spanish 1916 arrived

[justin4fun]

bought one of these and after returning the first one here's the replacement. I am satisfied, came with a sling and muzzle cover now its time for a range trip. I am glad these have the cartouche intact as that was my concern. other than that its in good shape with mismatched numbers and a pretty clean stock and blue. Bore looks great just need to get the rest of the cosmo off. not bad for under 200 shipped to my door should make a fine shooter.

[Enfield47]

Congrats, nice acquisition for only $200. The picture of the crest is blurry, is it a crossed cannon and sword?

[Emdawg]

It's a fasces, not a cannon.

[BruinGuy]

Samco, or did you get it elsewhere? If Samco, glad you got a good one on the second try at least; others haven't been so lucky.

What kind of load are you going to put through it?

[NOTABIKER]

very nice rifle, i love to see these historic rifles taken out and shot like they were made to do. it is like buying a classic car that was just kept in a garage and never driven. you come along and take her for a spin.
my collection is very modest but they all are taken out and shot a lot.

[Dutch3]

Congrats on the buy!

I have one and shoot it often. It is fun to shoot and LOUD.

[justin4fun]

enfield Im not good with photos but it is a sword and fasces or a ax wrapped in a bundle of sticks. Thanks emdawg wasn't sure what it was called.

Yes came from samco and the first one was just as clean just had the wrong action screws in it. I was only able to remove one and the threads were galled and rounded over. customer service was great just slow to ship as usual with samco.

I would be best to reload for it but I will find some low power 308 for it I know it is made just where to get it. if push comes to shove I will change the charge it some rounds to test it out.

My collection isn't very modest any more but I shoot everything. some more than others depending on preference and ammo availability. I don't collect things I cant or wont shoot when I can get something I will.

[justin4fun]

Congrats on the buy!

I have one and shoot it often. It is fun to shoot and LOUD.

Thanks I like loud. I like to use my hakim to clear the benches next to me when I am being attacked with hot 223 brass. the muzzle blast from the break works great and then they want to try it.

[JAGGUY]

Take a very close look at the locking lugs on the bolt to see if they have been peened with a hammer to tighten up the headspace.
I've seen it done on Samco 1916's....

[Jeff L]

For the crest, see if your camera has a macro setting, usually a flower icon.

[infamous1979]

I want one, where can we order?

[justin4fun]

Lugs look good nice and smooth no hammering but I don't have a gague to check headspace

Thanks for the photo advice I will give it a try. It was late and I was in a hurry so I just snapped the off and posted them without checking them first.

Rifle came from samco global arms. I think they are out but backorder available.

[Crunch130]

Samco peened bolt lugs to tighten up headspace? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over??? Wouldn't that result in only fractional contact (i.e. on the high spots) with the receiver ring? Any assumptions about structural integrity are completely INVALID if you do that! You'll just "smash down" the high spots under stress back to the original loose headspace! Someone please explain the details of how they did that if you know.

Nice looking rifle, by the way.

You can find great info online from IMR/Hodgdon about reduced recoil loads. Consider about a 125-grain .308 or .309 dia bullet intended for 7.62X39. IMR or Hodgdon 4895 can safely reduce a powder charge to 60 percent of max load and still get complete combustion (per their website). DO NOT try this with slower powders. I use it for 100 yard target practice in my Israeli Mauser and it works great. Exact powder charge to get good accuracy will vary with barrel twist rate but somewhere between 32 and 36 grains should work. Here's a link:

http://www.imrpowder.com/PDF/Youth%20Loads.pdf

Now, for a rifle in otherwise good condition but a few thousandths of excessive headspace - RELOAD FOR IT! Fireform some cases for it by shooting some once-fired brass reloads with above mild loads. Back off your resizing die 1/8 of a turn so you get a "long" case, resize 1 case. See if it chambers. Make sure case length is not over max. If it doesn't chamber, tighten resizing die a pinch, resize, ensure case length good, test chamber again. What you want is brass that "just" chambers. Your excessive headspace is solved with custom-length brass.

Regards,
Crunch

[JAGGUY]

Samco peened bolt lugs to tighten up headspace? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over??? Wouldn't that result in only fractional contact (i.e. on the high spots) with the receiver ring? Any assumptions about structural integrity are completely INVALID if you do that! You'll just "smash down" the high spots under stress back to the original loose headspace! Someone please explain the details of how they did that if you know.


All you say is true.
And all I can say it the first 1916 I ordered from Samco was obviously cold forged (hammered) and the head space was good. However, like you said the actual locking area was a thin protrusion of metal on the back of the lugs that was then filed for a tight fit.
This has been discussed in the surplus rifles forums before.

That said, after a discussion with Samco I sent it back at my cost and was sent a nice replacement that I am happy with...
I look at it as a $20 hand pick fee and an extra 3 week wait...

[justin4fun]

Thanks crunch there is some good info there.