No1 MK III barrel alignment

[Jsne]

Hi guys

The barrel on my No1 MKIII are overtightned 1,5- 2 degree.
I shows up the way that the front sight is a little to the left in the nosecap.

I want to correct it. but only have No4 data. Barrel thread TPI 12. Hand tightned to 18 degree before TDC. Is that the same for the No1?

Is it possible that the barrel actually are overtightned and could bee turn'd back 1,5- 2 degree?
The headspace are tight at 0.064. so i should still be into spec. because 1,5-2 degree is only
1or2 0.001.

Will I could correct the issue that way? or will the fit of the barrel be too loose?

I am able to make tool that will aloud me to controll the proces so the barrel only turn back just the degree i Want.

Or have you guys other advice to correct it.

The riffle is a LSA 1915 MK 111 (no star) new Barrel in 1933.

JSNE

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]

First question is this. Have you ever done this before? And the next question is would it hurt you financially if you damaged the barrel or the body - or both?

[mrclark303]

My advice jsne, would be to stop and (please forgive me if you are one) consult a gunsmith, preferably someone with experience of Enfields.

[tbonesmith]

You may want to make sure that its the barrel timing that's out. It could be that the nose cap isn't perfectly "level", or the foresight band/ block could be less than perfectly machined, or the key for this block not perfectly machined in the barrel.
To adjust the barrel timing will also adjust the rear sight timing, and that is a much more important visual reference for shooting, as through the rear sight you cant see the foresight block.
This is just my 2c, but if the rear sight is timed right, and the foresight block is not actually touching the foresight protector/nose cap, and the foresight can be zeroed, I'd leave it alone. Otherwise you may be opening a can of worms....

[Jsne]

Thanks
I am sure it is overtightned a little
If i put a steel ruler under the receiver
And ajust it in vater. Then the chargerbrige
Is also in vater. Them I look from behind I Can
See that both sight is sligtly Ofset to the left.
But Like Peter Said I Will be werry sat if i ruin the riffle
So i Think I leave it as it is.
After all. The riffle shoot allright
And it is only cosmetic

Thanks for you advice

Jsne

[tbonesmith]

Hi Gents,

Just following on from this, I rebarrelled a H barrelled SMLE rifle today, and on assembly found the foresight block about 1mm off to the left. It wasn't touching the foresight protector/forend cap, but it looked a bit off, so I thought...' I must have got the timing off a bit, I'll just turn it back a couple of degrees..." so disassembled, and back in the vice, and rechecking everything, the timing of the barrel is correct... So what is the culprit in this case???

Have a look at the location of the key-way in the foresight block, its off centre by about half a mm, putting the block off centre by about 1mm. It won't affect performance, and there's plently of range on the windage adjustment, but not actually simply rectifiable by undoing the barrel, and not a problem of barrel timing in the first place.

[Homer]

Yep, that's how they are mate. I read the reason for that somewhere but forgotten now. Someone will tell us.

[Evanguy]

yeah my BSA commercial rifle looks the same as those last pics, its off to one side, the left. the rifle shoots great but looks a little off, i thought it was just a little twist in the wood causing the nose cap to be canted one direction, but it easily could be the machining on the wood for the nose cap it self. or a combo of a few things all working together to make a mm or two at the end of a 25" barrel

and if the barrel is over tightened, the threads may be torqued past their yield point, which may be unsafe or it may be fine in this case, im not sure [building motors it wouldn't be safe.] if it wasn't TTY you may need a little 0,001" or 0,002" shim to make up the space

[Peter Laidler]

Breeching up No1's, 4's and 5's I say experience has taught Armourers since the 1900's and certainly since the advent of the No4's, to ignore the gauges and put your trust in the flat plate glass method. That way you don't trust or accept any pre ordained marks, flats etc etc as gospel. As for breeching up against factory set datum lines........ What a farce that is! Just my view based on nothing more than having done one or two

[jmoore]

Yep, that's how they are mate. I read the reason for that somewhere but forgotten now. Someone will tell us.

I don't know the exact reason why but it's not unique to SMLEs. The French did the same with their front sight blocks:



Sorry for the old cruddy photo!


Berthier carbine in this case. No front sight protector to make it look really weird unless you look closely. Offset is roughly 0.090"