Unknown cocking piece modification

[englishman_ca]

Check out the Sht.LE cocking piece in the pics. I know that the other two are from a MLM Mk.I and a MLM Mk.II, but what the heck is going on with the one with the cutouts?

The cut out on the left hand side seems to sit right about where the locking bolt would be at half cock. Why or what for I have no clue.

The mystery cocking piece has a Sparkbrook factory inspection stamp, which would date it pre 1906 when BSA bought and took over the factory. So it is likely from a Sht.LE Mk.I,
It also has an EFD marking on the other side, which was used up until 1925.

Has anybody seen anything like this before?

Information

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[Lance]

And the answer is........... Skeleton Actions.

MLM and SMLE

[Roger Payne]

Got one in a box somewhere...........& now I know what it's for! Cheers.

ATB.

[englishman_ca]

The knowledge base on this board is second to none. Here I am showing the pics to my friends and associates and nobody had any good idea as to what it was, just wild guesses.

Then I post the pics here and get a positive ID within the hour.

Thank you Lance.

[Peter Laidler]

Ok then all you clever-arses............. Quick quiz. Does anyone know WHY that section is specifically cut away?

[David TS]

So you can lift the bolt or fire it on half cock?

[bcd8238]

The cut away section would be there to show how the small camming lug on the cocking piece engaged the underside of the bolt. To demonstrate the positions of full cock and fired.

[Peter Laidler]

Nearly there chaps. Dave, I think that you mean '......so that you CANNOT lift the bolt or fire it on half cock. It is to show the action of the safety stud on the cocking piece acting on the safety stud on the bolt as the cocking piece stud does one of two things. It;
a) stays locked BEHIND the safety stud of the bolt and prevents the cocking piece from going forwards while the bolt is partially closed (or open......).
B) Shows the action of the safety stud of the cocking piece camming against the safety stud of the bolt and CLOSING the bolt if it strikes it towards its right side. It also shows that if this occurs, then the rifle will still not fire, even if the trigger is still pressed because the closing action of the bolt will deliver a diminished force of blow on the striker against the primer. And ;
C), if the bolt is retained rearwards as in example a), if the bolt is pressed closed. the safety stud of the cocking piece is to the right side of the safety stud of the bolt and therefore locks the bolt DOWN and when the trigger is released, allows the sear to rise into the half-cock bent of the bolt. Locking the bolt in a fail-safe position.

You will be able to see all of these actions with the side of the cocking piece sectioned away. As you all know, in the half cock position, all you can do is to re-cock by hand by drawing the cocking piece rearwards out of engagement with the undercut of the half cock bent of the sear.