Why Lee-Enfield Rimjams Are Not A Big Deal 

It's almost as if the people who designed it knew what they where doing...

Rimjam doesn't sound like something I want on my toast!

"Local man proves his point 732 times"

I was kind of hoping you would slip up and say "rimjob" instead of "rimjam". You didn't but the video was still great!

I wish from a historian aspect, you'd gain a lot more attention on RU-vid. As other folks by the likes of Lindybeige, Hickok45. You rightfully deserve every like and view you get, you charming brit you.

*When I'm talking about rim-lock in my Mosin* Some guy: "No man, Mosin's have interupters that prevent that from happening. You must be thinking of the Lee Enfield." ...Like someone can get the two rifles mixed up???

I've never liked using stripper clips for my No.1 Mk.3* because the first time I tried to use them, they didn't feed easily into the magazine. I went to the range today and tried again using what I learned from this video confident that they would again be frustrating to use. I was WRONG! I couldn't believe how well they worked. Thanks Bloke! I thought there was something wrong with the magazine. Turns out the problem was me not using them properly.

You wont believe the arguments I've had over this exact point, over the decades. Properly engineered equipment will not fail nearly as often as improperly trained personnel. But now days it seems blaming the tool takes responsibility off of the tradesman. Great video. Thank you.

303 likes. Nobody change it- :D

I am so glad to know that I'm not the only person that calls it a Moist Nugget

As a Mauser Person this is the First Time I have actually ever heard of such a Thing as a Rim Jam. Having lost my Ignorance, I will continue my disinterest in the Topic nonetheless. Why did I watch it through? The Entertainment Value of a Happy Man and his Rifle going out on a Mythbust.

Was that a ping I heard from the charger? Inb4 "germans waited for the ping" comments

Put about thousand rounds through my smle no1 mk3 never had a rimlock. Thows out double the lead than my k98k can

I think you just like saying rim jam! But you answered a question I had about these rifles as I did create some rim jams with modern PPU or S&B ammo in both my Number 4 Mk 1 and my Number 5 if the chargers weren't loaded correctly or the rounds got out of the down up down up down sequence. I was wondering, given the environment you were operating in WW1 or WW2 why have a rifle that can rim jam at all? I mean clips get dropped or stuffed hastily in pouches and the chance of a rim jam costing you your life seems to increase rapidly. But of course you just proved that 1 the rifles magazine is designed to sort this out and 2 even if it doesn't the ammo is designed to prevent a rim jam actually preventing you from chambering a round. Good old Military redundancy....

I've not fired a Lee-Enfield since I was 18. Just short of half-century. Nor - although I fired the weapon frequently from the age of 14 - was I ever really taught to hit anything with it. Nevertheless, Bloke's child-like glee at the magnificence, the slick near-perfection, of the weapon and all its elements chimes with me. 30 years of regular soldiering with SLR and SA80 later: they were just tools. The Lee Enfield - that's a work of art. A thing of beauty - right down to the geometry of the mag and the rims 💖

Last night we played the rim jam drinking game on this video. My head hurts a lot this morning. Love this video.

Three people with defective magazines have downvoted so far. Fix or replace your magazines if you're constantly getting rimjams.

Your excitement over that last rim jam was hilarious haha

After 55 years of using my Enfield I started having feed problems and your video corrected the problem. Thank you.

I just think of Commonwealth soldiers all shouting "POP!"

You know you've got a battle-winner when you have to scream "for heaven's sakes...jam!" at it.

Somebody should have told Sergei how to design a magazine around a rimmed cartridge. Because that "interrupter" doesn't like to work at all...

I challenge someone to count how many times he says Rim Jam

Enfield is a rifle designed for combat! Troops in the field do not baby this rifle in combat. The majority if not all of "rim jams" I've observed at ranges with Enfields are because inexperienced civilian shooters treat this rifle like a target rifle....gingerly trying to chamber rounds and oh so slowly ejecting rounds ostensibly to save brass for reloading which is understandable but that's not what the rifle was designed to be. It's comical sometimes to watch shooters struggle to chamber rounds on purpose built milsurp bolt actions combat rifles treating them like they're dainty objects that are going to break if you provide a little "oomph" when pushing the bolt forward. Very informative video....well done! Oomph away!

NO THE ENFIELD ALWAYS RIMJAMS BECAUSE BRITS NEVER KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT FIREARMS REEEEEEEEE! USA USA USA! Alright, did I get that out the way? Good. No one needs to post that now. Great vid, bloke.

