Would you mind pointing me to the No1 barrels? I've seen the No4 offerings from Criterion or Lothar-Walther, but nothing other than surplus barrels for the No1.
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Ah, thanks. I remember that thread now. He got them from Lothar-Walther but they don't offer them in the states. Which reminds me they didn't get back to me after the initial response when I inquired about them, so I'm going to pester them again. Shouldn't be any reason they can't sell them here.
3D printing them directly using metal powder might get the look, but what happens upon the firing of a few cartridges?
Plan "B" is to 3D print a model from the appropriate "thread' and the use that as the pattern, suitably shelled and sprued, to INVESTMENT cast the almost finished item from actual steel. Don't forget to allow "scaling" of the pattern to compensate for shrinkage of the metal as it cools.
Ruger has been doing this since the early 1950's. They were the absolute pioneers in investment casting of Titanium and are still the world leaders in that field.
The basic technique has been around for over two thousand years.
Check your local business directory.
I have a flash hider that I'm sure is original but someone ground the bayo lug off it and buggered the holes for pinning a touch. Someone that was handy could work with it though. The body cone and ears are good. It would be easy enough to get it in the mail if you want to try and work with it.
India/Pakistan is as you say, the best bet (rather than China) as Enfields are a known quantity in the Indian sub-continent for the past 75 years+, with a current cottage industry that can facilitate this. 20 years ago, when people in the UK started to look at getting WW2 era British Battledress remade (and P37 webbing) it was India/Pakistan that they turned to as there was still factories setup with WW2 machinery installed by the British during WW2 to make stuff locally for the military. As well as cheap labour costs, they still had the knowledge and production facilities to remake a lot of the stuff (especially the correct wool serge for the BD) and drill material for KD......and the metal parts needed as well.
The 'chaps in the huts' up the Khyber Pass seem pretty good at making No5's out of scrap and railroad ties, maybe have a word with them ?
A bit of guidance on what is expected and they'll be $1 a piece.