SMLE and No4 body wear??

[tbonesmith]

Howdy all, today I was finishing off a No1 I'd been tidying up, and after replacing the cocking piece with a different one (to correct the trigger pull) I noticed that the new cocking piece lightly makes contact with the bottom of the receiver just forward of the top of the butt.
ie the flat on the bottom of the receiver at the very back.
I went through some of my other rifles, and the No4T I've been rebuilding does it too, as does a very thoroughly used Ishy No2Mk4 .22 trainer.
I cant imagine it being correctable, the No4T even has a brand spanking new bolt body.
Any thoughts on the significance of the issue??

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[Peter Laidler]

Just one first thought TBone............ Why replace a cocking piece to alter the pull-off weights or function? The pull-off weight can be adjusted by carefully stoning the sear face of the cocking piece and the crisp pull-offs by stoning the trigger bents.

If the bottom of the sear it touching the sear entry point in the body, then it indicates a worn body to me. HOWEVER, if the body is so worn as to allow the left side (the small) locking lug to droop and foul the nose of the sear as it's being pushed forwards, then that indicates severe wear. On the other hand, it could also indicate a slightly bent striker that will cause the front face of the sear to 'nose-down' slightly.

I know that some bodgers or butchers or those known as bubbas will bend the striker to get the pull off correct. Others bend the trigger guard. DO NOT DO THIS. IT IS SHEER BUTCHERY

Some of you with L42's may notice that in order to overcome some slight body wear and in order for the left hand bolt lug to clear the sear, a sliver of metal has been ground off the top of the radius and you'll see a slight flat area

[tbonesmith]

I had had the issue of the small locking lug fouling the nose of the sear, only just so I could feel it touch as the bolt was thrust forward, but I looked at the sear and it was bent up, as were a few more in my spares (all off range rifles), but I found one that didn't foul and that was straight. With the cocking piece I had on it the trigger was 2 stage but the second stage was a bit too light, so instead of stoning the cocking piece, I just chose another one that hadn't been ground/stoned so far and the pull off was pretty good, so I just left it at that.
The only issue now is that light contact with the receiver as mentioned. If it's no big deal, I won't worry about it, as I said it's very light contact, and a 1918 rifle that's had some solid use.

Oh, and I'll check the striker for straightness.

[Peter Laidler]

Sears are VERY hard TBone and others. As a rule that won't stand any bending whatsoever and will crack/break before they bend. Make sure you ckeck them against a known good one

[Beerhunter]

The pull-off weight can be adjusted by carefully stoning the sear face of the cocking piece and the crisp pull-offs by stoning the trigger bents

On this subject my SMLE often has an almost hair trigger. I suppose that stoning the bent only helps with heavy triggers?

[Peter Laidler]

What do you mean by hair trigger. 'Hair' as in pull-off weight' or 'hair' as in just touch it and it's off? Not quite the same thing.