I'm glad you chaps did a video about this. I get tired of hearing people drone on about the Enfield being inferior because of rimmed cartridge . They were used for over 60 years in Military service so it must not be that bad!

All these Lee-Enfield videos just make me angry at myself for having a MkIII* hanging on the wall, that I have never fired. My grand-dad picked it up for his brother, who was with the local Norwegian resistance. Sadly, his brother said "fuck that noise" and stuck to his much more portable M1 Carbine :\ But hey, it meant the Enfield stayed in the family as a hunting rifle instead! A British-sponsored hunting rifle. Good video, I'm learning a lot, to put to good use the day I actually DO fire the Enfield.

You should do a mad minute video

It's always the little amazing things that really make me interested in guns. Stuff you wouldn't even notice until someone tells you about a design feature.

I put thousands of rounds through my SMLE (1918 MkIII*), mostly loaded through stripper clips loaded "by the book" as that's how my grandfather taught me. I didn't know what a rim jam was until the early 2000s when a new guy joined the shooting club and told me I must have to clear them all the time with "that old Enfield".

That is good hunting rifle for deer ore moose.. one month and hunting start😉☺!!.. greetins from finland!!..

Rimlock is theoretical, but in practice, I do not think it is a big deal for Lee Enfield. There are a lot of LE in Canada and I have never seen one do it. Most LE are used as hunting rifles and the vast majority of owners have no idea it even exists. The force of the boot moving forward is enough to "clear" it I think.

Yes, 3 downs, 2 ups. I still remember that from when I was a spotty army cadet.

Your genuine enthusiasm makes this very entertaining.

Great vid, I bought one of these at a gun show and the more I learn about it the more interesting it is. The magazine design is particularly cool and the leaf spring is a novelty to my more modern acquainted eyes

Okay, that's nice. Now make a video on how the cock-on-close enfield jams with dirt all the time and how cock-on-open guns don't have this problem. You know, since this is the actual issue with enfields. And (one of the reasons) why the enfield is much less prolific than, say, the mauser rifles.

"Moist nugget" LOL!

Pearl jam is better.

Sounds like the designers and engineers knew exactly what they were doing. Even if you gank it up a little, it straightens itself out. What could be better? Always wondered why the mag bottom was angled so sharply. Makes sense now. Great video

You are the man, great video, never understood this till today. I was having a hard time believing that the Brits would produce something that really failed to fire that would have been an major issue. Also, as noticed in this vid, people are too soft on their bolt actions these days, they are our expensive babies and we don't like to slam them, but as you have shown they need to be ruffed up a bit to become reliable.

Rather than do all that clever engineering to mitigate rimjams, why didn't they instead just devote their attention to developing a rimless cartridge?

I have a box of PPU ammo that rather than having a chamfer on the rim has a flange that has been left by the forming machine. I think an evening in front of the TV with a file is in order.

*Lights pipe in darkness and waits for the Mosin soldiers to come out* I will say this though. If you load a Mosin properly then you wont get "rim-jam"... And by properly i mean one round at a time XD

Me having rim jams on ny rifle in terms of extracting...

Take a drink of beer every time he says "Rimjam."

Because of old people knew what they were doing

God, you really love the Lee Enfield. I own a Mauser and I love it. We'll have to agree to disagree on which one is better.

Load your clips properly rim jams NEVER happen. Used a SMLE shooting feral deer for years NEVER a problem. We shot thousands of deer. Now they farm them.

Great Video, had watched the first 5 minutes of the Video then pause...... go to my Enfield's (Have 4 of them. Including a Jungle), trying, adjusting, Little bending, Working on the Magazines and it really works!! (not 100% all the time but in 98% and that's enough in my opinion) Had tried it with multiple ways of loading the Stripper Clips and it works most of the time I try it. You sir got a abo from me. Great Chanel. It is great for me to get some tip's and tricks from other Enfield lovers/ collectors. Here in Austria (YAY we are Country Neighbors) the people are know something about Enfield's are Super Rare. Greetings from Austria

Just a general tip for reloaders, I had really good luck with lead gas check bullets and "Trail Boss" powder. My 1914 Mk I had a marginal barrel and this load worked really well.

Lee Enfield is much better rifle than Mosin-Nagan, Mosin-Nagan is a spear which can shoot

"Idiot Proof"

thanks for the insight, the Herter's (cabelas branded ammo) I used in the past is just a large rim, no chamfering at all, also the brass was wonky, even after neck sizing didn't have enough neck tension and needed annealing after two firings, out of box it is accurate but no luck in getting it to work with chargers in my pattern 14 enfield

If you have ever taken apart the magazine, you'll notice that the spring lifts at the front of the bullet case. This pushes the necks and bullet section up for the main lifting force, with just a bit at the base of the case, thus preventing jams, along with the fact that the mag is deeper at back.

