S&S no.4 Lee Enfield rebuild

As usual, pics arse about face, the last pic shows the donor gun.

A vsr type trigger box fitted, and below a vsr type hop unit to fit, that will probably need slimming down a bit.....got a few of these so if it doesn’t go right first time.........-- attachment is not available --

Slimmed and fitted hop unit, aligned barrel. Just waiting for a bit of jbweld to set, used it as a levelling bed. Think of some way to secure the hop, so it can be removed and then, hopefully we will test firing.
Will probably make some sort of top centre hop adjustment.-- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available --

Ok, mag fitted, does hang a tad low, I can remove a bit more from mag casing, but this is the lowest mag, in height I could find, even lower than a vsr mag. Fires Ok, tdc hop adjustment works too! Have fitted rear screw to the hop unit but needs another in front by the mag well to be secure. I’ll have to make a piece from aluminium, needs to be 4mm thick, ordered some about 10 days ago for another job.....still not here......good old eBay.
So when it gets here I’ll start on it again.-- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available --

Is there no support at all between the receiver block and the hop unit on the S+S ? On all the custom bolties I've done I always left a bit of the outer barrel to mount the hop onto , it just made alignment easier .
The build is looking good

No support at all, old hop unit was pinned straight to the lower stock, so old, no hop adjustment. Can’t say on anything else, as that’s all there was. I was toying with the Idea to put a vsr receiver and barrel section in, but I don’t think there’s enough wood to cover it, plus the mag well was way out. So kept looking until something close turned up.
This is one of the reasons I like to make my own stocks, so if they have to be slightly larger to accommodate airsoft guts then so be it.
I think now, Warren uses receiver and barrel section in his builds ......like you say makes everything easier.

Its annoying that genuine woodwork on either the NO4 or K98 both just don't quite have enough meet underneath where a vsr mag has to sit , strangely the Dboys crappy shell ejector is just a tad thicker underneath .... Pity about the wood quality though .
I've often toyed with the idea of making a stock duplicator and making slightly modified stocks but I don't think there's enough of a market to make it worth while .

I’ve seen stock duplicators up for sale, £1000-1200 or there abouts, but I agree with you, to either buy or make one, is a lot of effort/money probably for very little return.
Got the mag as low as I can, in the stock. I will order a few more so if I destroy one it won’t matter. Still waiting for my bit of aluminium to appear, might have to think of something else to make a mount to fit just in front of the mag-- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available --

What you can do with the mags is profile the edges , the BB channel is in the middle so the two long bottom edges fan be rounded off , I user some walnut laminate on the bottom of the mags on one as well and that helped ease their appearance as well . If you want to get extreme you can lower the top of the square feed lip about 1mm and then use a 1mm piece of plasticard to adjust the mag catch slot but its a lot of work for 1mm

I will shape the edges more, although I think I’m near the limit, but first must make the hop totally secure and sure that it can’t move. The mags do come apart so I might delve in to see what’s left in material to shape. If I go through and it’s just a void, I’ll use filler.
Have ordered a couple more mags anyway, cheap, under a fiver each.

Fingers crossed

Took as much off the mag as I dare, came across a little soft spot and thought”that’ll do pig” so gave it a clean up added a bit of wood “ camo” than made a catch, which it doesn’t really need as the mag sits in quite happily with a little interference fit, but that doesn’t mean it won’t loosen up with use.-- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available --

My own No 4 has an interference fit mag , been using it for some years now and its still just right , I might not do it for a customer build but it works for me ! I had to put a canvas loop on each mag to pull them out though .

progress pictures look great. Ive not seen a close up of any S&S rifles so its nice to finally see one. Interesting that its so old it never had a hop unit fitted.

The old S+S No4's have a lot going for them , the breech casting is a great part , most people struggle with the joint between the Butt and the rest of the rifle but that casting is very like the genuine part but designed for APS 2 trigger and cylinder set rather than a real bolt and trigger set , its a good bit of design .

Here’s some pic’s of the old barrel and hop, you can see no adjustment.-- attachment is not available ---- attachment is not available --

Bolt/cylinder conversion happening this morning, but now I have to go work.-- attachment is not available --

A bit more done this evening, close it finish now, a last strip down, for paint and check everything is ok. Must remember to drop fps, as it’s running at 392 fps at the moment, my guess would have been lower than that, as I can cock the rifle on shoulder, but according to my chrono that’s where it’s at.
I had to fit the cylinder that came with the donor gun, as though I have another cylinder the thread is different from the head,.....and the cyl head that I’ve got that fits the cylinder.......has a different configuration of nozzle.....airsoft, don’t you just love it!-- attachment is not available --

The cocking handle position looks just right