Looking for reasons to stamp "DP" on an SMLE

[louthepou]

Hi everyone,

Sorry to ask this (again...), but I can't find the list of reasons that would cause the armourer to stamp the Drill Purpose mark on a SMLE's barrel or receiver. Anyone?

Lou

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[Claven2]

Often it was just because they needed DP rifles, grabbed a few and demilled them. Other times it's b/c the rifles were unservicable.

[louthepou]

Thanks Claven. I vaguely remember a discussion about the fact that one could (I think) easily tell the two apart - the ones that "deserved" the DP, for reason of unserviceability (is this even an English word?), and the ones that just inherited the mark because a few DP were needed?

That was when I had a sporterized DP, that had nothing different from a "normal" SMLE, accuracy included... ?

[Claven2]

I really don't know how to tell the difference aside from a qualified gunsmith checking the gun out

[louthepou]

I guess that was (and still is) the bottom line! Thanks Claven.

[englishman_ca]

As much as I can gather, DP rifles were primarliy made from condemed rifles or assembled from dodgey parts. However, if an armoury was filling an order and there wasn't enough junk riles to convert, they would pull the balance from stores. So it ispossible that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Also if an arm was made obscolete, it was a candidate to be made into a DP.

The main thing with a DP in service is that it would no longer in the loop for inspection and maintainance as would be with live rifles.

Some other older DPs that I have seen are complete and capable of firing, DP marked everywhere including the bolt handle. I guess that is why DP was stamped, stenciled and bands of coloured paint applied to that there was no mistaking them for live rifles. Some have 'NOT FOR BALL' stamped on them which means that they were good for blank fire.




There is a story bouncing around about a recent incident with an Army Cadet instructor. Story is that a DP ended up on the range and a cadet was trying to fire ball rounds through it but it would not fire due to the striker being cut off short. Click but no bang. The dick head of an instructor checked the cartridge primer and seeing no strike mark, he switched out the bolt with one from another rifle, a live one and gave the DP back to the cadet to shoot. There was a problem and the cadet was hurt.

This could not have been an incident in Canada as current day DPs as issued to Canadian Army Cadets, have no bolts, no mags, they can't even chamber a round as they are drilled and pinned through the chamber (some would make you cry, minty Longbranch No.4s).


And then there are the arms made into DPs simply because they became obscolete. I am playing with a project Lee Metford that has DP markings. Original finish, well dinged up yet, it's internals show very little use. Without a doubt it was a DP issued without a bolt.

The bore is clean and shiney, bore guages show no discernable wear. More by luck than good judgement, the bolt head I fitted sgave me correct headspace. I have shot it and the spent cases show no signs of distress.

So if the receiver is marked DP, have the rifle checked against specs. It might be just fine.

Oh, and also something to note. I have seen parts with a condemed mark (bolt heads, barrels, mags, woodwork), that have an armourer's cancellation mark overstruck where DP parts were put back into service.

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

Failed inspection and not worth the trouble to return to serviceable condition. Lugs not contacting evenly, headspace too long to be corrected, barrel bent, broken major components, serial number range in the orders as not worthy of modification or upgrade, ...

Other parts of the service have/had similar inspection outcomes. The modern Canadian Forces' procedure for a vehicle that begins to cost too much to repair is to code it PCC. (I know it as a verb, PCC'd, and have no idea what it means.)

[S-A-M3]

In NZ if rifles were needed for Drill the Armourers just grabbed the ones closest to the door, many were unfired, I have yet to see an NZ DP rifle that was unserviceable, the armed services in this country never had the resources to buy enough ammo to shoot enough to wear them out!
Stu.

[Mk VII]

This could not have been an incident in Canada as current day DPs as issued to Canadian Army Cadets, have no bolts, no mags, they can't even chamber a round as they are drilled and pinned through the chamber (some would make you cry, minty Longbranch No.4s).

Not much point to them, then, if they can't even teach load/unload drill properly with them.

[Peter Laidler]

There was a long article on the old CSP forum detaling exactly how the DP rifles came about. maybe someone ought to resurrect it and put it up.

Just as a matter of interest, I dealt with several hundred that had been involved in a ferocious fire. After refurb they LOOKED good, but underneath, they were matallurgical nightmare. DO NOT EVER FIRE ONE is my advice as a real Armourer since 1963!