Mauser fan boys are so mad right now hahaha.

My favorite gun where i. Used

PPU Ammunition, Privit Partisan, has the Chamfer on the back of the casing.

I have used PPU and Remington in my No4 and No1, I have had other magazine problems but never this shit, not even my Mosin either. Honestly the biggest problem I have ts that the mag for my No4 keeps dropping the last round when I cycle and the bolt gets stuck on the side.

Very Informative. I think some of the folks on tftbtv need to be taught how to properly charge there Enfield clips and proper loading technique. Keep the good videos coming!!!

Just another reason why the Lee Enfield was (and is) the premier bolt action magazine fed rifle in the world - all you had to do was train the recruit how to shoot and clean the weapon and everything else was handled by the gun.

Patton may have had it wrong The #4 was likely the best battle instrument ever built. Base on its longevity alone that may be the case.

Pinnacle of the development of the bolt action military rifle.

Good show! Jolly good show!

Hmmm... my magazine for my 1948 Fazakerley seems to have issues with rimlock from time to time. It's definitely interesting to see how correctly-functioning magazines don't really have that problem though. Even so, I don't know if I'd want the risk of even the small possibility of rimlock on the battlefield, which could get you killed at the wrong moment. The Springfields and Mausers just feed so much more reliably (and smoothly) from my own experience. Still, having an extra 5 rounds in the box and fantastic combat sights (for a No4 and beyond at least) is something that I'm sure came in handy during the wars. It was the longest-serving rifle of all-time until the Canadian Rangers finally replaced the Lee just a short while ago. Not a bad fucking run, am I right...? An expensive fucker to shoot these days though!

I inherited an old Lee Enfield. I found it in the corner of the garage of the hose that we inherited. I then new why we had all the case of 303 British surplus ammo. It's been badly sportorized and is all rusty. She looks horrible, and fires like a dream. I never knew these even had a rim jam problem. I have never had a problem with firing it, and I have put 100's of rounds through it.

Toejam is never nice either

Does the rear locking bolt help? And when did the Brits actually START manufacturing ammo cases tospec (cough, cough, Ross rifle, cough)?

ਤੁਹਾਡੀਆਂ ਸਾਰਿਆਂ ਵੀਡੀਓ ਬਹੁਤ ਵਧੀਆ ਲਗਦੀਆਂ ਨੇ ਵੀਰੇ ਧੰਨਵਾਦ ਜੀ

I recently did a video on my channel about how to stagger the rounds on the stripper clip to avoid any sort of rimlock. Apparently I am late to the game! Love my Lee-Enfields.

first time shooting my 303 i did rim jam it ( no1 mk3 ) took me about 2 seconds to figure out what i did wrong. and hasnt done it since.

i came here expecting a rim job only to find that there is no rim job going on........ OH, rim JAM you say? Ok Carry on then, my mistake.

dammit, I thought this was going to be a video of dunking basketballs.... =(

Well done chap...

Cool info! I never had a rim lock problem on my Enfields, I guess this is why! Oh I do have a question though, I have a number of chargers and none of them work smoothly at all. Do you have any suggestions for me?

I've had a lot of rimjams on my No5 but I didn't know how to fix in any other way by taking the bullets out of the mag 1 by 1

I do the same thing when my Kar98K Mauser rim jams. Oh. Wait. No I don't. Because I don't HAVE any rims! (Evil teutonic laughter) Okay seriously though, cool video though. The SMLE is a great rifle, and I wish the American market had been flooded with SMLEs and .303 instead of moist nuggets and x54r.

How come they didn't just dispose of the magazine and replace it with a fully loaded one during the Lee-Enfield's military service? Was it because its cheaper to use stripper clips?

You should meet Ian from forgotten weapons. That would be a good video.

No rimlocks are better than some rimlocks. A reason why many nations,even the broke ones, went for nonrimmed cartridges. The British tried for years to get rid of the cartridge but really never got fully behind it due to costs.

HELP NEEDED PLEASE!!! I own 2 lee enfield no4 long branches. One is a 1943 sporter and the other is a 1944 Lee Enfield that still has the original stock and a matching bolt. My 1944 lee enfields extractor spring broke. Heres the question. Can I use the bolt from my Lee Enfiled sporter in my Lee Enfield that had the extractor spring break? In other words are the bolts interchangeable.

