1940 Lithgow No1 Mk3 question

[elvis3006]

Recently purchased a Lithgow 1940 No1 Mk3 and noticed that it does not have a two stage trigger pull. When the bolt is not in the rifle you can certainly feel a 2 stage trigger pull, but when the bolt is closed and cocked there is no distinct 2 stage pull. I guess it is operating as a one stage trigger pull. Can anyone explain why. Thank you. Rob

Information

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[Parashooter]

Symptom is typical of trigger mechanism that has been altered by a previous civilian owner. If not too badly molested, 2-stage pull may be restored by reducing height of lower "hump" (AKA "rib") on trigger. Serious damage may require replacing trigger, sear, or/and cocking piece. For much more detail, see https://www.milsurps.com/content.php...-Peter-Laidler)

Assemble rifle without forestock and operate trigger slowly to learn how mechanism works.

[elvis3006]

Thank you for this information, very interesting. Realistically does this modification done by previous owner make the rifle un safe ?

[browningautorifle]

un safe

It would give it possibly a very light trigger.

[CINDERS]

Another malady that can possibly affect the trigger pull is if the trigger guard is not perfectly flat that is part 27 where the magazine goes through the whole top line has to be flat.
I had a similar issue with one of my rifles No 1 MkIII and took it to Doug Barnes in Perth he corrected the malady of the single pull by straightening the trigger guard a few of the ppl on this site will remember Doug who was a top class armourer who did up weapons for the SASR & Police TRG units so sorta knew his stuff.

[elvis3006]

It would give it possibly a very light trigger.

Although it is a single stage pull, it still takes some pressure to squeeze. Certainly not light triggered. Thank you

---------- Post added at 08:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:16 AM ----------

Another malady that can possibly affect the trigger pull is if the trigger guard is not perfectly flat that is part 27 where the magazine goes through the whole top line has to be flat.
I had a similar issue with one of my rifles No 1 MkIII and took it to Doug Barnes in Perth he corrected the malady of the single pull by straightening the trigger guard a few of the ppl on this site will remember Doug who was a top class armourer who did up weapons for the SASR & Police TRG units so sorta knew his stuff.

Thank you for this tip, I will check this out. Regards. Rob

[Roger Payne]

I would certainly endorse dry firing the rifle with the forend removed. If the two stage trigger pull is restored it would suggest to me that it is likely the stocking up (woodwork) that is at fault. If it remains single stage then you will need to look carefully at the component parts that influence the trigger pull. The trigger & guard, as already mentioned, & also the height of the collar, the front edge of the cocking piece, & the sear. The rifle may not have been deliberately 'got at', it may just have had a replacement part installed without proper hand fitting. This problem occurs very readily when trigger guards, cocking pieces & forends have been replaced without due attention to the EMERS/Instructions to Armourers for correct fitting.

[Alan de Enfield]

I would certainly endorse dry firing the rifle with the forend removed. If the two stage trigger pull is restored it would suggest to me that it is likely the stocking up (woodwork) that is at fault. If it remains single stage then you will need to look carefully at the component parts that influence the trigger pull. The trigger & guard, as already mentioned, & also the height of the collar, the the front edge of the cocking piece, & the sear. The rifle may not have been deliberately 'got at', it may just have had a replacement part installed without proper hand fitting. This problem occurs very readily when trigger guards, cocking pieces & forends have been replaced without due attention to the EMERS/Instructions to Armourers for correct fitting.

That is a very good point.

When building up my 'bitsa' it all worked perfectly until I attached the forend when I could not cock the rifle. No matter how much fiddling about with the forend off it worked OK, with it on it wouldn't cock.

I took another forend off my LE 410 shotgun, and fitted it to the 'bitsa' and hoooray - it worked.
I put the 'bitsa' forend onto the shotgun and hoooray - it worked.

Two working LEs.

There was obviously a small slither of wood fouling somewhere in the trigger-group of the 'bitsa' and stopping it cocking - maybe a bit of woodworking could have solved it, but swapping them over made no difference to either rifle / gun and was a quick and simple fix requiring minimal skills.

We should all remember that these rifles were individually hand built using Victorian engineering practices - "keep grinding it down until it fits".
Interchangabilty and mass production were almost unknown concepts when the No1 Mk3 was designed.

[elvis3006]

Forgive my ignorance, but what part is the fore end ? Thank you

[Parashooter]

. . . what part is the fore end ?

The big wooden part fitted under the action and barrel. AKA forestock. Part #66 in the schematic found at post #5 on this thread.