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Target rifle setup

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FlyPiper907 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FlyPiper907 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2021 at 9:14am
Zed, 

That seems like a great place to start. How would you go about ensuring a rifle is “as is (was?)” from the factory in terms of accuracy? Just going through Wadham’s manual or do you have other methods?
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Goosic View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Goosic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2021 at 9:17am
IIRC. A rifle was deemed accurate if it was able to put 7 of 9 shots inside a 4" square at 100 yards using an Enfield Rest.
If you personally can put a string of ten shots together that can be covered with the palm of your hand at 100 yards, call it good...
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Zed View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Zed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2021 at 12:12pm
Before I tackled my No1MkIII* SMLE. I read all of Capt' Peter Laidler's articles that can be downloaded free from the Milsurp Forum as well as reading Roger Wadhams book.
Captain Laidler is a retired British Army Armourer; he is an expert and has shared his knowledge with a very complete series of articles; covering stocking up and trigger pull etc. Essential reading before attempting anything more than just cleaning the rifle. 
My rifle needed a lot of work; it was shooting 6" spread at 50 yards. (12 MOA) After going through everything I've now got it to around 2 MOA. Which is good for a basically standard rifle. 
It was a lot of small things that make the difference in th end: not just one. I found that I the barrel had a problem at the muzzle, It opened up in the last 1/2" causing the bullet to de-stabilise.
A new barrel made an improvement from 12 MOA to about 5 MOA. To get from 5 to 2 MOA required the following:
The fit of the fore end was bad (it was NOS replacement wood; it interfered with the barrel.
The sprung pad spring was worn.
The Knox form contact was poor.
The recoil lug contact was not even side to side.
The headspace was just on the upper limit.
Trigger pull was heavy.
Rear sight pivot had worn allowing sight to move sideways.
Rear sight slide spring was weak, allowing the slide to move forward under recoil, (so you next shot goes high) ..
This was not what I expected when I imported the rifle; from a specialist Enfield dealer in the UK.
But having made it a project and learned so much along the way; the rifle means alot to me now.

I use it in the Service rifle Modified class with a Parker rears sight.
The photo below is the rifle as I received it! So I was surprised to see the very poor accuracy.


It's been a steep learning curve; but now I have the satisfaction of competing wit a rifle that I have rebuilt.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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Shamu View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shamu Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 30 2021 at 9:00am
Bench & bag it fore & aft.
Get some good modern MkVII ball (like Greek HXP or, South African R1M3z)

At 100yds, fire 2 "warming & fouling rounds" into the bank.

Then with the rifle on bags fore & aft & you NOT touching the forearm, but bringing the off hand back by bending the elbow grasp the bottom rear of the butt.
Slowly & as carefully as you can fire a 10-round group at the bullseye.
It should be under 3 1/2" wide by 4" deep.
That is the "FAIL" standard, you may well do much better.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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