I bought a sporterized N04 mk1 Lee Enfield, with a scope and mount on Gunbroker for $90. After beading the stock and taking it out shooting, I discovered the accuracy sucked. Tried a different brand of ammo, accuracy still sucked. Tried and loading, accuracy was still erratic, 12 inch group at 100 yards. Finally today I decided to give it one more shot, when pulling it out of the safe, I realized that the crown is horribly screwed. Does any one know a gunsmith in or around Northern Va ( I can drive to PG, AA, Montgomery and Charles county) that can cut down the barrel and re-crown it for a good (read cheap) price. I don't want to seem like a tight wad, I just cant justify spending a ton on a $90 beater.
Barrel recrown
- Thread starter Cadet08
- Start date
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DutchV
Ultimate Member
- Jul 8, 2012
- 4,728
You can do that job yourself if you're careful. A round-head brass screw chucked in a drill, with some valve grinding paste added does a lovely job. A 3/16" or !/4" screw should have a large enough head. Rock it around a little while you run the drill so it doesn't make a groove in the screw head. I've also heard of using a ball bearing and rolling it around on the muzzle with the palm of your hand. Or a fine grade Dremel grinding ball. The tool will self-center in the bore. Might have to touch it up with a file before you start if the crown is really bad.
iH8DemLibz
When All Else Fails.
Is the front sight still there. If not, you'll need to make sure the end of the barrel was cut off square to the bore.
If the cut was slightly off, no amount of crowning will correct it. The bore could trashed too. And a possible reason for it being sold.
Maybe try a different scope too. Just as a way to eliminate one variable. Maybe it's damaged.
Good luck with it.
If the cut was slightly off, no amount of crowning will correct it. The bore could trashed too. And a possible reason for it being sold.
Maybe try a different scope too. Just as a way to eliminate one variable. Maybe it's damaged.
Good luck with it.
- Feb 4, 2013
- 28,175
If crown is visibly damaged, I would try recrowning first. The brass screw works. Or you can get a piloted crowner from Brownells.
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-4-79-crown-cutter-sku080586750-628-2614.aspx
The brass screw is a LOT cheaper.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...nd-Head-Machine-Screws-2-Pack-29691/202706217
http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-t...-4-79-crown-cutter-sku080586750-628-2614.aspx
The brass screw is a LOT cheaper.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...nd-Head-Machine-Screws-2-Pack-29691/202706217
The bore looks amazing... it is still bright and shinny.
iH8DemLibz
When All Else Fails.
Has the barrel been shortened?
scrub buck
Member
- Nov 1, 2013
- 55
What approach did you take Cadet?
303_enfield
Ultimate Member
When you bedded the stock you didn't do the barrel channel did you? Barrel has to free float. Also, 100 yards is not far enough. The group settles down at 300m an keeps getting better the farther you push it.
clandestine
AR-15 Savant
Have you cleaned the barrel with some good copper solvent? Some wipe out and no bronze brushes?
Have you checked headspace? Excessive headspace on Enfields is very common.
The rifling can look great even on a shot out barrel. If the throat is eroded accuracy will suffer. You need gauges and maybe a bore scope.
Some enfields were cleaned with a rope like thing similar to a bore snake. This can lead to an oblonged bore at the muzzle. Sometimes the damage is only in the last 1/4", sometimes it goes back an inch or so.
As 303 said, the barrel should not be fully bedded as well. He knows these guns.
Have you checked headspace? Excessive headspace on Enfields is very common.
The rifling can look great even on a shot out barrel. If the throat is eroded accuracy will suffer. You need gauges and maybe a bore scope.
Some enfields were cleaned with a rope like thing similar to a bore snake. This can lead to an oblonged bore at the muzzle. Sometimes the damage is only in the last 1/4", sometimes it goes back an inch or so.
As 303 said, the barrel should not be fully bedded as well. He knows these guns.
Doco Overboard
Ultimate Member
You mentioned you bedded the rifle, in addition to the suspect crown, Enfields are particularly cantankerous wonderful designs that are lights out when done right. Even then some vertical stringing will be apparent when the rifle warms up and then settles down. You also mentioned a scope has been mounted which can also lead to a lot of inconsistency in the area of something as simplistic of proper cheek weld on the stock and an inferior design of the base which will move on a springy action. Proper bedding techniques are something that needs to be considered carefully and are out generally out of reach of all but the most experienced armorers/ tinkerers. Head gap on an enfield is measured between the base/rim and bolt face and is not related to the amount the shoulder moves. Its a rimmed cartridge. A good smith will be able to set head gap at or near the shoulder measurement to improve brass life if your a hand-loader. This was not a consideration when the combat rifle was designed.
- Jul 29, 2014
- 50,026
So...you're saying it shoots like a $90 rifle.
