Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

[Dan Munson]

Hello, comrades. I'm in the process of de-farbing my Enfield. I just acquired some correct (repro) barrel bands to replace the incorrect Baddely patent bands. Maybe I missed it in the accumulated "research" articles here, but I'm looking for information on how one attaches those washers to the band screws. The ones I have aren't threaded, so evidently they aren't intended to act like a "nut." I may be overlooking something very self-evident (I do that occasionally), but if any of you can set me straight here, I promise I'll ask elsewhere about which end of the cut nail to hammer. :)

Dan Munson

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Dan:

Not a dumb question, but an easy one to answer. Put the threaded screw in the barrel band with the washer on the end of the screw, and then put the barrel band screw in a vice being careful to keep the washer on the end of the screw. Slowly apply even pressure until the washer is securely re-attached. Some just tap it onto the end of the screw with a hammer, but I find it is easier to get it a bit crooked that way, or have it fly off never to be found again. It is not threaded and does not "screw" on. Here's a dumb question...why did you take them off the screws to begin with?

If those are Armi Sport repro bands, be sure to remove the faux-case colors by sanding and heat blue the bands to match the barrel.

Be sure when you put the bands on your Enfield that the washer side of the band is facing the lockplate side of the weapon. In other words, the screw head side is on the same side as the lock plate screws. Good luck on your de-farb project.

[Dan Munson]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Craig, thanks for the info! I sort of half-suspected this was the answer (you'll see why in a moment), but that seemed "too easy," so I thought I'd let someone who has experience with these screws tell me all about it.

"Why did I take off the washers in the first place?" Well, I didn't. I ordered "bands" (middle and lower - I'm keeping the upper band unless someone knows a good reason for changing that one as well), "screws" and "washers" -- not understanding that the bands came complete with screws attached. So I have some "extra" screw/washer sets. I do need one of the sets to change out the screw in the upper band and that was the reason I was fishing for attachment info. Yes, it looked to me like the washers on the two other bands were peened into place (actually it sort of looks like someone used a punch to "spread" the screw tip a teeny bit). As I said, this seemed "too easy," so I wanted to be sure I wasn't f__g up (that be "farbing up" to you of filthy minds!) the screws after paying all that good $$ for them.

These are ArmiSport bands, and I do intend to remove the coloring, principally because my Enfield is (currently) bright. Thanks again for the info!

Dan Munson

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Many washers replaced on original bands and repros as they get snagged and fall off, one of the reasons for the improved "Baddeley" design barrel band.Correct about the top band on the EOA Enfield, it is just ducky "as is". No need to swap it out. Just polish and fit the bands and you are good to go. Sometimes the Armi Sport bands can require a bit of fitting to the EOA stock, but nothing too complicated.

It is well advised to just replace the bands. I know some who have ground away at the EOA repro Baddeley bands to make them resemble Palmer type bands, but the appearance is never quite right.

Replacing the hardware (ie: bands, lock plate washers, sling swivels) is the part of the project you can easily do on your own. Stock stamping and recontouring and barrel proof marks probably require professional assistance, unless you have access to the stamps and a two ton press.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Hallo!

The ArmiSport "keepers" (unless they have changed since I have seen them last) were "held on" kinda/sorta by a dished or concave strike to the end of the band screw.
On originals they were peened or "mushroomed" over like a "rivet."

And yes, the AS barrel bands are incorrectly "Italian color case hardened" in appearance rather than being heat-blued.

Curt

[Dan Munson]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Thanks for the additional guidance, guys! Curt, you correctly describe how the installed ArmiSport band screws/washers look. I was curious to know if that "look" was correct. Evidently it is not, if in fact the original screw tips were "mushroomed" to retain the washers. Unless someone weighs in with a rebuttal to Curt's analysis, I'll have a go at the "mushroom" look.

Actually Craig, the only thing I'm likely to need professional assistance on are the barrel proof marks. I'm currently working -- ever so patiently - on the lockplate. I'm perfectly happy keeping an "L.A.Co." rifle, but that "London Armory Co." had to be ground off...and it proved quite easy to do so. I have so far used my Dremel to engrave a very nice, quite acceptable "V.R." beneath the crown and now I am slowly working my way through the date/maker marking (the curves are the hardest part!). So far, so good....but if it doesn't turn out to my satisfaction, then I'll grind it off and let a professional engraver tackle it. The stock cartouche is not that hard to reproduce, either, if you have an accurate and properly scaled picture of an actual cartouche to work from. Geoff Walden's article of Enfields has what I think are some usable cartouche depictions (again, once correctly scaled). As for the stock: I have amassed enough photos of actual Enfields to give me a fairly clear idea of the major points where the stock needs re-working. I have the tools (wood files and sand paper...real high tech!) and the woodworking skills to get this puppy into something a lot closer (but probably not perfect) to the real deal. Unless I try this project right after downing a six-pack, it should turn out all right. On the other hand, if I did drink that six-pack first, well...since I have a low alcohol tolerance, the stock would most likely wind up looking like a hockey stick or canoe paddle.

Dan Munson

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Kudos. Sounds like my kind of project. I would agree with Curt, if you want to get it just right, the originals are a different shape, one could say 'mushroomed' more like a rivet and be fair in that assessment. A tad larger, too. I have original bands on my P-53 "put together", and honestly they are different in some details but resemble the repro bands overall. Original bands can be hard to find now. They were not as hard to find a few years ago. For one thing they are iron not steel.

That will be a P-53 you will be proud of after doing all that work yourself, whether perfect or not. Trust me, most professionals don't do "perfect" work. For one thing they can't afford to take the time you will devote to it. Engraving the lock may even be preferable to a "stamp" as the modern lock plate is so hard. Consider adding a larger hammer (plain) which you can get for the EOA size arbor shaft from James River. Nothing screams "reproduction" quite like the dwarf hammer the Italians use.

The stock is easier to re-contour if you have access to an original, of course. If not, take care not to remove too much wood as you go along. There was also some variation in original stocks, the London type were slightly different than the Birmingham particularly around the bottom of the butt plate. Some Birmingham guns exhibit some shrinkage there and the London guns I have inspected do not. Point being, some variation is not going to kill your project. Have fun with this.

[Jimmayo]

Original Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Here are pictures of originals.

[Dan Munson]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

Many thanks for the photos of the Palmer band screws. Doesn't seem like one can get that much "mushrooming" on the ArmiSport screws, but mine seem to be on pretty solidly, nonetheless.

Again, many thanks for everyone's help. And, FYI, lock plate and stock cartouche turned out pretty good, IMHO. My gun was a sort of de-farb test bed (read: "guinea pig") for my unit, and now hopefully some of my comrades will step up and take the same plunge.

Dan Munson

[Craig L Barry]

Re: Screw Washers for Enfield Barrel Bands

It's funny how that works...good job raising the bar for your unit.