DP marked P-14-Safe or not?

[Bubba in Redcliff]

Are DP rifles safe to shoot, if checked out for head space, etc? I have a P-14 marked as DP. The barrel looks better than a lot of milsurps I have, just wondering if these has any real issues that would make them unsafe to shoot.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

There are entire pages of threads here about this very subject, you should look to a few of them...they have the full explanation about why they are NOT to be shot.

[Bubba in Redcliff]

Read a few of the threads on the Drill rifles-the barrel on the rifle I have has NOT been drilled, and there is no DP stamping on the bolt. The stock was painted, as was the magazine floor plate. The firing pin is whole, with 50 thou protrusion,
I will strip the bolt down and check the diameter of the firing pin nose. The bolt locking lugs are in good shape, and a check with DYCHEK shows no cracks on the front of the bolt/locking lugs. I will clean and DYCHEK the receiver body, too.
I might soak the receiver and barrel in a tube filled with diesel, and remove the barrel, to check it out thoroughly. I am thinking that this rifle may have been put into a different stock, with the painted floor plate, but will be doing a thorough check on everything, BEFORE considering firing it (remotely) with a reduced charge.

[browningautorifle]

the barrel on the rifle I have has NOT been drilled

They didn't have the barreled "Drilled" to be a DP. DP stands for "Drill Purpose", to perform handling drills. Not for range use or firing. Don't know where you got the idea they had a hole drilled somewhere. There are threads here with our resident armorers trying to explain the "DP" rifles and weapons, including bayonets, aren't for live use any more. It's been done for a reason and you and I can't determine why. Even the armorers here might not be able to eyeball it and determine why, let alone a local gunsmith. It may look perfect and new. It's been de-commissioned for a reason...

Firing it with a reduced charge will be perfect, that way when you load a full house Mk 7z and touch off the last thought you'll have will be full confidence in your gunsmithing abilities. Doesn't matter, I won' be beside you on the range. I'm too far away...

Here's a long list of "DP" threads for you to digest... Military Surplus Collectors Forums Read more than a couple...

[A square 10]

why do you insist on shooting a rifle that has been relegated to non-firing status to be used for drill purpose only ? just askin , but after being told - i don't understand the resistance

[Seaspriter]

Be sure to read the Saga of Old Joe:
4T with stamped on barrel, action and rear sight

Some DP rifles can be restored, but be sure a qualified gunsmith goes over every ounce of the gun. Many DP guns were stuffed with second rate parts.

I purchased a DP gun from a young collector friend who got hoodwinked, buying his first Enfield from a sub-standard gun dealer. It was a 1942 Long Branch that had been carefully sanded, removing the DP stripes, and then polycoated -- it looked "pretty." But it didn't shoot straight.

Upon examination, I found it had DP stamps all over it -- sanded down very light, but still very clearly visible. Under the upper handguard was a very large bulge in the barrel about 3 inches long. Clearly the gun had been DP'd because it had a bad barrel. It had been decommissioned to be used for drill, not shooting. More than likely the firing pin had been snipped or removed. Then someone, at a later date after it was imported into the US, replaced the firing pin, never checking the safety of the weapon.

I bought the gun from the young man, repainted the DP stripes, and affixed an engraved tag stating the gun should never be shot, and use it as a wall hanger. Everyone who doesn't know guns says it looks "pretty." Yeah, and it don't hunt.

Some DP guns can be restored, but you'd better know exactly why it was taken out of commission before starting the restoration.

Good luck.

[Badger]

Here's a few links to other threads where Peter and others have discussed the pitfalls of DP and ZF marked rifles ...

ZF marking on Enfields?

DP Stock Marks Query

DP Rifles

Please read them all thoroughly before you go and shoot it ...

Regards,
Doug

[Seaspriter]

firing it (remotely) with a reduced charge.

REMOTELY is the key. There was a post just two weeks ago about a Krag that had blown up because a REDUCED CHARGE reload detonated on a firing range in the UK, blowing the receiver apart. A similar occurrence happened in Norway. Look up that post. The Krags that had failures had been shot innumerable times before exploding.

While some DP rifles were designated DP simply because they took a good but old rifle out of commission because they needed to drill more young recruits, according to Capt Laidler's posts on the subject, it was more likely the gun had some defect that made it unsafe.

The DYCHEK is a good idea, but why take the chance of having it fail in the future because of a problem you didn't find? It could be your grandson that has his hand blown off.

Turn lemons into lemonade -- make the DP designation a topic of discussion in the long history of the P-14.

---------- Post added at 08:15 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 AM ----------

BTW, I have a P-14 missing it's dial sight pointer. Anyone have a spare for trade?

[Seaspriter]

Here's a few links to other threads where Peter and others have discussed the pitfalls of DP and ZF marked rifles ...
ZF marking on Enfields?
DP Stock Marks Query
DP Rifles

Doug, thanks so much for your role behind the scenes making this site the "go-to" source of fine advice on historic military weapons. And thanks for cataloguing the most useful of the threads. I think you are really the unsung champion behind the scenes for the Milsurps website. Each day I am amazed how much learning the experts around the world contribute to our knowledge. I have catalogued innumerable pages of their advice, insights, and admonitions.

Regarding the DP/ZF posts, perhaps they should be "highly recommended reading" for any Lee Enfield collector signing up to join this site.

[CINDERS]

Doesn't matter, I won' be beside you on the range. I'm too far away...

I agree with Jim if its DP its DP and that's that a dust collector, wall hanger, ooohhh ahhh piece but definatly not a shooter, people like the resident armourers on this site have probably throttled this acronym to death just go out and buy a shooter like the rest of us did. There is a Ross DP on a site that sells firearms on the web here in Aus but really you have to ask why was it DP'ed in the first place and now it is a shooter ? I am with Jim on this issue and wont be at the range when and if the item hand grenades 4 inches in front of your beak when you touch it off.....that's just my blunt honest opinion