Lee Enfield No 4 thread

[villiers]

I need to re-tap my No 4 rear trigger guard thread (I buggered it while taking the action out .... that´s just about how useless I am .... and how soft the steel must be). Has someone got a tap for sale?

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[Alan de Enfield]

Its 4BA which should be easily available (even in Germany) from engineering or model shops.

[villiers]

Geatly appreciated! Got it from a very helpful Indian gentleman at Tap-Die.com in the UK. Didn´t try to Google Deutschland as is usually totally useless. T`was entirely my fault as I should have inserted the screw before tapping the lugs on a hardwood block to get the action out, but never thought the metal´d be that soft.

[ssj]

It should be that soft?

If its really buggered and that soft for some reason then you can get Helicoils in BA

HeliCoil | HeliCoil Drill Sizes | HeliCoil Drill Chart | HeliCoil Specs | HeliCoil Data | HeliCoil Inserts | HeliCoil Screw Thread Inserts | HeliCoil Thread Repair Kits | HeliCoil Tools | Recoil

[villiers]

I´m almost certain that I´ll be able to repair the thread, The screw´s still ok.

[bombdoc]

Just be thankful it was not an SMLE..

Old Enfield threads are, like those for Singer Sewing machines, unique. Enfield was established before the likes of Joe Whitworth got the urge to standardise things, and they only moved to adopt standard threads for the No 4!

The only remaining Enfield thread in current use is the one on Parker Hale cleaning rods.. it was the thread that was originally on the P45 ramrod! Peter Dyson in Uk used to supply taps & dies for it, but no more! If you have a set - they are now like rocking horse poo!

[Peter Laidler]

Don't worry about Joe Whitworths standardisation Bombdoc! I think Parker Hale also invented their own threads too. They then set about using them intermittently while they were making their micrometer backsights. Alternating them with, well....., anything really! BA, BSW, Acme, butress, Metric. You name it, P-H seem to have used it. That's just my experience while assembling a whole load of PH5 series backsights that were at my sons school CCF after their target No4's were withdrawn several years ago. So dire were they that even with the whole ITDU workshop facilities we couldn't identify some. Eventually I just invbisibly bushed and re threaded to BA.

No wonder they wouldn't supply spare parts, suggesting that you send the sight in for 'specialised' repair! As for those later supposedly alloy bases that seemed to be made from play-doh

Have I digressed enough yet

[CINDERS]

Not that they are related but P&H cranes practically made all the seals and such an odd size so you had to buy genuine.....sound familiar!(I digressed even further but hey that's just me)

[Peter Laidler]

Allen-Oxford were a firm of specialist grass cutter makers (and also make/made GROVE cranes) who also apparently seemingly made their own A-O standard seals and bearings. So said, they are highly collected now (the mowers, not the cranes but you never know.......) but the restorers just machine and bush to fit the standard Timken types. What a palava!

I wonder if the old motorcycle makers used weird bearings and seals? The old Nortons didn't use oil seals. You just kept topping it up!

[villiers]

Scott Stonehill (sstonehill@knology.net) makes practically anything with any type of thread,

and I got the tap (very quickly) from

The Tap & Die Co (UK)

http://www.tapdie.com

A UK company. Very helpful on the `phone.

And, yes. The repair was a complete success. So thanks to all who replied who helped me on my way.

Patrick