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Took possession of a project Long Branch No 4 today, and soon noticed a DP stamp on the non-matching bolt. A search of the rest of the rifle revealed no further DP stamps, and it seems to cycle well, and looks in good shape. The bolt also has no obvious wear or broken parts.
Attachment 107460
Should I:
A) Try to determine why it was DP'd, and if it looks ok try it out?
B) Give up on the bolt and source a new one?
Advice appreciated.Cheers,
Burton
I wouldn't even mess with that DP bolt. Plenty of NOS ones as well as good used ones out there. Just make sure when you get a replacement, the lugs bear evenly, and of course headspace....
Agreed, you'll probably NEVER be able to determine why it was done but it was done by someone that knows very well that there was something substandard. As stated, just advertise for a NOS bolt, maybe even here would work on our WTB forum. Just make sure you state dealer needs to be in Canada. Or look on CanadianGunNutz and you'll find used and some new bolts for sale. I can help you find a guy there if you PM me.
I miss can only echo the above, I would never mess around with a DP bolt.
So that's unanimous. :D Are any parts of it likely to be salvageable, like the bolt head?
Generally No to be sure why it was condemned . Have you checked the head space ?
Nope, just can it. The mainspring, striker extractor and spring may probably be salvageable.
Jim's advice is concrete. Your safety and that of others counts far more than a another hundred bucks.
The gauges that were carefully and skillfully applied to measure the bolt and action fit are unavailable to even the most experienced gun plumber. So you can't determine what, why or how the conclusion was made to make the component U/S.
Take the safe route. :thup:
Thanks all. I will play it safe and put it on one of my deactivated rifles.:thup:
That may be a little risky, depending on by what method your de-acts are deactivated.Quote:
Originally Posted by BurtonP
Sometime on the future when you are no longer the current keeper of the rifle, someone could pick it up, not know what DP means and fire it - just to relate a short story of something similar.
An old post from Peter Laidler back in 2008.
The Board of Enquiry after the event found out what happened and it was this. The rifles that were 'live' were taken onto the firing point and a couple of other 'live - serviceable' rifles were at the back of the firing point together with a few DP rifles, used for what we call 'background activity' One of the rifles on the firing point wouldn't fire so the instructor stood behind the firer took it off him, cleared it and shouted to one of the Cadet NCO's at the rear.... 'bring me another rifle over.....' which he did.
What neither of them did was to check that the 'new' rifle was serviceable....., and in this case, it wasn't because it had a xxxxing big hole through the barrel, top to bottom. BUT, the BOLT was serviceable, unlike the bolt in the rifle that had failed to fire. Already, you can see that this isn't a good mix. As we say, it's an accident just waiting to happen. And the first round it fired WAS an accident where the Cadet lost a couple of fingers. They are still in orbit around the sun!
The Board of Enquiry established that prior to the actual shooting, half the group had sat around in a circle and started to clean the rifles and bolts while the other half had filled some Bren magazines and cleaned/oiled the bren guns. Then they changed over and the Bren filling half finished off cleaning and oiling the rifles and asembled them.
Unfortunately, due to 'lack of adult supervision', a DP bolt with a welded up bolt face and therefore no striker protrusion was placed into a service rifle. This rifle wouldn't fire. But because of this, a DP rifle went onto the firing point with a serviceable bolt and fired.
There's two threads to this story 1) think hard before you invade Russia and 2) check your rifle before you shoot it.
Anyway, humour aside, I think they saved the lads badly mangled fingers but they are badly disfigured.
After that an urgent signal went out to rapidly convert the RAF spec DP rifles to the current L59 specification that are safe. I bet you wonder how I know this don't you......................?
Remove the striker, main spring, extractor, extractor screw, and extractor spring and put in your JIC Box then cut the cocking piece, bolt body and bolt head in half with an angle grinder.
Better safe than sorry.
only thing I use off a DP rifle is the wood an barrel bands. Get a new bolt. Wish I could mail you one but that is a no no coming from the states
And while you are looking for a new bolt look out for a new rear sight as the one you have appears to be from a No5 Jungle Carbine.
If that's the case BurtonP, I think I have about three variations of rear sights here, simple flip and maybe two machined micrometers. Have a look and let me know if you need one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buccaneer
Beat me to it. Good eye. We can see where the slide was when the BBQ paint went on too. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Buccaneer
If the DP is only on the bolt then AFAIK and not on the receiver as well it is almost certainly not a service job, but just a No4 that was lacking a bolt and that was the one someone stuck in there.
Obviously if the bolt had been re-used in service the DP mark would have been struck out, unless done in one of those hot, dusty and divided little countries. :)
Huh. I hadn't spotted that! I thought I had the proper one to swap it out with, but can't find it at the moment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buccaneer
Quote:
Originally Posted by Surpmil
I think that's it. It is a Parker Hale sporter conversion of a 1943 Long Branch. So the bolt definitely wasn't added in service. I won't be able to do my normal restoration as they cut the bayonet lug off. In fact the forearm is so nicely bedded that I'm loathe to do too much to it. We'll see how she shoots when I get a new bolt.
In fact, I bought a nice no-drill Lee Enfield Adderley mount for another project; if this turns out to be a decent shooter, I might put it and a vintage scope on this rifle. That way I won't need the rear sight. Got me thinking now :thup:
I know this is controversial, and will fry some minds.Quote:
Originally Posted by BurtonP
Since you have a Parker Hale marked sporter conversion in a stock that fits I would replace the DP bolt (Only if you, or someone can fit and time it correctly.)
Then leave it as a sporter made by a well known british company.
Just enjoy shooting it.
Is the bolt marked DP because it has the smooth sided cocking piece.
Doubt it Bindi, the CFN would have to be ultra lazy not to whip the current slab sided monstrosity off and pop a correct Mk II back on in it's place. The cocking piece is a maintenance item, so you'd think that DP'ing a bolt for that would be a bit odd?
Unless you wanted new equipment that every one else was getting but not you because yours was okQuote:
Originally Posted by 22SqnRAE
Yup, Colin, this is the conclusion I've come to. The butt-stock was definitely not Parker Hale's work, having been roughly thinned, so I have replaced that, and I have added a front sight protector, which was missing, and the aforementioned no-drill mount and vintage Weaver scope. All reversible.
Cheers,
Burton