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Lee Enfield Barrel fit in Receiver.
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Picture of 303Guy
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Hi Folks. I have been given to believe that the barrel should butt up against the breach face and the shread shoulder , evenly. I have this No.4 with a retrofit barrel and there is clearly a small gap between the breech face and the receiver mating face. So, is there a problem with butting on the thread shoulder only? What difference could it make? (This barrel could not have been fitted by an expert as there are wrench winesses on the nox form flats - but no marks on the receiver).

Thanks in advance.


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303Guy
 
Posts: 2518 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 October 2007Reply With Quote
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Originally posted by 303Guy:
Hi Folks. I have been given to believe that the barrel should butt up against the breach face and the shread shoulder , evenly. I have this No.4 with a retrofit barrel and there is clearly a small gap between the breech face and the receiver mating face. So, is there a problem with butting on the thread shoulder only? What difference could it make? (This barrel could not have been fitted by an expert as there are wrench winesses on the nox form flats - but no marks on the receiver).

Thanks in advance.


I have an original 1943 #4 Fazakerley that has the gap at about .030. My brother has a #1 Mk III* Lithgow (that was rebarreled in 1942) with the gap too. I have never pulled the barrel on one to know if the shoulder inside the receiver is cut square enough to butt against.
It is my opinion that the gap serves as a gas venting channel. It looks like it permits gas to circle the rim and exit at the extractor and the vent hole.
I have separated a lot of cases in a L-E an never have been hit by gas - knock on wood.
To get the exterior face sqare with the threads your would need to thread a stub and screw the receiver on it. Then face the receiver with it turning really slow since it will be way out of balance.
 
Posts: 9207 | Registered: 22 November 2002Reply With Quote
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I have separated a lot of cases in a L-E an never have been hit by gas - knock on wood.

I have only had a few separations and did not know untill I opened the bolt. Doesn't seem to leak.
quote:
I have an original 1943 #4 Fazakerley that has the gap at about .030. My brother has a #1 Mk III* Lithgow (that was rebarreled in 1942) with the gap too.
Maybe part of the No.4 simplification was the elimination of that requirement - it would have been quite painstaking to mass produce barrels and recievers to mate on two shoulders evenly. My old Mk1* does mate on both faces. When I took the old barrel off it was obvious. Now that I know, I won't worry about it. Thanks.


Regards
303Guy
 
Posts: 2518 | Location: New Zealand | Registered: 02 October 2007Reply With Quote
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