Mystery Cadet Major bit - HELP

[wilkinww1]

Hi

I’m hoping someone can help me out. I have an early cadet major (a C serial number) and I have taken the action off the stock in order to clean both up. I am now trying to reassemble but I have a small mystery bit and I can’t for the life of me figure where it goes. If a reassemble the rifle without this bit it won't cock (rifle was cocking fine when I seperated the action and the stock)! I think the mystery bit must be from the trigger area? Can anyone tell me what the part is and, more importantly, where it goes when I put rifle back together/how a reassemble with said bit in the correct place? I've tried to photo the bit on my phone

https://ibb.co/cyZXSmb
https://ibb.co/2KBcwX2
https://ibb.co/2NJDm9m

Thanks

Olly

[jjjjjj]

I have had restored loads of cadet majors but i have never seen that part in your pictures on any of them, are you trying to cock the rifle without the stock on if you are the trigger needs to be pulled a little so it will cock, the stock moves the trigger back a fraction when its put together, the other thing to try is the trigger ajuster on top of the back block it may have moved and needs setting again.

[wilkinww1]

Thanks both! You confirmed my suspicion that it was not an original part; I've spent a few hours today looking at expanded drawings and photos of Cadet Majors on line and couldn't see anything like that bit. Moreover, I've also previously stripped down a Cadet Major and there wasn't such a part. However, my prior experience was with a later variant (with the long stock bolt). I was worried that this was a part only on the earlier models - However, I had only seperated the action from the stock and hadn't stripped further so I was struggling to undertand how a trigger/sear bit might have come adrift.

However, armed with your advice, and with further determination, I've been back into the workshop and I've now got the rifle back together and it is cocking fine (after some slight adjustment of the trigger adjusting screw). I sure you are both right in suggesting that the mystery part must have been some sort of stock 'packer' used by a previous owner for some reason!

I will have a test fire of the rifle tommorrow (sadly it is now dark and raining).

Once again - thank's so much for the help!

Best

Olly

[jjjjjj]

Glad you got it sorted