .

This piece of advice seems at odds with Capt. Laidler's -
". . . to achieve the same aim of a perfect first and second pull. Well, whatever your views, you can only achieve it constantly in this way, that is by stoning the upper or lower trigger ribs."

See more at http://www.milsurps.com/content.php?...ter-Laidler%29

[newcastle]

Attachment 110194The plot thickens over here. Unlike the rest of My No.1s the cocking piece does not sit flush with the bolt body and is almost a 16th lower - as you can see in the photo here. The result (OR cause) of this is the cocking piece hits the top of the butt socket where it meets the buttstock when the bolt is worked. The cocking piece CAN be pushed up almost to the bolt but springs down again. In itself that's a bit further the sear has to travel before it releases the cocking piece so that wont be helping any either. Just about to dive into Peter's articles again to learn more about angles cocking pieces etc etc . I guess I've got a larger project on my hands than I thought

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Regarding the "stoning" of the two ribs on the trigger: What I was taught was that it was to be more of a "polish" than a "grind". The trick is to carefully improve the surface grade without significantly altering the dimensions. I usually smooth the driven flat on the lower leg of the sear by gently polishing it with a fine-grade "Eze-Lap" "Diamond stick" With the sear held in a vise with the work surface just clear of the soft jaws, the diamond encrusted plate is worked ALONG the length of the surface. If you want to be extra fussy, use engineers layout-blue after every few strokes. When that is dry, the next pass of the diamonds will reveal any remaining high spots. re-coat and repeat. As soon as all the blue is removed with a light pass of a fine lap, STOP. If you have to start seriously attacking these surfaces, it is more than likely that the sear, for starters, is out of whack.

Most certainly, the fore-end must be correctly fitted; this is essential for several reasons:

Unless the draws correctly engage the body, and, be they capped or adjusted with copper or brass hims, or hardwood blocks, glued, screwed or both, there is not much point in going further. if the barrel channel is not precisely aligned with the barrel, ditto.

Until we got to the No4 Mk 2, the trigger was hung on the trigger-guard. Unless THAT whole relationship was within the standards, any subsequent actions would be "interesting". See also the bit about "adjusting" the "collar, trigger-guard screw". There was a special armourers "combination tool / gauge for that ONE task. Not likely to be found in the tool-bag of a front-line armourer in the trenches, but definitely in field and base workshops where the rebuilt the splintered wrecks recovered from the trenches and surrounding battlefield. Bends and warps in the trigger-guard itself can do odd things to the set-up as well. Definitely not a "shake and bake" rifle.

When originally assembled at the factory or rebuilt in a major service workshop, there was an amazing array of gauges and gizmos for assessing parts and setting up and testing assemblies. There are probably few private individuals on the planet with more than a fraction of what is really required to do the whole job "by the book". Look for the old photos of the veritable mountains of gauges and tools used during the building of a SMLE.

About the only original armourers tools from those days, in my possession, are a couple of variations of the brass-bodied trigger-pull spring gauges, the barrel vise-blocks part of the re-barreling "vise and clamp" kit and several of the big, universal, wooden-handled screwdrivers.

[newcastle]

From Peter's Article (Part 2) on the trigger pull off. "First, I want you to run a steel rule or straightedge along the top edge of the trigger-less trigger guard. It must be flat and not warped"

How long must it be flat for?? From forward of the Trigger guard screw or form behind it? and how far back? just to the trigger pivot pin??

[muffett.2008]

I have redone the odd rehardening using Kasenite. But if you have taken more than a thou off the surface, you will begin to experience excessive drag as the sear pushes the bent back.

[newcastle]

I have read Peters articles on triggers and draws repair many times over now and have a multitude of questions:
1. The draws angle is 74 degrees - is this cut to 74 degrees before fitting the patch or chiseled out afterwards? is there a tool that was made for this or was it just chiselled out so it matched the reciever?
2. Why would the cocking piece be pushed away from the bolt and hit the buttsocket? Maybe a bent firing pin?
3. As per post above : From Peter's Article (Part 2) on the trigger pull off. "First, I want you to run a steel rule or straightedge along the top edge of the trigger-less trigger guard. It must be flat and not warped" How long must it be flat for?? From forward of the Trigger guard screw or form behind it? and how far back? just to the trigger pivot pin??

sorry about all the questions there are zero enfield gunsmiths round here and I can't help feeling that I'm biting off more than I can chew and will screw up the rifle.

[Brian Dick]

1. I always cut the angle on the block before I glue it in. Obviously leave it proud so that you can fit it tight by carefully shaving it down with a sharp chisel.
2. The body may be worn out. I doubt it's a bent firing pin but could be wrong. If the bolt runway is oversize, the slop it can create will affect a few things. Check the left hand locking lug to see if the sear is dragging on the bottom side. It'll be a noticeable drag mark.
3. The trigger guard must be flat from front to back. I lay them on a piece of plate glass to check them. It should also lay flat into the inletting in the forend with no "spring" required to start the rear trigger guard screw. Anyone who tells you to bend the trigger guard to adjust the pull-off has no business working LE rifles.

[browningautorifle]

sorry about all the questions there are zero enfield gunsmiths round here and I can't help feeling that I'm biting off more than I can chew and will screw up the rifle.

You can always save the worry and possible errors and just ship it to Brian Dick at BDL Ltd in Edgefield SC. He'll doctor it and return it as good as new. He's available on this site... PM him... https://www.milsurps.com/member.php?u=2818