DP's for cheap.

I've been filling holes in my milsurp collection, one of which was having a Lee Enfield Drill Purpose rifle but I've been so busy tracking down the high end stuff that a DP rifle hasn't been a priority. Good things come all those who wait and a collector on another thread posted about Atlantic Firearms selling DP rifles for $99. I picked up two, having being forewarned that they could be missing parts and even magazines. One rifle is missing the safety and both are missing some furniture but both have bolts and magazines. The cocking pieces at first look appears to be 3rd variation. I'll clean them up this weekend and post anything interesting I find.

They're both Ishapores with scrubbed butt sockets and stamped DP in numerous places but they left the serial numbers intact and interestingly other than the magazines are all matching: receiver, bolt, rear sight, and endcap all match. One has the serial number C2318 which puts its manufacture in 1923 or 1925 and the other is K52999 which puts its manufacture 1948 to 1950, at least according to Mr. Stratton's book. The earlier one has the lightened rear sight ears which I understand was done back then but dropped later as a time saving step in the manufacture of these rifles. One of the boltheads overclocks badly which might have been the reason it was made a candidate for turning into a DP rifle. They both have holes drilled through the receiver with a bolt welded inside so there's no returning from the grave for these rifles but they offer a ton of parts. I'm going to clean up the most complete rifle and add it to my collection and sell parts off the other.

FFL required, yes?

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Originally Posted by Fushigi Ojisan

FFL required, yes?

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Yes. The receivers are uncut.

I have a few DP's but don't really collect them. One was an Enfield that was only marked DP on the wood and I found nothing wrong with it anywhere else. Previous owner hunted with it. I have a Bulgarian DP that I bought completely by accident because I didn't understand why no one was bidding more than $45 on a Mannlicher rifle. My $50 told me when I see the barrel was cut out with a big oval shape drilled into it. Thought about restoring it and actually do have a replacement barrel for it somewhere but as they are collectible in their own right, I haven't made the switch.

Could be turned into a fun .22.

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Originally Posted by Jakeroub

Could be turned into a fun .22.

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Yup, that's always a possibility but I already have a .22RF MkIV and a MkIV*.

I recently saw a few non painted DP in an auction. It was out west during the recent spate if bad weather and overall it looked as though prices were lowish.

The one I wanted was NZ marked with DP marked on multiple metal pieces but nothing on the wood. It went for u der 300$ and if my wife would not have wanted to strangle me I would have happily paid that just to have another NZ marked Enfield.

Both of those rifles came from Springfield Sporters as they still have the aluminum tags which will have the letters SS an then numbers. They would not etch the metal. They would only drill a hole thru the barrel chamber area. I know that they would still fire. Let's just say stupid kids tried it. Only thing would happen is two round brass dics would blow out the sides. Now that after they were bought out then new owner has bolt welded into place an bolt heads welded. They also made small cuts into the bottom of the receivers, Before the holes were welded closed you could see that most had brand new looking barrels. I grew up near there as a kid. The owner told us that some of the DP's were never issued an were made into drill rifles for training purposes. That the apprentice armors would mark all the parts DP for this reason. Every one has an option on using the parts over. There is so many different makes an marks on these rifle that you would go nuts trying to collect all the different ones. There were literately tons of these rifles there. I wish i has pictures of them stacked up to the ceiling of the warehouse.

Springfield Sporters prior to sale. DP specials
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Now that building is full of farm animals lolo