Loading the Lee-Enfield

[harpman1]

I am having trouble getting the knack of loading my #5 Santa Fe Carbine using the 5 rd. stripper clips.
I got the loading on my Garand down well (w/o flattening my thumb,) but can't quite get the 2 stripper system down.
Are there tricks & hints you swell guys might have that can help me 'git 'er' done correctly?
Thanks, gents; you guys are way cool.

[Wyatt]

Are you staggering the rounds, rim up, rim down?

[harpman1]

Umm.. Rim up/ rim down?
Please be 'splainin' a bit more.
Thanks.

[harpman1]

Remember, I'm old & feeble-minded.

[Wyatt]

me too! lol.

SMLE clips for no3, no4, no5 rifles- reload with .303 commercial ammo is no problem, remember to stagger rims of cartridge in clip so when you load magazine the top rounds rims are not in back of a lower round rim- can have a misfeed jam. K98 Mauser's have no problem like that with rimless rounds. British didn't have stripper clips until after Boer war where they were confronted with the Mausers used by Boers- dead troopers are good object lesson of effectiveness of rapid reloading clips. US army had same lesson in Cuba- Spanish-American war against 7mm Mausers, same as British had to fight against

[harpman1]

Okee dokee; I'll try it.
Hope I understood the instructions!

[bigthaiboy]

Stagger the .303 rims in the clip like this :

303clip.jpg

[Dr Rockso]

Stagger the .303 rims in the clip like this :

[ATTACH]10674[/ATTACH]

Out of curiosity is that how all rimmed cartridges should be inserted into chargers? I just got my first C&R rifle, an m44, and the chargers are still a bit tough to use.

[Spiggy]

the Mosin Nagant should be put in succession for ease of loading

it should not rimlock, neither rifle should when correctly loaded

[bigthaiboy]

Out of curiosity is that how all rimmed cartridges should be inserted into chargers? I just got my first C&R rifle, an m44, and the chargers are still a bit tough to use.

The 7.62x54R is loaded into a stripper clip with the next rim over-lapping the previous round, like an upward step. You then load the clip into the rifle magazine with the top rim going in last / on top. This way the rim does not bind with the rim of the round below it, as the bolt pushes the round forward for loading into the chamber.

[Sampachi]

The 7.62x54R is loaded into a stripper clip with the next rim over-lapping the previous round, like an upward step. You then load the clip into the rifle magazine with the top rim going in last / on top. This way the rim does not bind with the rim of the round below it, as the bolt pushes the round forward for loading into the chamber.

Mosin Nagants have a built in interrupter. It doesn't matter if the rounds are overlapping or not in the magazine. Might help when pushing them off the clip though.

As for Enfield clips, I've heard that lightly waxing the clip helps.

[InvictusManeo]

Mosin Nagants have a built in interrupter. It doesn't matter if the rounds are overlapping or not in the magazine.

+1. Assuming that the interrupter is functioning, at least. Last time I took my 44 out, I loaded the whole mag with the rims stacked the wrong way just to test my interrupter. Functioned flawlessly.

[Yute]

Staggering the rims as shown before helps the most. Another tip is to keep your thumb as close to the charger as possible when pushing down - you want most of the pressure towards the cartridge base if possible.

If for whatever reason the rims jam up, giving a quick downward push onto the top cartridge in the magazine tends to sort the rims out.

Sanding/smoothing out the insides of the chargers, particularly the base helps too.

As a side note, the enfield was not really suppose to keep 10 rounds in the magazine at all times because it was tough to load easily. Even this canadian manual says usually one should only load 5 rounds:

http://ehorton.home.comcast.net/~ehorton/2002%20No.4%20Operating%20Instructions%20.pdf

I've had six enfields and I find this an accurate observation.
I personally only use the charger to load a maximum of 5 rounds. If I want ten rounds in the magazine, I load the remaining five by hand to ensure the rims are all in place.

In rapid fire I will have ten rounds loaded by hand initially, then load only 5 rounds with a charger per reload. Guarantees no magazine issue during a firing string for me.

[N_S]

You could just insert one at a time.

[Spiggy]

that manual is marked 2002 we must consult the originals

Anyone have old war-print manuals? I know we have some british reenactors on the forum