Enfield repair help needed

[johnerys]

I bought a used Enfield, our Captain picked it up and checked it out for me, and my nephew used it last weekend with ne problem. This weekend after about a dozen rounds it would go back to half cock when I fired it, and not fire.

Today after a good cleaning I tried tightening and loosening the hammer screw with no effect. I did the same for the lock screws, with them a little loose it would "fire" every time. Tightened it would hang up. I hate leaving them a little loose, does it need a shim, or something more serious, or should I just leave it like it is?

[Co D-1st FL]

Sounds like the Bridle sear screw may be too tight. I have found that all of the screws need to be snug but not over tightened.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"This weekend after about a dozen rounds it would go back to half cock when I fired it, and not fire."

Am I reading this correctly.... After you fired it it, the hammer was forced back to the half cock position where a subsequent trigger pull would not release it?

Or,

Does the hammer fall to half cock when you are ready to fire, and pulling the trigger only has the hammer fall to the half cock position?

???

CHS

[Thad Gallagher]

I used to have that same issue on occasion. The tang screw was tightened too tight and a little bit of loosening set it straight. This didn't happen while I was firing though, usually after I would put it back together after cleaining. It may be a place to start though.

[johnerys]

Hallo!

"This weekend after about a dozen rounds it would go back to half cock when I fired it, and not fire."

Am I reading this correctly.... After you fired it it, the hammer was forced back to the half cock position where a subsequent trigger pull would not release it?

Or,

Does the hammer fall to half cock when you are ready to fire, and pulling the trigger only has the hammer fall to the half cock position?

???

CHS

Sorry I should have said the hammer falls to half cock when I fired .

[flattop32355]

Sear screw is a good bet. Too tight, and things start to go wrong. "Not as tight as possible" is not "loose".....it's the correct tightness.

[MDConfederate]

I had a problem with an Enfield that sounds similar to your problem. At first I thought the tumbler was damaged because it was slipping off half cock during weapons inspections. The tumbler was damaged along the place where the sear engages the tumbler at the half cock position. I replaced the tumbler but it was getting caught on half cock after pulling the trigger because the tip of the sear that engages the tumbler was also damaged. After replacing both the tumbler and sear it worked perfectly. The damage to the parts seemed very minimal but it was enough to cause the gun to not work properly. Since I am no gunsmith, the only way I could tell that the parts were damaged was by comparing them to the same parts of the same type of Enfield that was in working condition.

John A. Wyman

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

"Sorry I should have said the hammer falls to half cock when I fired."

Aha, much clearer. Danke.

Yup, it sounds like a sear problem, in descending order to check:

1. bridle screw or sear screw tightness binding the sear
2. sear mortise in the stock not allowing the sear to drop fully
3. too long of a sear arm that is binding on the back of the sear mortise opening in the stock
4. too tight of lock plate screws causing binding of the mainspring or the sear arm
5. an ill hardended or improperly tempered sear spring not having the power to clear the sear nose/tip past the half cock notch on the tumbler
6. a cracked sear spring causing No. 5
7. an improperly shaped sear nose/tip or one with a mold seam line that catches the half cock notch on the tumbler rather than sliding past it.
8. an impropery shaped and depthed half cock notch

CHS

[johnerys]

Thanks for all the help, you've certainly given me a bit of work checking hese out, hopefully I can get it functioning before Zoar.