Enfield conundrum

[bigted]

Finally landed a very fine Pedersoli Enfield and what a nice solid and well made rifle. Very impressed with the fit n finish as well as the good wood used for stockmaking.

Speaking of stock making ... herein lies my conundrum;

The comb is so high that i can not get down on the comb low enough to properly sight this piece.

Can any body tell me the fix for this super fine rifle? I really want to get acquainted with this rifle and hopefully not need to modify the comb to accomplish this.

[varsity07840]

Finally landed a very fine Pedersoli Enfield and what a nice solid and well made rifle. Very impressed with the fit n finish as well as the good wood used for stockmaking.

Speaking of stock making ... herein lies my conundrum;

The comb is so high that i can not get down on the comb low enough to properly sight this piece.

Can any body tell me the fix for this super fine rifle? I really want to get acquainted with this rifle and hopefully not need to modify the comb to accomplish this.

The comb issue is why many shooters prefer the Springfield.

[bedbugbilly]

The Enfield is a good rifle - there is no denying that . . . but . . . through the years, I have always found that a person either loves them or hates them mainly because of the "fit" - i.e. just what you are talking about. I had an original Barnet at one time and it always felt "odd" going from a Springfield style to it. When I was shooting N-SSA, I had friends that loved their Enfiels. Several let me shoot theirs for some relays and it was always nice to snuggle my cheek back in to my original '61 pattern Watertown or my Remington Zouave.

Wish I could be of help but maybe someone who shoots one will come along and be abel toggle you some advice on it. If you alter it in anyway, you're going to shoot any re-sale value right in the foot. Have you taken it to the range yet to see what you can do with it? That would be my first move to see what changes you have to make in how you are holding it/sighting. Good luck to you - you'll get it figured out.

[carbine]

Easiest thing is to raise the rear sight to where you can see it and then install a higher front sight. I am in the N-SSA also and some new folks want to buy/shoot GGGGrandpa's gun without trying one out first. Usually end up with Springfireld style stock. Check the BB at N-SSA.org

[bigted]

Yes the sight raising had occurred to me as well. This would do what i require with ease. I have shot it a few times and love the way it handles except for the high comb struggle.

The simple fix as i see it is to raise the rear sight so as to correspond with the high comb problem for me, then to file off the barley corn from the front sight block, cut a slot in the block, then fit a taller blade in the slot, followed by drilling a small hole through it and pinning the new blade in place.

As Carbine said, this may be the most simple and easiest solution so there is no wood removal. This way all thats required to restore the rifle is to unpin the front blade and replacing it with a stock height blade with no other changes to such a sweet and good looking rifle.

Thanks carbine for the concurance and suggestion concerning the sights.

Any other suggestions would be welcome as well.

[bob208]

slide your head back on the stock. the Enfield was made to shoot that way. a carryover of flintlock days.

[dave951]

I shoot NSSA with both a Springfield and an Enfield. Springfield is the more comfortable while my Enfield is more accurate at distance (different boolit). Sights on the Enfield- barley corn filed to a flat block. I cut a slot to fit a blade into the block for a raised front sight. Slot was cut tight for a press fit, then cleaned with alcohol and JB welded in. Don't laugh, it's still there. Rear sight, I filed the rear part of the ladder so I could JB weld another piece of steel in the rear to raise the rear sight. Then sighted it in. Won't pass muster for a reenactment, but made the gun much more comfortable to shoot.

[bigted]

Cool. This is what i envision as well except my front will be pinned. When the rear sight is resting on the first raise , i can view what i think of as a good sight picture. JB welding a piece on the back of the slider is a good idea. Thanks

[dave951]

I've raised my sights so that the first step is 100yds. Full down is center hold 50yds. Even with the raised sight, I still have to twist my head down a bit onto the stock. And since I shoot with a Merritt diopter, I can only get so low on the stock before I can't see through the diopter.