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Old June 10, 2007, 01:13 PM   #1
FirstFreedom
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Trouble shoot (roughly) this No. 4 Enfield with dangerous condition please

Friend buys No. 4 enfield.

Front end piece of bolt with the "wing" which guides the bolt on the track on it, is detached.

I screw it on for him over the firing pin and re-assemble. Seems like not-a-problem.

He goes to range yesterday. Pulls trigger.... "click".

So lifts handle to cycle the bolt, and "BANG!"

Thankfully following gun safety rules.

What might be going on here?

Thanks.
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Old June 10, 2007, 01:19 PM   #2
Wildalaska
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Thats the bolt head.

Not screwd in properly?

WildlseepyAlaska
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Old June 10, 2007, 01:30 PM   #3
alexander hamilton
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not familiar with enfields but i am familiar with milsurp ammo.
hangfires are quite common with that stuff. maybe worth a second look?
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Old June 10, 2007, 07:17 PM   #4
James K
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I have been criticized for excess caution, but I advise waiting 30 seconds after a misfire (especially with surplus ammo) before opening the bolt. If there is a hangfire, you do not want the round going off just as the bolt unlocks or exploding in the air in front of your face.

Jim
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Old June 10, 2007, 07:35 PM   #5
James K
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Apologies, but I am using this thread for a test. Thanks for your patience.

Jim
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Old June 12, 2007, 03:57 PM   #6
TEDDY
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no 4

check the serial no. see if the bolt and receiver are the same.the enfield has a bolt head that is dedicated to that rifle.the heads are marked 0-1-2-3 each is .03 longer than the last.[0]is shortest.
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Old June 12, 2007, 07:46 PM   #7
even11
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Old surplus Hangfire ammo is really common in .303 unfortunately, check the headstamp for us and let us know what it says.

I have also had it happen in an old #4 I had that the head was wrong on the bolt too, but then the primer either gets over punctured or under punctured. Do you still have the brass from the shot?

-Dane
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Old June 12, 2007, 07:50 PM   #8
fisherman66
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Could the issue be with headspacing? I would expect excessive headspace to lead to poor primer hits.
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Old June 12, 2007, 08:31 PM   #9
even11
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Good call fisherman, I hadn't thought about that. here's a good articel on hangfires though.

http://http://www.surplusrifle.com/s...fire/index.asp

Hope this helps!! -Dane
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Ref. Psalm 1911: " And yea, though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for I go cocked and locked. My Hydra-Shoks and my Black Talons they comfort me." -Revjen45
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Old June 18, 2007, 03:29 PM   #10
frankxd
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+1 on the hangfire. It's not that un-common with .303 surplus. The cordite propellant gets sleepy when not stored correctly.
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Old June 18, 2007, 04:56 PM   #11
James K
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Hangfires are not exclusive to cordite, they happen with all kinds of propellants. If I understand correctly, it is the primer itself, not the propellant, that is "sleepy."

Jim
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Old June 21, 2007, 12:05 AM   #12
RsqVet
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Heard a story about a hangfire that I hope is true...

Thug steals a 1911 off the wall of some WWII vet.... also takes the ammo on disply and loads said gun... then robs a store... attempts to fire gun... gun does not fire... he looks down the bore.... you can figure out the rest...
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Old June 21, 2007, 11:20 AM   #13
James K
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I know a guy who about wrecked a BAR (yes, a "real" light machinegun BAR) when he did "immediate action" on a hangfire. The round went off in the receiver, blowing out the bolt guides, wrecking the magazine and bending the top cover. Fortunately, the gun could be repaired, but that would be a lot of money to lose just from impatience and trying to be "combat oriented" when there was no need to be.

Jim
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