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Strange history to this one.
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05-16-2021 07:30 PM
# ADS
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It is profusely marked, all over the metalwork and the furniture so there is no possible argument that it is not a DP, or that it is a 'live rifle' that someone has put furniture from a DP rifle onto.
IT SHOULD NOT BE FIRED.
How do you know that it was not the Canadian importer that bought a DP rifle not knowing what DP meant and are now selling it as a live rifle.
Many gun dealers are like secondhand car salesmen, they don't know the detail about what they are selling, they just want to make a sale and make their profit - maybe they were told it was one of the rare DP (Durban Police) rifles.
Does it have any UK proof marks ?
If not, then it was not sporterised and sold into the UK civilian gun market, as a live firing rifle, and, (never say never) but I'm pretty sure that our military didn't make sporters out of issued rifles.
Last edited by Alan de Enfield; 05-17-2021 at 03:25 AM.
Mine are not the best, but they are not too bad. I can think of lots of Enfields I'd rather have but instead of constantly striving for more, sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what one has...
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Contributing Member
I concur...............I would certainly check the proof marks and test pressures before I even considered doing anything with that. Its certainly a bitza, and if thats all you have to go on, DON'T SHOOT it and let the Dealer do the honours!!
'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA
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Legacy Member
Originally Posted by
Alan de Enfield
How do you know that it was not the Canadianicon importer that bought a DP rifle not knowing what DP meant and are now selling it as a live rifle.
Entirely possible. However, the UK company, that sporterized the rifle for the Canadian market, as evidenced by the "Surrey" stamp on the barrel, was also negligent. I forget the name of the company, but this is a typical "Surrey" conversion. Other "Surreys" in my collection are complete rifles, not Bitsas and only minimally sporterized. This rifle IMO is not a good rifle using DP parts, it's clearly a Drill Purpose rifle, and therefore dangerous. I hope it has not had much or any hunting use in Canada since.
---------- Post added at 07:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:46 AM ----------
I've had another look at the pics and I can't see any UK proof marks, but the pics are not in the right spots. I suppose the Surrey stamped barrel could be a replacement, but why? Anyone with the tools and skill to replace a barrel should be able to see the rest is junk - no?
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Advisory Panel
Originally Posted by
Alan de Enfield
It is profusely marked, all over the metalwork and the furniture so there is no possible argument that it is not a DP, or that it is a 'live rifle' that someone has put furniture from a DP rifle onto.
IT SHOULD NOT BE FIRED.
How do you know that it was not the
Canadian importer that bought a DP rifle not knowing what DP meant and are now selling it as a live rifle.
Many gun dealers are like secondhand car salesmen, they don't know the detail about what they are selling, they just want to make a sale and make their profit - maybe they were told it was one of the rare DP (Durban Police) rifles.
Does it have any UK proof marks ?
If not, then it was not sporterised and sold into the UK civilian gun market, as a live firing rifle, and, (never say never) but I'm pretty sure that our military didn't make sporters out of issued rifles.
It has British commercial proof markings, so whatever resulted in it being designated DP wasn't a safety issue.
Having said that as far as I'm concerned it is a parts gun
Last edited by Lee Enfield; 05-17-2021 at 11:39 AM.
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Legacy Member
Originally Posted by
Lee Enfield
It has
British commercial proof markings, so whatever resulted in it being designated DP wasn't a safety issue.
Having said that as far as I'm concerned it is a parts gun
I cannot see any proof marks on the photos, and the OP says he cannot see any - do you know more about the rifle than is shown ?
Mine are not the best, but they are not too bad. I can think of lots of Enfields I'd rather have but instead of constantly striving for more, sometimes it's good to be satisfied with what one has...
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Advisory Panel
It won't have had that "Surry" marked barrel at the time it was stamped up "DP" in service, so the rifle has evidently had some sort of post-DP shooting career.
DP rifles do get repaired and used, so the rifle just needs inspecting by someone competent to do so. For a No4 to be unsafe to shoot it has to glaringly obvious what the fault is - usually some form of deliberate deactivation such as cut lugs or drilled barrel.
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Legacy Member
Originally Posted by
Thunderbox
It won't have had that "Surry" marked barrel at the time it was stamped up "DP" in service, so the rifle has evidently had some sort of post-DP shooting career.
This is exactly my thought. Is there wiggle room in what the military considered DP, but that a casual shooter might be safe with? If not, someone has been negligent. Should I write to the auction house before it is sold?
---------- Post added at 09:46 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 PM ----------
Originally Posted by
Lee Enfield
It has Britishicon commercial proof markings, so whatever resulted in it being designated DP wasn't a safety issue.
There are more pics on the auction site here: https://www.icollector.com/Non-Restr...tish_i41122402
I can see a stamp in the right place, but it's not clear to me that it's a proof mark. Maybe?
Last edited by BurtonP; 05-17-2021 at 11:48 PM.
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Advisory Panel
Last edited by Lee Enfield; 05-18-2021 at 01:52 PM.
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