Another bent barrel

[Vincent]

Thank you for the very useful information, Peter. :th up:

He could probably come close to that test...

Yes, close enough to tell that it is the body that's bent, not the barrel.

The good news is I have a spare No4 body I can use.

Thank you both for your help.

[browningautorifle]

So...you can cut a relief cut in the body just behind the barrel...then you can unscrew the barrel by hand. New hacksaw blade and care...

[Vincent]

I have a barrel vice and action wrench... but that sounds a lot easier.

[Seaspriter]

No1 and 4 bodies are VERY easy to bend and once they're bent, you can never get them right afterwards. You can get them to work and function but the twist or bend, by definition always stretches one area. Then to compound it, it stretches the opposite side when you bend it back.

If any of the Milsurps Experts wonder if they really make a difference, let me say definitely YES! Here is a perfect example of the value of your expertise:

A month ago I purchased a 1942 Long Branch Enfield from a forlorn young collector for $150. He purchased it off GunBroker, and found it had a bent barrel. I have a spare MKII barrel, and figured it wouldn't be too hard to swap barrels and still be within the value invested.

Once I received the gun, because I had read the Milsurp threads on the Drill Purpose designation https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=25597 (the Saga of Old Joe),
I immediately spotted the DP stamps on the stock and barrel bands.

Earlier owners had refinished the gun, removing the DP stripes and stencils. I translated DP into "Defective Parts" and recognized that replacing the barrel would never suffice to create a serviceable gun.

Inspection showed not a "bent" barrel but a "bulged" barrel about 3-4 inches from the muzzle. But worse, someone had replaced the welded DP bolt with an functional bolt, thus reactivating the gun! The Saga of Old Joe rang clear in my memory. This gun could be dangerous.

So what should be done?
First: scrapped the idea of swapping barrels. With the DP designations, this gun could/should never be sold as a service-worthy weapon. Why put a good barrel on a sub-standard gun?
Second: repainted the DP stripes and stencils on the gun. These belonged on the gun. They actually make a great conversation piece & story.
Third: counter-bored the muzzle to open up the last 4 inches to relieve any back pressure that could ever cause the bulge to rupture.
Fourth: left the functional bolt in the gun, keeping it "Active," but added a small engraved tag under the receiver inscribed -- "For Drill Purposes only, Emergency Use Active." In other words, the gun could be shot (-- it is reasonably accurate at the target range after firing 5 rounds) but should NEVER be used except for Defensive Purposes (new meaning to "DP")
Fifth: wrote the provenance of what was done to the gun, which was inserted into the stock bolt hole for posterity -- hopefully saving a the grandson of a future owner from harm.

I have put all this documentation in the following link if anyone is interested in how I documented the gun:

Dropbox - 1942 Long Branch Enfield DP

If anyone is interested in my Enfield Restoration Guidelines, try this link: Dropbox - Laws Principles of Restoration V1.0.pdf

Any suggestions from our seasoned experts are always welcome.

Again, Thank You Milsurps Experts. You may have saved someone from great harm in the future.
Robert

[Vincent]

Seems like a good candidate for a pistol caliber chamber liner. They are available in .32 acp and 7.62x25 for the .303.

[browningautorifle]

7.62x25 for the .303.

That one would show potential I should think.

[Vincent]

The one I have works fine. There's no recoil with the 7.62x25mm.

I used high temp JB Weld to fix it in place. Closed the bolt on round to set the headspace. Then cut the extractor slot with a Dremel after it set up.

There's no way to fire a full power rifle cartridge in it now.

[browningautorifle]

I guess you could fix a TT33 (pistol) mag inside the original mag shell and still have mag feed...?

[Vincent]

Good idea. I will take a look at the TT33 and PPS43 magazines.

[Chuckindenver]

so,,, why not use a #4 mark 1 barrel, turn the muzzle down to accept the flash hider and lug...install, and be done??
new #4 barrels will be available soon..
i will have a used #4 barrel for sale, and for a price and cut down and trim the muzzle to fit...and can install the barrel as well...