Question to Peter Laidler ( LE No.4 MK.I*)

[Peter Laidler]

The star was put on the barrel in the approximate place where the rust was situated inside the barrel. Externally, it was visible of course. The reason why a star was put there was so that the poor old squaddie wouldn't keep on getting a bollocking, year after year, for the same old rust!

The rust you have shown is typical of the rust we encountered every day in the tropics on the No4's and 5's, SLR's and Brens. But the rust problem there was a billion times worse, believe me......... You have absolutely nothing to cause you concern. We'd just reassemble that rifle with a good dollop of XG279 grease and make a note that in a year or so, it could be withdrawn for a FTR. A good strip, bead blast, phosphate and hot oven bake with sunkorite and it'll last you for another 100 years. Do you have those facilities in BAOR now, via the old boy net? If you've got the first, I'll send you a tin of paint to finish the job! In the meantime, go and give it a bit of welly. Ah, yes '......bit of welly' That's another REME technical phrase indicating the need to give it a good stonking, as in '....get the barrel hot'!

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.