Enfield barrel - where to buy?

Coinneach · July 14, 2000, 01:11 PM

Nope, my 4-1 isn't enough of a tackdriver. The bore is looking nasty as well (damn that borelight!). Thinking I might have it rebarrelled, or...

do it myself. (cue the scary violin music)

Midway and Brownell's don't list new Enfield barrels in their catalogs, and I'm certainly not up to working on a blank.

Anyone have a source for a new barrel?

zot · July 14, 2000, 01:40 PM

Gun Parts Corp. has them I think, they have MK3 barrels

Herodotus · July 16, 2000, 04:05 PM

This may not work at all on your rifle, but:
I have an Swedish 96/38b (1900) that never shot very well. I ascribed this to the barrel (lands looked worn) and maybe bedding as well. So I just put the rifle a way and went on to other things.
Then I got to reading about some guys recrowning their own barrels on one of these forums and how simple this was. So I ordered Brownells cheapest round headed brass barrel lapper ($8.24) and their 600 grit abrassive ($22.96, more than the Tool!). I ground the crown with a reversible drill pretty much like they said to do and then took it out to the range with some of the same ammo I had been shooting in it before.
Good grief, now the rifle really did group as well as I can shoot an old military rifle at 100 yds! It really worked for this particular rifle.
As a consequence, I would now always try this before I rebarreled an old rifle. Its cheap, easy to do and you cannot tell that the old barrel has been worked upon. There is nothing to loose in doing this if you have already decided that the old barrel just won't do.
It might be worth a try on that old Enfield.

Robert Foote · July 16, 2000, 06:42 PM

Bought a #4 Mk. 1 takeoff barrel from Springfield Sporters recently for about $25 less shipping. I requested a good bore to replace an existing poor condition bore in a utility rifle.The one I got is pitted about 1" in the throat area but will be an improvement. Will send it off to an Enfield smith for changeover. I am unaware of other sources but they may exist.

BTW, I have successfully recrowned a number of barrels and used a RCBS case chamfer tool to do the final crowning. The steel in the tool is harder than the barrel, and so far it has worked out every time.

------------------

Coinneach · July 17, 2000, 10:57 AM

Guys, the crown is fine, and the gun shoots sub-MOA as it is. The bore, though, is really disturbing to look at. 2 hours with Shooter's Choice and Leadaway and the grooves are still black and rough. The lands are smooth and shiny.

Gun Parts Corp. didn't have any 4-1 barrels. Sigh, the search continues...

stuckatwork · July 17, 2000, 03:18 PM

Hey Coinreach,

Are you sure that the bore is as bad as you are assuming? If the lands are all bright and sharp, you could still have a ton of crud built up in the grooves. I have never seen a rifle that has bad lands or grooves shoot sub-moa.

Before you rebarrel, try soaking it in Ed's Red Bore cleaner. Mix one part kerosene, one part acetone, one part mineral spirits and one part Dextron ATF. Plug the barrel and fill it with the cleaner. Let it set for a day or two. You will be stunned by what comes out of your barrel.

I have a VZ24 Mauser that was the same way. The bore looked like five miles of bad road. Several others told me the barrel was shot (pun intended)

I soaked the barrel with the Ed's Red for three days. When the cleaning jag was pushed through there must have been a pound of cosmolene, lead and copper stuck to the patch. The rifling looked really good after that.

The cost of mixing up a gallon of the cleaner is about $7, beats the price of a barrel. Besides you will have it for other projects.
Good luck.

------------------
You can find the price of freedom, buried in the ground.

Coinneach · July 18, 2000, 11:17 AM

Thanks, SAW. I'll try that this weekend.

July 14, 2000, 01:11 PM	#1
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	Nope, my 4-1 isn't enough of a tackdriver. The bore is looking nasty as well (damn that borelight!). Thinking I might have it rebarrelled, or... do it myself. (cue the scary violin music) Midway and Brownell's don't list new Enfield barrels in their catalogs, and I'm certainly not up to working on a blank. Anyone have a source for a new barrel?

July 14, 2000, 01:40 PM	#2
zot Senior Member Join Date: April 2, 1999 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 566	Gun Parts Corp. has them I think, they have MK3 barrels

July 16, 2000, 04:05 PM	#3
Herodotus Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2000 Posts: 743	This may not work at all on your rifle, but: I have an Swedish 96/38b (1900) that never shot very well. I ascribed this to the barrel (lands looked worn) and maybe bedding as well. So I just put the rifle a way and went on to other things. Then I got to reading about some guys recrowning their own barrels on one of these forums and how simple this was. So I ordered Brownells cheapest round headed brass barrel lapper ($8.24) and their 600 grit abrassive ($22.96, more than the Tool!). I ground the crown with a reversible drill pretty much like they said to do and then took it out to the range with some of the same ammo I had been shooting in it before. Good grief, now the rifle really did group as well as I can shoot an old military rifle at 100 yds! It really worked for this particular rifle. As a consequence, I would now always try this before I rebarreled an old rifle. Its cheap, easy to do and you cannot tell that the old barrel has been worked upon. There is nothing to loose in doing this if you have already decided that the old barrel just won't do. It might be worth a try on that old Enfield.

July 16, 2000, 06:42 PM	#4
Robert Foote Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 1998 Posts: 623	Bought a #4 Mk. 1 takeoff barrel from Springfield Sporters recently for about $25 less shipping. I requested a good bore to replace an existing poor condition bore in a utility rifle.The one I got is pitted about 1" in the throat area but will be an improvement. Will send it off to an Enfield smith for changeover. I am unaware of other sources but they may exist. BTW, I have successfully recrowned a number of barrels and used a RCBS case chamfer tool to do the final crowning. The steel in the tool is harder than the barrel, and so far it has worked out every time. ------------------

July 17, 2000, 10:57 AM	#5
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	Guys, the crown is fine, and the gun shoots sub-MOA as it is. The bore, though, is really disturbing to look at. 2 hours with Shooter's Choice and Leadaway and the grooves are still black and rough. The lands are smooth and shiny. Gun Parts Corp. didn't have any 4-1 barrels. Sigh, the search continues...

July 17, 2000, 03:18 PM	#6
stuckatwork Senior Member Join Date: March 3, 2000 Posts: 217	Hey Coinreach, Are you sure that the bore is as bad as you are assuming? If the lands are all bright and sharp, you could still have a ton of crud built up in the grooves. I have never seen a rifle that has bad lands or grooves shoot sub-moa. Before you rebarrel, try soaking it in Ed's Red Bore cleaner. Mix one part kerosene, one part acetone, one part mineral spirits and one part Dextron ATF. Plug the barrel and fill it with the cleaner. Let it set for a day or two. You will be stunned by what comes out of your barrel. I have a VZ24 Mauser that was the same way. The bore looked like five miles of bad road. Several others told me the barrel was shot (pun intended) I soaked the barrel with the Ed's Red for three days. When the cleaning jag was pushed through there must have been a pound of cosmolene, lead and copper stuck to the patch. The rifling looked really good after that. The cost of mixing up a gallon of the cleaner is about $7, beats the price of a barrel. Besides you will have it for other projects. Good luck. ------------------ You can find the price of freedom, buried in the ground.

July 18, 2000, 11:17 AM	#7
Coinneach Staff Alumnus Join Date: February 23, 1999 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 4,272	Thanks, SAW. I'll try that this weekend.