Need help with new Jungle Carbine

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

I went and bought that jungle carbine last Saturday, and I was hoping you guys could give me some advice on it. I had fistful help me to break it down and look it over, but he's never dealt with an Enfield before, so we were needing some help.

The bolt head catch was extremely stiff, so I thought it would need to be taken out and cleaned. But when we took it out, we found that a tab on the back side had broken off. It was still there, but must have been moving around a lot, and that must have been what made it so hard to operate. Here's a picture, with the semi-circle tab just above it. Without that tab, the catch sticks up too far, and won't allow the bolt to cycle, unless you push down a little bit on the catch.



What would be the best way to find a new one? Should I worry about firing it with a broken bolt head catch?

Another problem is that the previous owner gave me a box of Winchester Super Speed .303 cartridges, with some fired and unfired cartridges inside. On a couple of the fired primers, the firing pin made a very deep dent, and even went all the way through the primer on one of them. Is that a problem with the ammo, or with the gun? I looked around, and it seems that a lot of people have problems with their Enfields piercing primers. Is that as dangerous as it seems?

I also had a question about cleaning. Should I use the same .30 caliber brush I would use for a .30-06? Or do I need to use a brush made for the slightly larger .303 bore size? I used a .30 caliber brush, and some Shooter's Choice bore cleaner, and some Hoppe's No. 9, and cleaned the bore for about an hour. There is still a lot of nasty inside.

Finally, I did check for signs of fakes or replicas that I found on the internet. It seems genuine. It is marked No5MK1ROF(F), although the markings don't look very professional. Beneath that, it is marked 5/44, and I can see four digits of a serial number. It is marked ENGLAND on the wrist band, and also has a circle D on the knox form. It has other markings there. Some of them were partially removed by the lightning cuts. Here are a couple of pictures.

Thanks!

 

[dfariswheel]

In order:

You can buy a new bolt catch at these places. Since the same type of catch was also used on the #4 Rifle, you don't have to have one specifically listed as for the #5 Carbine.

http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=231

http://www.poppertsgunparts.com/cgi-bin/webdata/webdata_gunparts.cgi

http://ssporters.com/Parts Listing Page.htm

Before doing anything else, I'd buy a different brand of ammo and test fire it.
If you still get pierced primers, then start looking for why.

You can use a .30 caliber or slightly larger bore brush to clean.
When cleaning, give the bore solvent time to work.
After brushing, run a couple of clean, soaked patches through, then let soak for 30 minutes.
Then run a clean soaked patch straight through and out the end in one smooth pass.
If the patch still shows green or blue stains, let soak another 30.
This assumes you're using Hoppe's Number 9. Some other bore solvents cannot be left in the bore to long.
READ THE LABEL ON THE BOTTLE.
With Hoppe's #9 you can even plug the bore, fill it with solvent and let soak 24 hours.

Your #5 Mark 1 is an original.
Originals had the manufacturing info rather crudely electro-penciled on the receiver.
Yours was made in May 1944 at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Fazerkerly.

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

Thanks a lot, especially for those links.

I also wondered about the tool for taking apart the bolt. I read on another web site that the Brownell's tools would break. Where is the best place to get that tool?

 

[Hardtarget]

For that bolt tool....look at Shotgun News. Sarco carries that tool. Contact them. Or ask at one of the web sites when you order the broken catch. You're right, you need that tool.

Mark.

 

[Mk VII]

I have known the catch to break in the past. One reason why they made some with the slot in the rail instead. It can be fixed but easier to replace the component.

 

[DougW]

That rifle is a very early production #5mk1. The first serial numbers started with the letter "A". What does your start with? Neat find, and it may have some additional value being that it is a very early production rifle.

 

[shuvelrider]

Try Numerich Arms for parts, good website. I was thinking about the headspace if your peircing primers cuz the brit armorers had differant size bolt faces that spun on and off for quick replacement or adjustment and they should be marked with a size on them. Does the bolt lock down real hard or not on that brand of ammo? Try some surplus or other brand to check, might even try reloading for it to customize the shells to that gun only-- if thats an option FWIW.

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

thanks everybody this is my first rifle, it needs a little work but i still think i got a really good deal

 

[DougW]

Luke, you will have to remove the action from the stock to change out the bolt retainer thingy. It installs from the bottom.

 

[Mk VII]

the Arrowmark tool is well spoken of http://www.arrowmark.com.au/index.aspx
If excessive striker protrusion is the cause then it should be easy to measure with a vernier or depth mike, the low being 40 thou and the high 42 thou. This appears to have been relaxed to 40 and 50 thou by the 1960s.

 

[Dr.Mall Ninja]

Luke, you will have to remove the action from the stock to change out the bolt retainer thingy. It installs from the bottom.

Well, yeah, that's how we got it out in the first place.