Enfield No2 Mk1** light striking primers

[scoobsean]

Hello, I'm new to the forums. I own a Lee Enfield No 4 Mk1 and a No 5 and have just bought a 1943 Albion No2 Mk1** to add to my collection. Upon test firing, every attempt was a light strike on the primer, enough to slightly dent the primer but not fire the round. The firing pin is only just showing through the hole when the trigger is fully depressed. The action seems crisp with a nice fast release of the hammer. Is this likely to be caused by the firing pin being worn too short?

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

You really ought to get a little book called THE ENFIELD No2 REVOLVER by Mark Stamps. But in short and in answer to your querie, I seem to remember that the striker protrusion (the FPP) on the old No2 revolver was the same as the No4 rifle. .040" low, .050" high. It looks like the FPP is too short.

[scoobsean]

Thanks Peter, I have the book but couldn't see the measurements I needed. I will take a look at my No4 bolt and compare.

[scoobsean]

Comparing with both my No4 and No5 bolts, the striker seems to be somewhat shorter just by eyeballing, so that is probably the problem

[scoobsean]

I had the problem looked at and repaired. Worn main spring was the issue

[Peter Laidler]

Did you fit a new one or anneal, harden and re-temper the old? Old apprentices will tell you of the trials and tribulations of doing this spring making/repairing farce. Annealing was OK, hardening was sort-of OK......, quenching in oil until the oil bath was so hot it'd catch fire........ but tempering was a nightmare. Watching for the colour to turn to straw and all that palava......

Nobody told us that the metallurgical colour of 'straw' spanned a whole LOT of degrees. So a bit yellowy straw and the spring suddenly wasn't a spring any more, but a parallel set of tweezers. While a bit more yellowy straw saw the spring snap like cast iron............ Ho, ho, ho...... good times though. I wondered why we couldn't just use a pyrometer and get the EXACT straw colour every time instead of wasting mainsprings.

Sorry to ramble on but late Sunday in warm and bright Oxfordshire

[scoobsean]

I bought it online, sent it back to the seller for repairs and it arrived back fixed. Removing the grips and taking a look inside seems to suggest a new spring, but I don't know for sure as the seller did not say what he had to do to get everything running properly. 100 rounds through it with no issues. I was surprised how accurate it was at short range (10 yards) with very tight groups and the trigger was better than I expected for a DA only.

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest, they were a good, handy little revolver.

[scoobsean]

I really like it and it goes well with my collection

[Peter Laidler]

That Bren is a bit of a hybrid - no? If it's an L4, which it looks like from the body inserts, it really should have a lightweight Mk3 gun butt fitted and Mk2 parallel carrying handle. They're readily available in the US as I understand it. Bipod should be adjustable Mk1 version. But that said........ LUCKY YOU!