Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: After Market Enfields
Forum Description: What have you done to that Enfield??
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=9546
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 8:52pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Posted By: Goosic
Subject: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 1:00pm
 
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Replies:
Posted By: Honkytonk
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 1:31pm
| Very nice! Excellent tribute. |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 1:40pm
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Vary tasty. Nice job. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 1:45pm
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I 3rd the sentiments! ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 1:54pm
Thank you. I put a full length No4Mk1 barrel back on it,filed off the bayonet and sight lugs. Found a .22 single feed feed ramp and put the PH sight insert cup on the butt stock.  
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Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 6:06pm
| very nice work , |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 11 2019 at 11:27pm
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Nice job Goosic. I think we saw the .22 conversion tube fitted in a previous post. That's a nice option. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: 42rocker
Date Posted: February 12 2019 at 6:37pm
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Wow, I like it. 22cal way to go. Later 42rocker
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Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 12 2019 at 6:42pm
| It is still a .303. I have a .22 conversion kit that was intended for the No1MkIII*. Still redesigning the bolt head to work properly in the No4. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 12 2019 at 11:32pm
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I'm sure you could fill and drill a No4 type bolt head to suit the .22 offset In the No2MkIV* which is the .22 version of No1 MkIII. The firing pin is in two parts. Using an original firing pin cut at the collar and that pushes the offset pin in the bolt head. It should not be too difficult to use the same method with the No4 bolt head. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 5:18am
| That is exactly what I am going to do. |
Posted By: englishman_ca
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 9:18am
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Here's a bit of Enfield minutia. Please bear with me, I am fascinated by inconsequential details which get overlooked and often are not published in books, they get lost in the obscurity of time. You should see the margins of the pages in my reference books, full of notes and addendum. , The first 22 rim fire trainer, was introduced in 1907, the Sht.22 Mk.I, was converted from the MLM Mk.I long Lee service rifle. Its bolt assembly used a one piece striker and offset drilled bolt head. Very clever but a kinda funky looking striker that was difficult to make and tricky to assemble into the bolt. So in 1910, a new improved assembly was introduced with a two piece striker. This simplified assembly, being the second version, the bolt head was marked 22No.2. The trainers were a great success and there was an increase in demand. The Sht.22 Mk.II was introduced based upon the MLM Mk.II and MLE. The First World war hit. I guess just about anything suitable that the factory could find to use were converted to trainers. There were a number of new models introduced based upon the SMLE. The factory could not pump them out fast enough. Anyhoo, this is what I am getting to; During war time production, to try and keep up with demand, instead of new purpose made parts such as the one piece barrel, the original 303 barrel was fitted with a liner and the 303 bolt head was converted to rim fire. To convert the bolt head, the striker hole was drilled out and a steel plug braised in place, the striker hole was redrilled offset. The bolt head was marked 22No.2C (C for conversion?). So what you plan to do has been done before at the factory, you will simply be mimicking but with your No.4 style bolt head. There are still some C No.7 bolt heads floating around here in Canada, but are getting hard to find. I trade away the last one in my bins just recently, which I now regret. C No.7 22rf barrels on the market have dried up too, probably because there was a batch of surplus NOS receivers being sold a few years ago. As the demand is high for the rifle and the supply is non existent, people are now assembling their own. faux C No.7 rifles. So many, one has to use caution when a C No.7 comes up for sale. I know that it is fun to make your own stuff, but if you could find a C No.7 bolt head, it would assemble with no modification, you would be off to the races! ------------- . . Look to your front, mark your target when it comes! |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 11:57am
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Always pleased to read your enlightening posts Englishman. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 12:04pm
| I have yet to get that lucky and have what I need fall into my lap. It is all good though. Making what I need allows me to learn that much more on how to replicate items that are extremely hard to find or near nonexistent. I have three #0 No4 bolt heads that I know for certain I do not need for the other rifles. I will post the results when the job is completed... |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 12:05pm
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Goosic, the .22 feed ramp is a good find. It will be really handy when using the conversion. The No8 rifles have a solid loading platform which is part of the barrel assembly; which works well; However the SMLE based No2MkIV* has no platform, just an empty mag for collecting the brass. This causes problems when loading in the prone position, especially if the lighting is poor. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 1:43pm
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I don't know if they're still made but there used to be L-E "loading platforms" from Brownells (I Think), they sat on top of the existing mag follower & gave a single shot "channel" to load from. You put them in & took them out like a cartridge. ------------- Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force) |
Posted By: englishman_ca
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 2:18pm
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How long ago were these for sale Shamu? I want one! I have also seen an older cast metal single shot platform that fitted up inside the mag well and latched on the mag catch. I shoulda bought it just because it was old and unique. I have never seen another one. ------------- . . Look to your front, mark your target when it comes! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 4:09pm
Okay. This is what I have done so far. All I have left to do is drill the hole out all the way. I drilled out the center of the bolt head the same diameter as an old Phillips Head screwdriver I "had". Left a 1/8" gap on both ends and then welded it solid. Ground the welds flat and started to drill the first hole. Took a No4 extractor and did horrible things to it with a Dremel tool. Contoured the extractor to slightly resemble the .22 extractor. Fitted the .22 tube,shoved a .22 in the chamber,eased the bolt forward until it stopped against the bullet,and then pulled the bolt back. Bullet came out and slid into the back of the magazine. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy...   |
Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 4:22pm
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Man oh man! You do take on the tough projects! NICE WORK! ------------- Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 5:07pm
| Thank you very much. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 13 2019 at 11:27pm
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That look's like it's coming together nicely. Seeing all your hard work keeps reminding me that I have an old lathe in bit's. And that I really need to find a place for it and set it up! ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 14 2019 at 4:27pm
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It is complete. The firing pin works as does the extractor. Not too shabby for homegrown...     
