Now there's an enfield tool ya don't see every day

[RJW NZ]

Armourers tool | Trade Me

Its some kind of receiver and barrel alignment tool.

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[Badger]

Saved information here from sale for posterity and future research by members ...

Armourers tool

Start price: $200.00
No reserve No reserve
Closes: Mon 1 Aug, 8:07 pm
Listing #: 394622855

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this tool allows barrel and action alignment to be checked when new barrels are fitted to Lee Enfield Rifles,this is the only one of these i have ever seen for sale,would make a good'' what the hell is that for''item for display in your gunroom.I have now included a pic i have found from a UK site of an earlier tool, this uses a bar with 2 right angle ends , instead of the pointer on this tool which is far more accurate, would be keen to hear from anyone with a similar tool.

[browningautorifle]

I'd love to hear what Mr Laidler has to say about this implement...

[Peter Laidler]

There were a couple of different variations of it and this is a strange one. Strange or not, same meat, different gravy as they say. Each large workshop had one issued as part of the AinU account. That means that it's issued because the rules say it'll be issued - a bit like some of the other special tools. Special but useless............ so they stayed in the tool cupboard and were checked over every year during the annual audit check.

The trouble with the alignment gauge was that it could accurately check the alignment but it didn't SET the alignment, the Armourer set the alignment and used the gauge to check it after using the breeching up kit etc etc.

The PROBLEM was that it relied on the breeching up flat on the knox form to be accurately aligned with the upright position of the foresight block band. And very often, once you had aligned the knox form up, the foresight and protectors were visibly lop sided or canted! Everyone got to know about this and in short order, you got to learn to use the glass plate or surface plate to align the barrel with the body. No8 rifles were notoriously bad where the foresight block was attached but when the muzzle was bare, it didn't matter much. No5's caused problems too but they'd often come through with dinged foresight protectors.

Good in practice but flawed in concept. I'd say that it was a bit like the L1A1 rifle extractor plunger tool. Good idea but did nothing that you couldn't do with a nail or an old firing pin. Probably worth having in a collection but totally rubbish

You must remember some of these 'special' toold Tankie, Skippy and Son. We called the SPECIAL TOOL LOCKER the STUPID FOOL LOCKER. Happy days!