My own 1944 Savage no4 mk1 is a FTR Faz that was rechambered for 7.62... so ive never had this problem however i did use a no4 mk1 when i was a cadet n our instructor always said after loading the mag just to give the rounds a little push to negate rim stoppages.. never had one bk then in four years of ACF shooting... my Faz 7.62 does not like steel ammunition...the only time i get a stoppage is with steels...brass is flawless

When people shit on the Lee-Enfield and its action, they always seem to forget the intention behind its design. It is not a godly accurate surgical scalpel of a rifle. It is a combat rifle through-and through. People give it flak for .303, but you've shown it is only a problem with cheap civvy ammo. People doubt the 60 degree, rear-locking bolt, but in combat, I doubt people will be too picky if they've been shot with .303 or 8mm. You don't need to kill someone outright in combat, just make them a casualty, even if it's temporary. And if rear locking lugs "aren't accurate" like they like to say, maybe they should stop trying to hit quarters at half a mile. Hitting a man-sized target at 500 metres is quite good enough for *actual combat.* Sure it might not make the best hunting rifle, *but that simply is not what it is.* It's a soldier's tool, and a damn good one at that.

Newer tighter guns and some magazines are more prone to jam. Well worn guns are a lot easier to overcome the jamming. Load 1 clip...shoot 2 rounds then load the other one. Works better that way. In Wartime topping up the mag with a fiver was easier and could be done without wasting so much ammo. Brits were always stingy with bullets. Do not miss. As the saying goes.. the British built a target rifle, the Germans built a hunting rifle and the Russians built a military rifle.

Awesome rifle, just got a No4 Mk1 Long branch. Bit different from my No1 mk3 bolt wise but a good shooter. Meh rim jam is for pussies 😹 Great video Bloke

A rifle that has been around more than 120 years without much changes does not need to prove itself anymore, no matter how many imaginary deficiensies it is getting accused of by generations who has never really had to use it in action. I love my 1941 BSA number 1 mark lll* more every time I use it. I don't really take much care how I load the magazine, but I've never experienced a rimjam worth worrying about.

if you take a 91/30 and adjust the tab and spring tension....they do work.....90% of the time. however, because russian.....you can just force the bolt home..... it puts a dent in hte neck of the brass......but fire-forms back to the correct shape, with nothing unusual about the brass flow

Thank you for this video! Otherwise i would still think the Enfield were not reliable.

My father had a No 4 while I was growing up, he was so happy with it, and did so well hunting with it I thought it was magic. I have it now and it still seems like magic. How I wish parts or entire rifles were still being made!

Push your thumb straight down on the top cartridge, near the rim. Instantly cleared. Carry on.

What about the original MLE magazine design? Othais' seems to have real trouble with rimlock in his early Enfields. Presumably the rim profile is part of it, but they did redesign the mag...

This rifle is the dogs bollocks - it's like listening to merlin engine at full chat when you cycle that bolt, the linseed oil starts seeping out when you've put a 100 rounds or so through it, it is just great fun. Are you in the UK? I didn't think you could have magazined full bore rifles any more.

I love to see bolt action videos explaining why or why not (enter a problem) is a big deal. Or (enter a characteristic) made this bolt action 10x better than the rest. When in reality all of them were generally the same and none of them were god like or garbage rods(wink). Just cause it's from your country don't mean it's good.😂

You're right, rimjam isn't an issue... the rest of the rifle is... get some grit in the mag and it stops, he'll the bolt is a dirt trap in all the wrong places... I got the FUCK rid of my Lee because it was WAY to finicky. I would prefer a Mosin to a lee any day, the Mosin you can at least beat open when it locks up, and the mag is so much better.

Wow.......very good video! Very useful information. Thanks.

Lee enfields magazine must have the pressure pusing on the projectile moreso than the case rim. This leaves the rim a little loose to slide over the other during feeding

The British army have a term for this "squaddie proof" if you can break it a squaddie will find a way

I wounder if his nickname Rim Jam. And his twin brother Rim Lock. Who lives in the states. Just kidding. Good funny video,

It looks like a lot of subtle engineering went into making rimmed cartridges function in the SMLE box magazine. Also thanks for the info on staggering the cartridge rims in the stripper clips, I had never heard about that before.

my no4 continuously creating rim jam like that two of yours mentioned.....if i load ten with charger the last 5 will have no problem but 1st and 3rd always jam

Thank god someone addressed this i hope all Americans watch this and learn SMLE do not rimjam. i have used these rifles since i was 10 about 56 yrs and never had a rimjam.