+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: My apprenticeship in learning from case separation to fixing a chambering problem

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Legacy Member boltcarrier's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Last On
    08-15-2021 @ 11:03 AM
    Location
    Vancouver, Canada
    Posts
    25
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:34 AM

    My apprenticeship in learning from case separation to fixing a chambering problem

    Thanks to all those provided helpful comments which really was the reason why I was able to solve my problem with my Lee Enfield's difficulty in chambering


    it was a journey from first a problem with case separation and then I can't put a cartridge into the chamber.





    once again, appreciate all those who are willing to share their experience so that I can shoot with this gun again.
    Information
    Warning: This is a relatively older thread
    This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

  2. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #2
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    martins8589's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Last On
    03-12-2024 @ 07:57 PM
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    127
    Local Date
    03-29-2024
    Local Time
    02:34 AM
    Maybe you should buy a ruptured case extractor. Easy google search.

  4. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  5. #3
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 11:07 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,838
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:34 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by martins8589 View Post
    Maybe you should buy a ruptured case extractor. Easy google search.
    Even easier is the original thread so you can see what was talked about... https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=73400
    Regards, Jim

  6. #4
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Last On
    Today @ 11:11 AM
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,517
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 AM
    did you say 120 grit plumbers sandpaper in the chamber!?
    You should be polishing...not grinding. The way you are grinding away at a single spot is likely to ruin the rifle's chamber concentricity.
    Here is my polishing stick...notch in the end with a slip of emery paper in it...middle of paper in the notch. You can use two slips of emery paper back to back, then roll the rod on the table. This creates a gentle flapper. Put it in a drill and spin it in the chamber for GENTLE and EVEN polishing. Start with 400 grit or higher depending on how bad/rusted/chiseled your chamber is, and work your way up.
    Attachment 115699
    https://www.amazon.com/LANHU-Sandpap.../dp/B0736S5TSD

    https://www.amazon.com/Research-0740.../dp/B00DB8D73A
    They also make it in 800 grit.

  7. #5
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 11:07 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,838
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    08:34 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by ssgross View Post
    You should be polishing...not grinding.
    Too late.
    Regards, Jim

  8. #6
    Advisory Panel Brian Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 10:55 AM
    Location
    Edgefield, SC USA
    Posts
    4,039
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 AM
    A harsh lesson about sticking sharp tools into the chamber of any rifle. Once you score the chamber, you will have big time extraction problems. Anyone who reloads for the .303 Britishicon, please, please spend the $25 on a military broken case extractor for your tool box. It will make these type problems nonexistent.

  9. Thank You to Brian Dick For This Useful Post:


  10. #7
    Contributing Member ssgross's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2020
    Last On
    Today @ 11:11 AM
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    1,517
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by browningautorifleicon View Post
    Too late.
    I think we said it in time in the previous thread. I'm one of "those people" who insist on leaving things better than I find them...which I suppose includes threads like these.

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Dickicon View Post
    please, please spend the $25 on a military broken case extractor for your tool box. It will make these type problems nonexistent.
    I didn't have one, but ordered one shortly after OP's original thread, along with a neck sizing die and more brass...Until now I only had 40 cases I from the 2 boxes of ammo I bought with my first enfield about a year ago. Fired and full length sized 5 times with very mild loads. Still, these threads confirmed it's only a matter of time.

  11. #8
    Contributing Member CINDERS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Last On
    03-25-2024 @ 11:01 AM
    Location
    South West Western Australia
    Posts
    7,734
    Real Name
    CINDERS
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 PM
    There was another expedient way to get the case out but frowned upon and that's to stove pipe a loaded round up there it wont eject the whole shebang but you can remove the bolt with all the bits hanging off the end. I carry 2 x 303 BCE's in my kit but could do up a dummy round with a heavy crimp to see it it worked if I ever suffer another H/S. The good old case inspections with the edge wire inside to feel the insipient crack developing or just a really close look at your cases after the first firing you'll get the gist of exactly how good your chamber is. I had a No1 MkIII that toasted shells at the first firing ditch that barrel and had a NOS put in by a WWII armourer not long afterwards we were robbed and lost that rifle and a Parker Hale 22/250 never recovered either of them.......

  12. #9
    Contributing Member fjruple's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Last On
    10-29-2023 @ 04:38 AM
    Location
    New Jersey, USA
    Posts
    1,021
    Real Name
    Franklin Ruple
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 AM
    I believe you probably only made the problem worse. First off the barrel chamber was a bit oversized to begin with. which is typical for the Lee Enfield. This fact may have contributed to the rupture case to begin with. Marring the chamber while trying to take out the ruptured case probably made the barrel toast. I would probably use a .303 Britishicon chamber finishing reamer to lightly hit any "high" spots in the chamber wall. I would then braze a fired .303 British case to a piece of drill rod. I have use this setup with some jewelers rouge and cutting oil to lightly polish the chamber on a slow moving drill. The idea is to keep the chamber concentric otherwise you will increase the extraction problem. Worse yet if that does not work you will have to replace the barrel at greater cost. Some of the other members here can probably tell you what your cost will be. It would have been cheaper and a lot easier to buy a ruptured cartridge extractor.
    Last edited by fjruple; 03-12-2021 at 08:29 AM.

  13. #10
    Advisory Panel Brian Dick's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 10:55 AM
    Location
    Edgefield, SC USA
    Posts
    4,039
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    11:34 AM
    I remember pushing a batch or brass one time too many in my youth. Every head popped off from a 50 round case guard box while at the public range in Volusia County, FL. I had an old timer, (me now!), come over to lecture about bad headspace and I bit my tongue and drove on ignoring him as best as I could extracting every broken case between shots. Fortunately, I had a military broken case extractor after reading up on the LE and all of it’s “supposed” problems so no damage was done.

    Finding original No.4 barrels now in good shape is a real problem.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Case Head Separation--Curious
    By Skip in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 02-19-2013, 09:21 AM
  2. Case Head Separation Incident Anyone ? ? ?
    By Jocko in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 03-01-2010, 02:17 AM
  3. M1 Case Separation
    By Pattern14 in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 02-23-2010, 06:44 PM
  4. reloading 303 british and case separation
    By Leeroy151 in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 07-28-2009, 08:32 PM
  5. 91 Mauser chambering problem
    By dogtag in forum Ammunition and Reloading for Old Milsurps
    Replies: 19
    Last Post: 07-01-2009, 08:59 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks