Clip loading the Lee Enfield?

[Havenot]

I've got three of the Enfield pattern guns(excepting a US M1917)...and of the three my old crusty SSA SHTLE 1918 is the only one that will load properly with stripper clips. I mean it loads fine...like it's supposed to.

My No.4 Mk.I and No.5 carbine load awful with clips! Almost always get rims interlocked wrong and I do know how to stagger the cartridge rims, plus have tried a couple suggested techniques of manipulating the top cartridge as you cram them in...no good on these two muskets They want to be top-loaded one by one. Take the same cartridges and put them back in the same clips and they will zip right into the SSA No.1 Mk.III* in perfect order like every time!

There must be some magazine tuning or tweeking issue I'm neglecting on the No.4 and No.5 Lee Enfields. They feed cartridges fine once loaded by hand. Mag boxes themselves appear good/serviceable with no obvious defects(to speak of). The issue has stumped me for years.

Are there and tips or suggestions on the tuning of magazines for proper clip-loading?

Thanx HT

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[55recce]

chargers not stripper clips, the outer and middle cartridges need to be rims down and rounds 2 and 4 rims up

[Havenot]

Yep done that...many many times...properly staggered cartridges make no difference on the non-charger loading guns

[Bindi2]

Use the left thumb as close as possible to the charger push down vigorously .

[CINDERS]

If you time it just as you feel the last round leave the charger clip move the thumb pressing on the top cartidge forward just a smidge it takes allot of practice but once you've done it allot it becomes just natural it stops the rim locking event, we also tried loading the cartridges in another way which seemed to work I never tried it doing it as I always loaded mine the accepted way.

Others loaded them like this; ///// try it and see what you can do, also go through your charger clips and find the easy ones that the rounds slide out of easier.

[22SqnRAE]

Here is an interesting YT piece by that jovial fellow, Bloke on the Range.

Like him or not, know him or not, he's knowledgeable and more often than not, got a strong point to argue.

I'll let you be the judge...

[Havenot]

Hmmm...the video gives me hope....I have not used common wealth ammo since the 7.7mm South African stuff ran dry. Been using mostly Remington ball .303....maybe I got rim 'chamfer' issues?

I do think I have some Pakistani ball around here somewhere(yeh..I know all about that smoky nasty no bang slow bang stuff). Perhaps it is an American with American ammo and a British rifle problem!

We shall see....thinking about it I've had 'rim-loc' issues with about every sort of .303 ammo(with the exception of the 1918 short Lee Enfield which seems immune)....maybe I need practice....maybe I need technique....

Thanx guys...I got ideas to work with

[Alan de Enfield]

Hmmm...the video gives me hope....I have not used common wealth ammo since the 7.7mm South African stuff ran dry. Been using mostly Remington ball .303....maybe I got rim 'chamfer' issues?

I do think I have some Pakistani ball around here somewhere(yeh..I know all about that smoky nasty no bang slow bang stuff). Perhaps it is an American with American ammo and a British rifle problem!

We shall see....thinking about it I've had 'rim-loc' issues with about every sort of .303 ammo(with the exception of the 1918 short Lee Enfield which seems immune)....maybe I need practice....maybe I need technique....

Thanx guys...I got ideas to work with

Have you tried the No5 mag in the No4, and vice-versa ?

Can you borrow / beg / steal another mag and try that ?

[browningautorifle]

maybe I need practice....maybe I need technique....

Honestly? That would be likely the biggest thing. I knew guys in the army that couldn't do it worth a damm because they just didn't practice. If you get at and work until your hands are sore a few times you'll get it down. All of it... Then do it when you go to the range just to keep practice. Yes, I've had rim lock but not much.

[Strangely Brown]

Here is an interesting YT piece by that jovial fellow, Bloke on the Range.

Like him or not, know him or not, he's knowledgeable and more often than not, got a strong point to argue.

That would be Mike Burns; interesting, jovial and a first class shot with many of the worlds service rifles, also a winner of the NRA Historic Enfield match at Bisley.