Is my SMLE 2A1 safe to fire? What can I do?

[FilJos]

Last month I bought a SMLE 2A1 in good condition at a local gun show. I haven't had a chance to fire it yet, as I wanted to make sure that it was properly headspaced before firing it. I took it to a gunsmith today to check the headspace and here is what I found out. Using the .308 "go/no-go/field" set, the action closed on the no-go and almost closed on the field.

Now, is this just a peculiarity of the fact that this was a battle rifle? Does it just have a looser action than a hunting rifle? Is this safe to shoot, and if not, What can I do about it?

Please help!

 

[ScottsGT]

He needs to check the rifle using NATO head spacing. NOT a .308 gauge. The NATO chambers are a little looser to allow for grime build up/dirty ammo from battle conditions. You are OK to shoot .308, BUT DO NOT RELOAD .308 BRASS THAT HAS BEEN SHOT IN A NATO CHAMBER. It has really been stretched too far to resize properly. (I've been told you can reload it 2 to 3 times, but why take a chance?)
I watched my 'smith take the no-go gauge and apply two layers of scotch tape to the back of it. He said that two layers adds so many thousands to it and it should not close on that. Just to make sure, I had a Enfield collector at a show check it with his gauges also. His were NATO, and it checked good.

 

[jefnvk]

Try witha 7.62x51 gauge. If it still comes back bad, well, then how much do you trust this gunsmith? I know the one that checked mine (actually my Arisaka) has an excellent reputation, and he said no, so it isn't going to get shot.

 

[Bwana John]

Enfields have different sized bolt heads to change headspace, find out which number you have, then get the next sized up to tighten headspace.
If it doesnt close on the "field" guage, I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[rbernie]

If I understand my Enfield lineage correctly, the 2A's do not have replaceable boltheads since they're based on the No1Mk3 design. The replaceable bolthead 'feature' was a No4-and-later thing, as best I can tell.

 

[Bwana John]

I was wondering about that, and the fact that India tend to "simplify" designs.

 

[Jim K]

The GO and NO-GO gauges are for use at the factory or gunsmith shop when installing/replacing barrels or bolts. Rifles that have seen much use will often swallow a NO-GO gauge.

As long as the rifle passes the FIELD gauge test, I would have no qualms about shooting it, but I would have it checked every thousand rounds or so.

Jim

 

[jrhead75]

If the bolt won't close on a .308 Field gauge, you should be fine, especially if you want to shoot 7.62 NATO. As mentioned before, military chambers tend to be more "generous".

No.4 and No.5 Enfields aren't the only ones with the changeable bolt head, they just had theirs numbered according to length. If you can find any 2A1 bolt heads around, you might luck into a longer one.

Good luck.