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Posted By: englishman_ca
Date Posted: February 14 2019 at 7:15pm
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WELL DONE. The striker protrusion looks a little excessive, but hey, if it works.... I see that you used a #3 bolt head? I saw one on Egay recently, listed with a buy it now price of $150.. It sold. ------------- . . Look to your front, mark your target when it comes! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 14 2019 at 7:32pm
| Thank you. The bolt head had a crack around the firing pin hole. I have two extra #3 bolt heads just in case. The firing pin protrusion is a little excessive to me as well but,any shorter and it won't fire. I made three of them and this is the best one of the bunch. I am extremely proud of what I did. I want to go to the range tomorrow but it has been raining all day and it is supposed to continue until tomorrow night. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 14 2019 at 11:36pm
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looking forward to the range report. Regarding the firing pin; does it have a shoulder on it or is it straight? just thinking that you don't want it falling out when carrying the rifle. I totally understand that this is probably your "Mk1" trial firing pin and bolt head, and it's looking good. Test it and let us know how you get on. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 15 2019 at 5:31am
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It has a shoulder on it. Fitting that into the bolt head was the hardest part of the whole project. I will make a Mk2 and Mk3 version in time. If anyone might be inclined to try this,I found a very simple solution to drilling out a firing pin hole. The bolt head is hardened steel. I got the bolt head orange/red hot. Drilled out the center until I made a 1/4" hole. Took a 1/4" rod of cold rolled steel and cut a 1/16" channel down the length of it. Chamfered both ends of the bolt head,cut the 1/4" rod 3/8" shorter than the bolt but centering it inside the bolt. You are going to cut the striker off of the firing pin leaving the notched shoulder. Flatten and smooth that out. That is going to be the new firing pin striker. Screw that back into the bolt and look inside to see where the orientation of the new striker face is. Take the rod inside the bolt head and turn it until the notch you cut is orientated to the new striker face. Weld one end of the bolt head. Grind the weld flat and rough sand it. Turn the bolt over and before you weld the other side take a 1/16"drill bit and drill out the notch you cut in the rod until you have penetrated through the weld. Weld the other side,grind flat and rough sand. Repeat the drilling process as before. That will allow the firing pin hole to be predrilled technically. The bolt face is going to be resurfaced until it is just touching the chamber face.
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Posted By: englishman_ca
Date Posted: February 15 2019 at 8:28am
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When I hand fabricate a small part, it often takes three attempts. The first attempt usually fits and works in a fashion, but needs improvement. The second is better but could be tweaked a bit. The third is usually spot on and I am happy. However, sometimes it takes four or five attempts as quite often, the small part that I am working on escapes, falls on the floor and bounces. It ends up in some dark dusty cobweb and sawdust corner under my bench only to be found years later! I find it hiding out with Jesus clips and springs. A Jesus clip is one of those pesky little circlips that I carefully pry off and, POINK!, it launches itself across the workshop with me exclaiming the Lord's name. A Jesus spring is one that you discover is under compression when you remove the cover or part to get at it. The FN SLR recoil spring comes to mind. ------------- . . Look to your front, mark your target when it comes! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 15 2019 at 10:20am
| The bolt head in these photos are my third attempt. The first prototype was a mitigated disaster. I broke a 1/4" drill bit off in the second one after it went sideways. It was a fun learning experience to say the least... |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: February 15 2019 at 10:57am
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Now I've looked closer at the photos I can see the difference in diameter of the pin. I think you'll have fun shooting it as a .22 ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: Goosic
Date Posted: February 15 2019 at 12:24pm
I have a box of .22 without the powder. Perfect for the 20 yard length of my patio at my apartment complex. I took three adjusting shots. I have a palm tree stump in front of a 12"thick brick wall. It will shoot. 
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