Rod and Gan No Rifle Action Reliable In All Circumstances

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31093, 23 June 1966, Page 8

Rod and Gan No Rifle Action Reliable In All Circumstances

(Specially written ]or “The Press" bp

JAMES SIERS)

To a correspondent who asked whether the Lee-Enfield action is reliable in all circumstances, only one answer can be given—no action is reliable in all circumstances. The Lee-Enfield No. 3 was the infantry rifle of the British and reached prominence during the First World War. It is an easy action to work. The British troops sometimes fired these rifles so fast that prisoners later said they thought they were charging into machine-gun fire. The Lee-Enfield No. 4 is virtually the same as the No. 3, but it has been reinforced in a number of critical spots, making it one of the better actions. In spite of extraordinary abuses both the No. 3 and the No. 4 have held together. I have seen an enthusiastic poacher put his rifle barrel underwater and touch off a shot in the hope of stunning a fish. The action held. Another incident was a blocked barrel. When the shot was fired, the barrel peeled open.

But there have been occasions when the action has gone to pieces. A patch left accidentally in the barrel of a rifle at Trentham caused a No. 3 to come apart. It was thought that the headpiece in this particular rifle had been left uncritical. Shooters using these rifles must realise that should something happen to the bolt a gunsmith must fit a new one, to make sure it is the right size.

The famous American firearms expert, P. O. Ackley, has for years been asked the strength of the various military rifles. He decided to test a number to destruction. He found that “the strength of the No. 3 seemed to be good. However, the locking-

lugs are more than 4in. from the bolt face. When this action gave way, the receiver bent down at the rear allowing the front end of the bolt to come up out of the receiver ring, thus allowing the bolt to be bent and broken. The locking-lugs themselves did not'give way. The whole action appeared to have plenty of strength except for this one characteristic, which allows too much spring in the bolt and receiver.” Ackley, however, goes on to say: “This action is not of prime consideration because it does not have the appearance or other features which make it desirable for sporting use.”

There is a growing army of New Zealand and Australian shooters who are using the Mark IV Lee-Enfield for “wildcats,” such as the 303-250 and the 303-243. A hunting companion of mine in Taupo, who has a 303-250, has not lost a deer with it yet. Ackley also tested Japanese Arisaka 6.5 mm and 7.7 mm; Mauser standard military Bmm, 1944 issue; Mauser, marked ST MG, engraved, with large dovetail cut in top of receiver ring for German telescope mount; Eddystone-Enfield No. 952302; Remington-Enfield No. 673777 (these Enfields are the standard P-14 action); Spandau Mauser, 1916 issue; the Nikel steel Springfield, No. 1484928; a number of Krag actions and the Mark 111 Lee-Enfield.

The Ackley .270 magnum cartridge was the basis for the tests because it is recognised as being hard on an action. A 140 grain Barnes bullet was used as far as possible. When a certain action could not be blown up using this bullet, it was necessary to go to heavier ones to build up the pressure

to the point when the action would break up. This is what was found: “The tests are not conclusive because of the lack of numbers of the various’ types of actions. The Japanese Model 38, 6.5 action test is fairly accurate, however, because three actions were used and this would be enough to give a reasonable indication of their strength especially considering that one of them was in a very bad condition mechanically, as well as being very badly rusted. . . . The indications are that this action is the strongest one that will be tested, regardless of origin or make. In fact, the three actions tested could not be blown up with any load that the barrels would stand. The barrels used throughout the tests were of a very much higher tensile strength than any normal factory barrel available, or any military barrel regularly used. In every case the Japanese actions, after the barrels had been ruptured or blown completely free from the action, .were still serviceable and showed no apparent weakness.” So there we are the humble Japanese had, with German help, engineered the strongest military action. Later I will give the rest of Ackley’s tests on actions such as the Springfield, the Enfield and< the Mauser.