Inner Band Problem on my No.1 MK.3

[greggordon52]

On a No1 it will be on the 'outside' of the wood near the nose-piece.


Instruction to Armourers

17. Each rifle must invariably be used with the breech bolt bearing the rifle number, otherwise the
lugs may not bear evenly, and the rifle may fire to the right or left; the distance from the bolt to the
end of the chamber may also be affected. When, owing to loss or damage, it becomes necessary to fit
another bolt to a rifle, the rifle should be fired for accuracy on the range. The fore-end and nose-cap
are also fitted and numbered to the rifle. Accuracy tests must always be carried out when either or both
of these components are exchanged.

18. When spare bolts, sight leaves, fore-ends and nose-caps are fitted to rifles, they will be marked
with the body number. When fitting a spare barrel with body, the whole of the components before
mentioned will be re-marked with the new body number.

Your theory is correct. There IS a serial number vaguely stamped near the nose-cap and it does not match my bolt and receiver. That leaves the question of whether or not I should make the recess for the inner band spring deeper...the thought scares me a bit.

[Alan de Enfield]

Your theory is correct. There IS a serial number vaguely stamped near the nose-cap and it does not match my bolt and receiver. That leaves the question of whether or not I should make the recess for the inner band spring deeper...the thought scares me a bit.

It would appear then to be a civilian repair / rebuild and would seem that the forend was not fitted correctly - if you are happy with its performance leave it 'as is', if not, then, if you are confident with 'wood working', you can try and fit it correctly.

I had one forend that was quite warped which made assembly difficult, have a look at the 'straightness' in all planes before starting to hack bits out of it.

Woodwork is now becoming in seriously short supply (and expensive) so 'think thrice, measure twice and cut once'.

Good luck.

[5thBatt]

Where are you putting the spring? It goes in on the underside of the forend, sounds to me you are inserting it in from the top so the inner band screw base is sitting on top of it, that will cause it not to sit correctly.

[blurrededge]

That inner band has to sit just so in its recess in the forend, if not the barrel will be an inch high.off the wood and the nosecap will never fit, it can take quite a bit of jiggling sometimes to get that inner band sitting right, and watch you don't mess up the draws at the other end of the forend while you dealing with that inner band.

[greggordon52]

Where are you putting the spring? It goes in on the underside of the forend, sounds to me you are inserting it in from the top so the inner band screw base is sitting on top of it, that will cause it not to sit correctly.

Good guess! I was trying to put it between the forend and the barrel...and what's more, I found an old spring, buried in crud where it should be, while I was exploring the recess and thinking about cutting out wood. I put in the new spring and washer because the old one was practically flat. The forend and barrel now go together.

I am left wondering how tight to make the inner band screw....

And thanks to all who helped.