AUSTRIAN SHTLE No.1 Mk. III followed me home today

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  • Clovis

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 1, 2011
    1,408
    Centreville
    It screams All Original.

    The stock colors are perfect matches.

    Have head space checked. You can buy different size bolt heads if you need to correct HS.


    PS: Leave that yellow paint on there. Character!!! And I know it's rude to ask, but..............$?

    Not to step on any toes, but this is only the case for the #4 and #5 rifles. Changing the bolt head out for a #1 involves quite a bit of gunsmithing from what I have heard/read.
     

    blazzent45

    Member
    Apr 18, 2017
    65
    Somewhere in Glen Burnie
    Don't remove that finish! Just clean and enjoy. It's a great first piece in an Enfield collection. Congratulations!

    Mawkie should I clean the stock and action or just the action? I've seen a few threds about cleaning up the wood but I'm wondering if I should. The wood does seem a bit cruddy.
     

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    iH8DemLibz

    When All Else Fails.
    Apr 1, 2013
    25,396
    Libtardistan
    Not to step on any toes, but this is only the case for the #4 and #5 rifles. Changing the bolt head out for a #1 involves quite a bit of gunsmithing from what I have heard/read.

    If your information is correct, than I don't mind having my toes stepped on.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Mawkie should I clean the stock and action or just the action? I've seen a few threds about cleaning up the wood but I'm wondering if I should. The wood does seem a bit cruddy.

    A gentle cleaning is OK. Think like a doctor: first do no harm.
    Nose cap w.o. numbers would probably have been part of the '46 FTR (Factory Through Repair). Perhaps the original was damaged and required replacing, that would be my first thought. I've also seen new ones with the openings in the "ears" installed to replace originals with solid "ears". The one mod that the Aussies did that I totally agree with. Makes adjusting windage easier without weakening them too much.
    I'd rather see an un-marked original vs a humped replacement. At one time, many years ago, a prominent collector/expert in the Enfield world was caught taking unmarked replacement nose caps and hand stamping a matching SN before offering them for sale. Easy to spot, don't know WTF he was thinking. Ruined the reputation that he spent decades to establish. My guess is that he was desperate for the additional funds that matching rifles would fetch. I know he was retired and on a fixed income. Desperate people do desperate things. Really sad.
     

    303_enfield

    Ultimate Member
    May 30, 2007
    4,647
    DelMarVa
    Not only was she a Cadet rifle. After WWI (1919 birth date) she served in the 3rd Military District Australia. Heck, if you post better pics of the butt an other marks she may have served in front line units during WWII, before becoming a Cadet rifle. Get one of the "bibles" by Ian Skennerton an start reading.

    The really bad part about Enfield rifles is they breed like rabbits :)
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    Congrats on a nice rifle! :party29: I bought my first Enfield recently too, and learned a lot.

    Hopefully you researched a little online and learned that you have to take the forend off before the buttstock when dissassembling (or else the squared end of the buttstock screw will crack the forend) I didn't learn about that quirk the hard way...but I could have!:o
     

    blazzent45

    Member
    Apr 18, 2017
    65
    Somewhere in Glen Burnie
    Not only was she a Cadet rifle. After WWI (1919 birth date) she served in the 3rd Military District Australia. Heck, if you post better pics of the butt an other marks she may have served in front line units during WWII, before becoming a Cadet rifle. Get one of the "bibles" by Ian Skennerton an start reading.

    The really bad part about Enfield rifles is they breed like rabbits :)

    The camera on this phone isn't the best so these are the best I can do at the moment.
     

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    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    Thanks I've read through your post, and now I'll congratulate you on a fine purchase. I've been reading up on everything I can before I do anything to my Lithy

    That's cool, thank you sir!:beer:

    Learn from my embarrasing mistake about the old leather washer in the buttstock. :o I tell ya, I'm not a gambler, but when I tapped on and tried to scratch that thing while it was dry, I would have bet money that it was metal!

    I think you have more rifling left than I do :thumbsup:

    I'm still working on getting mine zeroed, but it was a lot of fun to shoot. Enough recoil to know you are shooting a real rifle, but without getting really beat up. I see what the other collectors mean about wanting more...:rolleyes:
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Not only was she a Cadet rifle. After WWI (1919 birth date) she served in the 3rd Military District Australia. Heck, if you post better pics of the butt an other marks she may have served in front line units during WWII, before becoming a Cadet rifle. Get one of the "bibles" by Ian Skennerton an start reading.

    The really bad part about Enfield rifles is they breed like rabbits :)

    So true, I've got a pile of SMLEs and Enfields cause ya can't stop at one.
    Dig up a copy of Ian's awesome reference book. If on a limited budget I'll bet an earlier revision can be found cheaper than the current one. But the current revision has so much more info packed into it that I'd pop the extra coin w.o. hesitation.
    BTW, the latest Poulin and James Julia auctions had a number of amazing lots from the Faris collection. One-of-a-kind examples that are prominent in Ian's books. Worth going to Proxibid to view the catalogs.
     

    Clovis

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 1, 2011
    1,408
    Centreville
    Use the gauges you made to check the head space (if you don't know, disassemble the bolt, remove the extractor and with little pressure slowly engage the bolt on the gauge, if you do know, not trying to insult your intelligence). The next step is I would shoot the rifle with as much non-corrosive ammo you can find and enjoy. Lees seem to be more fun the more you shoot.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    Use the gauges you made to check the head space (if you don't know, disassemble the bolt, remove the extractor and with little pressure slowly engage the bolt on the gauge, if you do know, not trying to insult your intelligence). The next step is I would shoot the rifle with as much non-corrosive ammo you can find and enjoy. Lees seem to be more fun the more you shoot.

    What Clovis said. Also verify that the chamber is clean before performing HS check. Performing HS with a stripped bolt is important. If the extractor, FP and spring are in place you will not be able to feel the bolt face stop at the HS gauge. It's very much like a safe cracker, done by feel and you want those springs out of the way. The first time you do it you'll get what we're saying, hard to explain in words.
     

    blazzent45

    Member
    Apr 18, 2017
    65
    Somewhere in Glen Burnie
    Alright that's what I wanted to hear.......I've already disassembled the bolt and checked HS. Boy it was a bitch getting that flipping extractor spring back in place. But it went on the .064 and did not close on the .070 gage so I trust my HS is good. I can't wait to sling some lead I have 6 boxes of PPU ammo 2 each of 150gr 174gr and 180gr. I do have one more question that came to mind last night while I was watching a youtube video about bringing back factory accuracy. My nose cap is contacting the front sight on one side, what's the best way to get clearance around the sight and muzzle?
     

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    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,337
    Catonsville
    I've tried all sorts of ways to get that damned extractor spring back into place. The best was to use dental floss! Sounds crazy but it works.
    As to the front sight, I'd shoot it as is for now, see if windage is OK because that sight is drifted to the right, check the index marks on the sight and base. It might turn out that you'll need to drift it left and at that point the issue goes away.
     

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