No4 Mk1 T Rebuild

[Peter Laidler]

They have/had a bog standard G1 Ordnance prefix indicating that they were commercial ironmongery/hardware. Not a lot of good to the layman, I know but they were just steel or brass No8 (or were they No10) countersunk woodworking screws, 1.5" and 1.25" lengths.

I don't know where to get them but they must be available. Just so long as you don't get them off that person on that site! Some really old hardware shops will have boxes of them tucked away for the real cabinet makers that need these things....... Hey, what about antique restorers (in yellow pages under 'antique restorers') as that's where I got some of that old boil-in-the-pot hot animal glue when I needed some.

As a matter of interest, the hinges, hasps and staples for the No15 chest also had G1 part numbers for repairs etc, indicating their commercial origins too.

[tbonesmith]

I think the issue is that the anti rotation screw is slightly bent as it comes out of the housing. so as it locates in the bracket it rotates the scope in the bracket a bit. Can this screw be screwed in or srewed out 1/4 turn without adversely effecting anything, so the small bend is in the vertical plane rather than the horizontal plane, and therefore of no influence?

[Baal]

Peter,

Have you come across a UK source for the correct screws? I've searched just about every old-fashioned ironmonger in the south-east, without much luck.

If you're willing to use brass screws, Lee valley Tools sells the proper type.

[Roger Payne]

If you're willing to use brass screws, Lee valley Tools sells the proper type.

Screws are No8's; countersunk flat heads. I gather although brass was approved I've only ever seen steel on 4T's (unless obviously replacements) although brass seem to be the norm on Lithgows. 1.25" at front & 1.5" at the rear.

The antirotation peg is in fact just a 4BA grub screw. You could take it out & replace it, making a replacement by turning the head off a cheesehead 4BA screw & trimming to length. I have done this on numerous occasions. However, don't forget to remove the locking pin before you try to unscrew the peg (screw)!

ATB

[Peter Laidler]

That anti rotation screw is screwed in and horizontally pinned too. If I wasn't an Armourer, I'd just knock it over with a small hammer and brass drift until it looked sort of straight. In fact, being an Armourer and if it was affecting my rifle, I'd just use a slightly bigger hammer and brass drift and knock it over!

Don't worry about destroying anything delicate inside TBone. They are parachute container droppable so a slight drifting over won't do any harm I shouldn't suppose

[Roger Payne]

That anti rotation screw is screwed in and horizontally pinned too. If I wasn't an Armourer, I'd just knock it over with a small hammer and brass drift until it looked sort of straight. In fact, being an Armourer and if it was affecting my rifle, I'd just use a slightly bigger hammer and brass drift and knock it over!

Don't worry about destroying anything delicate inside TBone. They are parachute container droppable so a slight drifting over won't do any harm I shouldn't suppose

Thanks Peter. IIRC they're (the antirotation peg locking pins) all horizontal except those on the early Watsons. Aren't they vertical??

ATVBDRP

[grant580]

Peter,

Have you come across a UK source for the correct screws? I've searched just about every old-fashioned ironmonger in the south-east, without much luck.

Thunderbox, there is an outfit called Spaenaur in Southern Ontario that sells every possible screw there is and their catalog shows the proper screws for the cheek pieces. Their phone number is 1-800-265-8772. Spaenaur may have a minumum order amount however and think it's a minimum of $25.00 but on my first order they waived that.

Also if anyone is having a hard time finding a cheek piece for their rifle Enfield Rifle PM me and I can give you an email address of a fellow who is reproducing them

[tbonesmith]

Well this nearly had me buggered, and nearly had me stuff up my bracket! It was very fortunate that I was being very anal about the little issue of my scope canting or I never would have picked up the real and very simple problem.
In order to stop the scope from canting in the bracket I decided after consultation to file down one side of the anti rotation screw, so it could sit over one side a bit more in its recess in the mount. As I did the problem of canting rectified itself, but then reappeared when I pulled the scope out and replaced it in the cradles. It was not immediately obvious as the scope is quite a firm fit in the cradles, but the scope was rocking on the anti rotation screw bottoming out on the bottom of the recess in the mount. I measured the depth vs the protrusion and there it was, the recess was a mil or so too shallow for the anti rotation screw. So a light bit of fitting with a needle file, rings/caps back on, collimator in the muzzle, 2 inches of adjustment on the telescope(at 100m or yards??) and I'm collimated!
I'll verify this on the range, then re zero the drums, no wonder I had no chance with this scope/bracket, I'm very glad I picked this up before and damage was done... A little win for me!

[tbonesmith]

Range test yesterday, and once again I'm very frustrated. The rifle grouped alright first and was zero'd, but then I noticed the thumb screws were not so tight, I tightened them and I'm off the page again. CURSES!! So back tot the drawing board. I'll try putting a very fine shim washer in the front bracket mount to align it all better. Still, we'll get there... one day.

[tbonesmith]

Today I did a little calculation and determined that I need a washer .66mm thick in the front pad between the pad and bracket to get the telescope and rifle to collimate. So I turned one up on my lathe and fitted it.
It worked perfectly to collimate the scope with zero wind on the wind drum, with both thumb screws tight.
I'm sure there is a bit of tension in the bracket/telescope, as when I have the front thumbscrew done up tight, and I do up the rear thumbscrew up, the sight picture changes by a few inches at 100 m into alignment(viewing collimator grid).
Anyway I'm pretty sure it will be reliable for me on the weekend, as I removed and replaced it repeatedly and the same zero repeatedly arose.
If everything seems alright on the weekend (when I shoot a 300m scoped service comp.) and there are no more surprises with the scope/bracket I may use bearing blue and scrapers and files to permanently fit the bracket to this rifle with no washer and also no undue tension. I may also wait until I've put a couple hundred more rounds through it to make doubly sure everything it settled and as it should be before taking a file to anything. We'll see.