No.1 MkIII Bolt Tab near cocking piece broke

[RobsTV]

While cleaning a No1 MkIII, a tiny piece of cast metal fell into my hand. It came from the Bolt, in the area between the two cocking position grooves. This does not seem to affect anything, and all seems to move properly.

Is this something I can live without, and still properly use the Enfield, or does this mean I need to replace the bolt? How does the broken tab work, or what does it do?

Will post photos if needed.

Thanks

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

It is most probably the cam stud on the top unseen area of the cocking piece. It's part of the mechanical safety and while the rifle might work, it ain't safe. I won't go into the why's and wherefores but you need a new cocking piece not just PDQ but PDFQ!

I could be wrong of course

[RobsTV]

It appears that the portion is part of the bolt, not the cocking piece.

Photo showing cast part of bolt, with piece above.

[Peter Laidler]

Same meat, different gravy but not a bad diagnosis from the description was it? But the bad news is that it means a new bolt because you haven't got a half-cock mechanical safety

Quite what this means in PRACTICE has got me thinking without the benefit of a rifle on my lap..........

One thing it will allow is the striker to go fully forwards with bolt not fully closed - in that it will not allow the bolt to go into the half cock position - but while the cocking piece and striker is going forwards, the cam stud on the cocking piece will go left into the bolt raised position and fail to fire or it'll go right into the bolt lowered 'fire' position and won't fire because of the diminished force of blow onto the primer.

In any case, you need a new bolt! You need to read up about fitting new bolts then when you've fitted the new bolt body to match your rifle.... I'd just sens it so someone who canm do all of the interrelated things that are necessary when fitting a new bolt, CHS, overturn, life etc etc etc......

But now, things are not in the PDFQ theatre or operations but more the PDQ area of time scale!

[RobsTV]

Thanks Peter, I'll do some more reading.

[Simon P]

Ive seen this same problem on a few Long Lees over the years, Ive learnt the hard way, and this is one of the things I check before buying rifles in.

On a recent lee Speed we had in the stud on the cocking piece was failing on the stud of the bolt making the bolt hard to close, the problem was resolved with a replacement cocking piece.

[muffett.2008]

It's time to call in the Contagious Infection crowd, this makes three in two months, I just knew it was catching.
Attachment 34578

[RobsTV]

Prior to original posting I did a search and did not find anything.
Could you point me to other threads where this also occurred?

I like to do everything myself, and as it is, will go into this with the plan of doing it myself.
There are no gunsmiths anywhere in my area.
If I travel outside my area, finding one familiar with Enfield will be a crapshoot.
Already went through this with an original Pattern 1853 3-band and never could find anyone competent.
Plus, after 51 years, I find I can screw things up as good as any professional.
The 3-band came back from far away highly rated gunsmith with a newly bent barrel. And he never could remove breech plug.

Have a lot of very high end machine shop help and tools available and will purchase some things if needed, like special tools and gages, within reason.

But reading, then reading some more, is where I am starting.
This No.1 MkIII made in 1917 is not a collectible, (although it could be for many), but instead an accurate shooter in fairly original fair condition with a great tight bore, that I enjoy shooting very much. I keep a No.4 Mk1 Sniper mostly in the safe as the collectible of the house.

Other fine examples of professionals in my area are, 3 local gun shops had no clue what I was talking about when I asked if they had any 38-40 black powder revolvers to go along with my 1873 Winchester. They all looked like deer in headlights with a blank look on their faces.

[paulseamus]

This link should help you.

http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...0boltheads.pdf

The article is listed under Peter Laidler's online series of articles, listed inthe Lee Enfield stickies at the top of the Lee Enfield Forum.

Here is a link to all of the valuable articles.

Index of Peter Laidler's on-line series of articles.......

WTWIG

Cheers

Paul

[RobsTV]

Thanks, and yep, that link to Peter Laidler's guide is where I am starting (thanks Peter)

A quick question that on the surface sounds like a simple solution.
Can I not simply measure my current bolt and match that up with another the same size, or within a range?
Or will all that be answered with my readings, which I am continuing.

Thanks