The Gun Digest Book of Firearms Assembly/Disassembly Part IV - Centerfire Rifles. J B Wood
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3. Pull the cocking piece to the rear and unscrew it counter-clockwise (rear view), keeping rearward pressure so the sear-contact lug will clear the safety screw on each turn. Note that the screw-slotted tip of the striker shaft at the center of the cocking piece is not a screw, so do not attempt to turn it.
4. Remove the cocking piece toward the rear.
5. Turn the bolt head clockwise (front view) until the smaller bolt lug passes beneath the extractor.
6. When the bolt head is turned to the position shown, remove the extractor toward the front.
7. Remove the bolt head and striker assembly toward the front.
8. The striker and its spring can be removed from the bolt head by unscrewing the nut at the rear of the bolt head. Caution:The spring is under tension, so keep control of the nut as it is removed.
9. The safety is pivoted and retained at the rear of the bolt body by a small screw.
10. If the rifle has its full-length military stock, remove the front end piece and the barrel band. Remove the large screws on the underside at the front and rear of the magazine housing/guard unit.
11. Remove the magazine housing/trigger guard unit downward.
12. The screw at the rear of the housing retains the clip latch and its attached blade spring. After removal of the screw, this unit is taken out upward.
13. Remove the front cross screw in the housing.
14. Remove the magazine sub-frame downward.
15. The mainspring for the magazine system is retained by a large screw on the underside of the housing. The magazine follower arm is pivoted and retained by a cross pin, which is pushed out toward the right.
16. The magazine follower and its spring are retained on the arm by screws.
17. Remove the action from the stock.
18. Push out the cross pin of the trigger and sear system toward the left.
19. Remove the trigger and sear system downward. The trigger is a free unit, and will detach as the system is taken off.
20. Remove the sear upward.
21. Removal of the small cross pin in the forward extension of the sear lever will release the ejector and the combination sear and ejector spring.
22. To remove the rear sight, drift out the pivot cross pin. The adjustment slide can then be taken off the sight, and the blade spring can be pushed out of its mount.
23. The front sight is dovetail-mounted, and is drifted out toward the right for removal.
Reassembly Tips:
1. If the sear has been removed and the ejector and combination spring are still in place, it will be necessary to insert a tool to depress the spring as the sear is reinserted in the assembly.
2. If the striker and its spring have been taken out, note that on the final turn of the retaining nut the cuts in the nut must match the spiral track in the bolt head.
3. When replacing the bolt head in the bolt body, align the flat on the striker shaft, the ejector slot, and the bolt handle rib, as shown. When the bolt head spirals have engaged the lugs, insert the ejector. The bolt head must be in the extended position (unlocked) for reinsertion in the receiver.
British SMLE No. 1, Mark III
Similar/Identical Pattern Guns
The same basic assembly/disassembly steps for the British SMLE No. 1, Mark III also apply to the following guns:
Australian SMLE No I, Mark III*
British SMLE No. I, Mark I*
British SMLE No. I, Mark I***
British SMLE No. I, Mark II
British SMLE No. I, Mark II**
British SMLE No. I, Mark III*
British SMLE No. I, Mark V
British SMLE No. 2, Mark IV* (22 RF)
British No. 4, Mark 1*
British No. 4, Mark ⅓
British No. 4, Mark 1* (T)
British No. 4, Mark 3
British SMLE No. I, Mark I
British SMLE No. I, Mark I**