Long Lee Metford/Enfield rifle restoration.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

There are partial drawings for these things on the Net. Some of these appear to be lifted from armourer's "instructional / information" charts and thus often lack full dimensions and tolerances. However, even the basic data is good for verifying scan / probe data and will probably get you within ten thou of actual.

If you only need a few, CNC is best. Expensive; but if the control files are retained, more are just a phone-call and a couple of weeks away. For bigger numbers, investment casting followed by minimal machining may be the way to fly.

Finding the EXACT material is likely to be a challenge. Malleable cast iron as per the 1880s is not something you can find at the corner steel merchant.

The surface finish will probably be TOO good for many restorations, so consideration should be given to "roughing up" a batch in an industrial "rumbler", leaving them to rust a bit, cleaned in acid and then "rough" blued / browned.

The repros also need to be clearly marked as such, inside and out. Things like: actual "new" maker's marks, incorrect "crowns", wrong fonts, REALLY bogus acceptance stamps etc. Think: a "better" grade of Khyber Pass special.

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