1914 Enfield SMLE No 1 MK III Rifle Learnings This Week!

[Darkemp]

For all C&R lovers and those who may peruse the Classifieds occasionally or just like a good story- the reputation of one of my arms was put into question recenty and somewhat publicly. An individual used what they described as an “impromptu” field gauge to challenge the condition (since I was present I can ascertain the item used was actually a Snap Cap, I have those also for much of my collection) of both the chamber headspace as well as the crown of the barrel.

My rifle was subjected to some humiliation- could it really be a safety issue after all the time and care in the collection? I wanted find out the correct way and never misrepresent the condition as I believed it to be fine so I set out to do just that.

This experience took me on a journey back into the world of the SMLE that I had long since forgotten - I bought this one in 2011 and recall clearly that I had shot it then quite accurately (No Mad Minute) but it was accurate as expected and perfectly functional. Could it have degraded over the last 12 years in a climate and humidity controlled environment?

My searchings led me to recall the correct process to determine whether safe to fire- a set of .303 British gauges- available in GO, NO GO, and FIELD. I then relearned that traditionally the FIELD gauge was most useful, as it would definitely prove whether the headspace was safe.

Luckily there exists a company, Forster Products, who produces exactly that- a professional .303 British FIELD HEADSPACE gauge. My credit card was a flutter and before I knew it I had an order confirmation!

Tonight that gauge arrived and out from a safe came the old English girl- I carefully retracted the bolt, slid the gauge into the chamber as directed. Curiosity overwhelmed me as I attempted to close the bolt- and guess what- it wouldn’t close on the FIELD Gauge.

Next I used an old approach on the muzzle- simply drop a 174gr .303 round head first into the muzzle- not as scientific but nor did it swallow the jacketed area which is a good thing. Also- the barrel as I recalled better after rereading my 2011 thread here was part of the FTR rearsenal and not 1914 original, makes sense that it would be and likely why it’s well preserved.

New to Me C&R Goodness!

Now I'm on page 2 of my bound book... Top: 1914 Enfield SMLE No.1 Mk.III FTR marked. Picked this up Saturday at the Frederick show, got most of the cosmo out already. Bore, metal, and wood all in very good condition. All numbers matching. Bottom: 1945 Izhevsk M44 which I got from my...

www.mdshooters.com

I got a laugh out of all of this- hopefully if you ever experience similar you do the same as I did and don’t take the word of someone with an “improvised” tool, but seek out the correct answer for yourselves.

Hope you enjoyed and Cheers.

 

[303_enfield]

Can't tell from the pic. Did you remove the extractor? Or just place the field gauge under it?

 

[Darkemp]

Under it.

 

[303_enfield]

Need to remove it. Unless the gauge has the clearance cut or the directions have changed.

 

[303_enfield]

Biggest problem is you using a SAAMI gauge. SAAMI is 0.004" smaller than the standard British Military spec Field gauge, 0.074"

Read this:

Milsurps Knowledge Library - Headspace 101 for .303's

Headspace 101 for .303's

www.milsurps.com

 

[Darkemp]

Biggest problem is you using a SAAMI gauge. SAAMI is 0.004" smaller than the standard British Military spec Field gauge, 0.074"

Read this:

Milsurps Knowledge Library - Headspace 101 for .303's

Headspace 101 for .303's

www.milsurps.com

Yes that is true. I’m just refreshing a lot of memory on this one, maybe learning some new as well. I appreciate the insight- it’s not my wheelhouse for sure, but I also wouldn’t want to have an unsafe rifle out there deemed as safe to operate. Any second hand firearm should be inspected by a competent gunsmith before use.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Something else that is interesting about the SMLE is that the foresight is approximately .015 left to account for the vibrations set upon the barrel when firing.
If you look at it closely at it you can see it by eye.
Another is that because there is no opposed locking bolt arrangement at the breech the distance from bolt face to barrel tenon is reduced significantly increasing rate of fire by way of less bolt travel while increasing dependability at the same time.
The British turn bolt rifles probably have more R&d attributed to them than very many other rifle systems I can think of hands down.

 

[Melnic]

Forgot which is bigger but all 3 of my Brit rifles will not close on the NOGO but will close on the field and Go, my gauges are the little disks with the extractor cut out.

Only issues I ever had was reloading using Remington cases as they split after about 3-5 reloading if I full sized them. The PPU were fine and so far never split now that I neck size

Brit guns I recall on average had more space in them for dealing with the mud. Edit: so it says in the link above


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[Clovis]

I'm no expert, but when I check headspace on a Lee the extractor comes off and the firing pin is removed. Then the bolt can go forward gently and not have any potential misreading of the results. But that's just how I like to do it.

 

[mawkie]

I'm no expert, but when I check headspace on a Lee the extractor comes off and the firing pin is removed. Then the bolt can go forward gently and not have any potential misreading of the results. But that's just how I like to do it.

Ditto here. Worth the effort.

 

[BFMIN]

I bought a set of the old "Okie" Gauges before he passed. They are the coin type with the central hole & extractor cut so I don't need to detail strip the bolt, just keep the trigger pulled when gauging.
As for the confusion about "headspace" & the Greybeards DIY gauge tricks like tape & other stuff it breaks into 2 parts IMO.

Part 1: Britspeak to 'Murican.
The British didn't use "GO", "NO GO" & "FIELD". Instead they had "Too short",(0.064") & "Too long", (0.074"). To confuse the unwary they also added a "War Expedient Emergency" setting of 0.080". In use the "Too short", (0.064") was only used when re-barreling. If it failed gauge the bolt head was changed until it passed & then fitted for clocking & Firing pin protrusion. The Too Long was used to check for damage or excessive wear in use. The "War Expedient Emergency" setting of 0.080" was corrected or DP'd as they came in after the war was over.

Part 2: SAAMI: They set up their own GO (0.064"), NO GO (0.067"), & FIELD (0.070"). Basically taking the "Too Short" as is, adding the 0.067" NO Go, & using a different 0.070 "Field". Because of that many perfectly good rifles that would pass a 0.074" Too Long, will fail with an 0.070 "FIELD"!

Codicil.
"Other Gauges"
The ONLY thing that matters is the measurements, the naming is a convenience exclusively. Because of this it has been noted the Moisin Nagant 0.074' gauge (which is NOT called a "Field") can be safely & accurately used as a field expedient "Field Gauge" because the 2 rounds share a common rim diameter & 0.074" is 0.074"!
IF the foster "Field" runs 0.074" its GTG it uses the original Brit "MOD WOPS #9" spec use it in good health, if its "Field" runs 0.070" proceed with caution.

Regarding the serialized receiver:
Originally the barrel was the "Master Component" because of that a rifle when re-barreled would have the receiver matched (dare I say "Force matched") to the new barrel. That was changed at some early point I forget the exact date, to the "Action Body" (receiver) became the "Master Component". Whichever way the "Action Body" (receiver) was never replaced, if it failed Gauge it was DP'd or Z'd & scrapped.