Enfield barrel bands don't fit? Mk4# 1 LB

[AGB-1]

I purchased two barrel bands , nose and middle, only to find they won't close enough to get the screw started. Advise? Thanks.

Information

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[nijalninja]

As is always the case with things like this, do you have any pictures? What confuses about what you say is that I assume you managed to bend them out enough to get them into their respective positions, but not enough to fully close them, which sounds odd.

[englishman_ca]

Is this a spiffy brand new wood set that you are installing? The factory replacements came with a little extra thickness in the band slots to allow one to fit the bands snug to the rifle. You may need to do some careful filing of the wood.

[Brian Dick]

The woodwork needs to be fitted correctly. It doesn't just "drop on", especially if it's new old stock.

[Mk VII]

Sometimes a stamped band will fit better than a milled one, or vice versa.

[AGB-1]

The front band won't close up enough to start the screw. It is a stamped band.

[Brian Dick]

The top of the forend must be filed or planed carefully, a little bit at a time until the handguards are lowered and the bands will fit. I hate to be a broken record here but i have copies of a 1943 Canadian Ordnance Corps "Extracts from Instructions of Armourer's" available here that is a wealth of information. The wood fitting and other rifle servicing info is for the SMLE but the principles are the same. If you really want to work these weapons, buy a copy. They're the big pricey sum of $20 plus postage and 152 pages covering much more than just the rifles. Get them while I have them because when they're gone, I won't be printing any more.

[AGB-1]

Thanks for the information.

[Peter Laidler]

It's called hand fitting together with in depth knowledge, taught to real Armourers during their 3 year apprenticeship.

As a matter of interest, when we came across this, espacially with new-fit woodwork you don't remove wood from where the sling loop or ban fits. The just thins down the bit where the band fits. You take wood from both sides of the underside of the handguard

[browningautorifle]

You take wood from both sides of the underside of the handguard

And not that much either...