1942 long branch DP rifle with a few oddities

[militaria1981]

I picked up this 1942 Long Branch no.4 mk1 * from a local classifieds newspaper, the owner stated that he had owned this rifle for years , used it for hunting etc. from the pictures that he had sent me i could tell that the barrel was uncut but the stock was sporterized, so i figured that it would make a great project to bring it back to its original configuration, until i go to pick it up and find the dreaded DP stamp. I decided to buy the rifle regardless as the price was "right". i get home to give it a closer look and find DP on the stock , Butt socket and on top of the receiver, the barrel is proof tested for civilian sales and has "surrey" stamped on top of the barrel. From what i have learned "surrey" was the mark of a Canadian company that sporterized the rifles post war. the top of the bolt handle i see NZ stamped , the magazine follower is stamped UCF but the magazine is savage stamped. To be honest i think this rifle has every marking ever made lol, being possibly the most mixed up rifle that i have ever seen. My question is how did a DP rifle end up being proof tested for civilian market ,sporterized by a Canadian Company and then sold to the public for a hunting rifle and been used and fired for the last 50+ years even happen . This just does not seem correct to me , any input from someone more knowledgeable than I please chime in.

Information

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[Flying10uk]

It's got an unmistakeable large "D.P" stamped right on top of the receiver which tells me that the receiver, at least, was part of a drill purpose rifle at one time. I am not an armourer or a shooter, just a collector of militaria and a few U.K. deacs. I would suggest that someone has fitted a replacement barrel to the receiver at one time to make it a shooter again. Personally I wouldn't feel at all comfortable shooting it but I'm no expert so leave it to others to advise further.

[browningautorifle]

They were simply surplussed off and the civilian market doesn't care about the markings. Shooting these is dangerous because you have no idea why it was done to DP status, just because the previous owner did or didn't doesn't matter. It's not a matter of having a gunsmith look at it and give his opinion, they were marked DP for a reason the gunsmith won't figure out. But in the end it's your rifle...so...

[CINDERS]

Make it a Man Cave Wall hanger ~ or part out what you can then drop saw the action in half, not sure if they were DP'd for just the barrel or bolt as those parts they could just replace if thats all that was wrong with it...................

[Peter Laidler]

I can see why it was a DP. I'll let it run a while..........

[Baal]

Is that barrel welded together from 2 ?

[browningautorifle]

Is that barrel welded together from 2

No, that's a common enough machining mark. Looks like they came from different ends when they did it.

[Baal]

No, that's a common enough machining mark. Looks like they came from different ends when they did it.

Interesting. None of the Lee Enfields I've had looked like that.

---------- Post added at 08:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 AM ----------

I can see why it was a DP. I'll let it run a while..........

Is it the bolt head face not seating in the chamber? Looks to be a lot of space there, but maybe the bolt is not closed fully.

[Maxwell Smart]

DP because of a fire?

[Roger Payne]

Peter, is the clue in the final picture?