No. 4, Mk I

[mikld]

I "re-discovered" an Enfield, No. 4 Mk I dated 1942, that I purchased in the mid eighties. I'm cleaning it up and am going to shoot her. So, I'm looking for tips and info. on checking (head space) and accessories (stripper clips) to shoot my "new" gun. Thanks for any help...

[John Kepler]

Actually, it's a Savage No.4 MkI*. FWIW, Savage actually did make a handful of Mk.I's, but they were early and stopped around a "6C" SN prefix

[Art]

Clips are available at most gun shows and various places on line, they run about a buck each. there are tricks to loading the clips so you don't have malfunctions (stoppages) due to the rimmed cartridges.

[Detroit-1]

Buy a coin type field headspace gauge. .074 thick. If the bolt closes with only light finger pressure, and the trigger is pulled, the head pace is bad. Use only the field gauge not a no-go.

[ebeeby]

I sure hope one day to get to a place where I have such a large collection that I "find" firearms I have forgotten about. And I don't mean as a result of Alzheimers.

[mikld]

I sure hope one day to get to a place where I have such a large collection that I "find" firearms I have forgotten about. And I don't mean as a result of Alzheimers.

Not a large collection, just guns scattered about the house in closets, under the bed and in "hidden" in out of the way cubby holes. I recently moved and when unpacking I put the rifle in a closet, to be utilized/played with soon, and that was four years ago. I've been scrubbing the bore with copper remover, Kroil, and good old #9 and it hasn't come "shiny clean" yet. I've got a coin type headspace gauge coming and found a box of ammo at the local box store, so it's gonna be tried out/shot soon!

[John Kepler]

Relatively heavy metal fouling is not uncommon in Enfields.......unfortunately, neither are "frosty" bores due to years of corrosive primers. Where you are remains to be seen......but patience and persistence in this case is a virtue. I've had more than one Enfield sold to me with the caveat of having a "frosty" bore that eventually cleaned up quite nicely! The jacket metal on .303 Mk.7 ammo is softer than most other nations used, and fouls worse than most. From what you've indicated, you aren't using the "right stuff" to clear really heavy fouling. You need something serious like Hoppe's Benchrest or Sweet's and LOTS of time to get ahead of the fouling!

[John Sukey]

Keep telling you guys. Those are "chargers" NOT stripper clips.

[p246]

1+ on sweets. My Dad had an old Lee Enfield that threw bullets everywhere. The bore was so copper fouled it took me and a friend four hours with sweets to clean it (maybe a 12 pack to). When we were done it shined and shot well.