Is lightening the sear/magazine spring a valid way to lighten trigger pull?

[SDWriter]

I was just wondering if this was ever tried successfully. This spring has to have some effect on trigger pull. Between the two LEs I have, a Lithgow #1 and a '49 #4(F), the #4 seems to have both a heavier spring and a heavier trigger break. I'm basing this spring measurement on the effort required to compress the magazine catch. I'll admit it is possible that this is a geometry issue and not a spring-rate issue. Figured I would ask the more experienced. As I understand it, the springs are interchangeable functionally, between the #1 and the #4. True?

I know it's kind of a weird little spring. I guess you'd call it an extremely bowed leaf spring. If a person wanted to experiment they'd be smart to do it on a spare spring. I suppose material would need to be shaved down along its length somehow. A very small mount at a time.

FYI, I'm using a Huber single-stage trigger in my #4 now, so this is not an immediate concern. I was just curious if it's ever been done.

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[tonyd]

years ago in and old mk3 hunting rifle i took that spring out and gave it as light squeze/ squash in the vise, it made the very slightest of difference but not alot, i found changing the sear engagement angle on the actual cocking piece made a huge difference. if you cock the rifle (on an empty chamber) and look at the cocking piece while slowly pulling the trigger you will see the cocking piece be pushed to the rear, its that extra tension and load from the main spring inside the bolt that makes for a heavy trigger. that makes it very safe as if you decide not to take the shot the mainspring loading will actually re-set the sear back to the original cocked position... so i took the cocking piece off and slowly ground the angle down untill i had a lighter trigger pull but also made sure that it still reset itself. then had a friend polish and harden it for me. to date its one of the best triggers i have had on any lee enfield. i have heard of people cutting down the mainspring but i wouldnt do that as miss fires may be a problem.

[Parashooter]

This topic was discussed thoroughly a few weeks ago at https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=63607

[Brian Dick]

The short answer is "NO".

I ay have mentioned in the past that I have a book here that tells you everything you need to know about working the ORIGINAL 2 stage trigger on an SMLE, No.4/5. It's the big pricey sum of $20 plus postage and chock full of information on working a variety of other commonwealth weapons too. I rest my case and promise not to hold my breath. bdlltd@bellsouth.net

[SDWriter]

Thanks guys. It was just something that occurred to me a few years ago while kicking around ideas on how one might lighten a trigger. I actually bought some spare parts to try, theorizing that the reason one #4 has a light-ish trigger and another, like mine, has a heavy trigger could be random. I just figured that, assuming no special work was done on the rifles, it might just be that the combination of parts grabbed and fitted during production yields different characteristics. One combo is "lucky", one is not.

So I bought some spares and swapping in a new sear, cocking piece, trigger, spring, in various combinations. Nothing was very satisfactory though. Maybe it's because I don't have a large enough sampling of parts. Or have no skill in fitting them correctly.

I also read that the RIGHT way to fix this is by changing the cocking-piece sear engagement angle. Or at least start with a nice stoning to perfect the surface. But I don't have the special tooling to start experimenting with my spare cocking piece.

[Brian Dick]

Read post #4 again. There is no special tooling. Just the knowledge gained by learning how to do it correctly.

[SDWriter]

Read it again?? I'm just seeing your post now for the first time. We must have overlapped our writings.

Okay. I see that there is a book. I'll think about it. For the time being I'm going to give my Huber trigger another chance. I was able to shoot some nice groups with it once upon a time, helped along party by the trigger.

FWIW, I would rather have a service type 2-stage trigger. Heck, I would be happy if it was the same as my Lithgow's crisp 6 to 6.5# break. I'd be tickled. If I could make a wish, I'd want my #4's trigger to have about a 3.5# first stage and break at 5-5.5#. I'd be really happy.

When I was talking about tooling, I was thinking of using something like this Power Custom universal stoning jig. It looks like something that a guy like me could use to at least make sure all the angles are square and the cocking piece doesn't get unintentionally rounded. Wouldn't want that obviously. I suppose there must be cheaper ways to do this if a person's got the experience. I never followed up on this idea. I've gotten to hate buying tools I'll only use once or twice at most.

Power Custom Series 1 Stoning Fixture Guide - MPN: PC-SF

FWIW, I shot these groups below with my #4, a few years back at a local 100 yd range. From a rest and using an old Weaver V4.5 scope. And my SMK handloads. And with the lighter Huber trigger installed. Shows that the rifle has nice potential anyway.

[SDWriter]

I was going to say, that $20 will be going toward the Fulton scope mount. Once it's in my budget.

[Bindi2]

You have a battle rifle not a target rifle. Those groups fall inside the accuracy requirements for a Enfield battle rifle. These rifles can be tweaked a little but this will change a collector Milsurp to a range rifle. I have both with the amount of work to be done for a little gain leave it as is and use it as a battle rifle and compete in service matches with similar rifles. If you want a range rifle buy one already to go. Then work on finding a reload that works in that rifle. The battle rifle will put down any thing at normal hunting distances. Enjoy what you have.

[SDWriter]

You have a battle rifle not a target rifle. Those groups fall inside the accuracy requirements for a Enfield battle rifle. These rifles can be tweaked a little but this will change a collector Milsurp to a range rifle. I have both with the amount of work to be done for a little gain leave it as is and use it as a battle rifle and compete in service matches with similar rifles. If you want a range rifle buy one already to go. Then work on finding a reload that works in that rifle. The battle rifle will put down any thing at normal hunting distances. Enjoy what you have.

You consider a 6# trigger a range-rifle trigger? I don't go to ranges anymore anyway. Just out to the desert east of my town. And the issue trigger is a 5-minute retro-fit, if that. My other questions were purely hypothetical, in case it wasn't apparent.

And I don't need another load. 1.5 MOA is fine in my book. I stopped experimenting with loads for this rifle about 15 years ago.