How far should I disassemble my Enfield before taking it to the range the 1st time?

[trooper554877]

They are just a very descriptive description of a certain thing aren't they mr Laidler?!!!
it leaves no one in doubt what so ever which bit is being described. Just like hat, light, device stopping!! Know what that one is???

Cheers
Ned

[Peter Laidler]

Me and you would call it a steel helmet Ned! I believe that the King Screw name started in Australia but it certainly wasn't a name we used when I was there.

[trooper554877]

yeah we have a funny tongue down here!!

probably because it is the main screw holding everything in?
so nameth the k..g screw

cheers
Ned

[Brian Dick]

Screws will loosen with the changes of the seasons. The wood is organic and expands and contracts. Tighten up all the screws and get out to the range and have some fun!! When I sell rifles, I always tell the customers to keep the screws tight and enjoy!!

[Rumpelhardt]

I have taken to torquing all the screws in all my firearms. On my Enfields the "SCREW, front trigger guard" is torqued to 50 inch pounds all the rest to 15 inch pounds . I like doing this as it is easy to quickly check the tightness, is easily repeatable and most importantly it makes it so that I am much less likely to mess up a screw.

[Fred G.]

All excellent information everyone. Thanks!!!

[Peter Laidler]

Don't want to continue the thread but had a call from one of the Armourer Sergeants here this morning who's been monitoring this thread (and who hates tinkerers with avengeance.......) who commented on a part of Pat's thread #47 above that illustrates one of the pitfalls of all this tinkering............

When we assemble a No1 or 4 or 5 or 8 rifles or even an L1A1 butt to a rifle, Bren butts and pistol grips the barrel and body under the woodwork (or return spring tube and housing) is liberally lathered in a thick layer of XG279 grease with an old 1" paintbrush. The tinkerers strip the rifle and take off the grease and you're left with steelwork just looking to get damp and go rusty, just as Pat commented on.

If you take the grease off, then slop some more back on

[Brian Dick]

I remember going the extra mile stripping and cleaning a very grungy No.4 rifle right after receiving a 4 Kilo keg of XG279 as a birthday present many years ago. I had hundreds of No.4's here so there was no way I could do them all. I was so happy when it was done. It was one of the first that I'd ever greased up with my new found cache of CORRECT British Army grease. I thought the lucky future buyer would be absolutely amazed that it even smelled correct when I got it all back together, checked and test fired. Then I sold it to a well meaning customer who proceeded to take it apart, clean all the grease off and oil it up to his taste with Break-free or some such crap. He emailed me to tell me how much he liked it and what he'd done. I didn't say a word. Have you ever seen an old para cry?

[Homer]

Brian is that grease the same as what was used pre WW2?

[Peter Laidler]

Pretty much so......... It has great water resisting qualities. Just the thing you need for the barrel and body that's hidden under the woodwork. But alas, the tinkerers always wipe it off. Such is life!