Another bent barrel

[Vincent]

Attachment 58601

I picked up a #5 box gun today. It looks like the barrel is bent just forward of the chamber. Bit of an awkward place to work on.

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[browningautorifle]

You may be right, can you see the bend inside? I straightened a bent M1 barrel that was bent in the thickest part of the barrel. It can be done.

[Vincent]

[ATTACH=CON FIG]58623[/ATTACH]

I can't see it on the inside. It might be at the chamber end of the rifling or in the throat.

I can feel something on the sides where I think the bend is. Whatever it is, I can't feel it at the top and bottom. It's only on the sides.

I am pretty sure it's the barrel. But I will take it off and try a known good #4 barrel just to be sure it's not the receiver.

There's something very satisfying about about repairing or restoring these old guns.

[browningautorifle]

Why can't you see the inside? Anyway, you may be able to get a look when it's out of the stock. You know those barrels can be a pig to take off right?

[Vincent]

I have it out of the stock. The barrel is straight from the red line forward. I think the bend is at the front of the chamber, before the rifling starts. At least that's where I hope it is.

You know those barrels can be a pig to take off right?

Yes, and that's what has me a bit concerned. I am wondering if someone tried to remove the barrel and bent or twisted the receiver.

[browningautorifle]

That's a very real possibility. I've seen them twisted up like a corkscrew...

[Peter Laidler]

No1 and 4 bodies are VERY easy to bend and once they're bent, you can never get themn 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.

[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

[browningautorifle]

So, how's he going to determine if it's bent now?

[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmm, that's a good question BAR. This is what we used to do. At Base workshop, we'd run the gauge, inspectors bolt in the body with a No2 bolthead and see whether it would CHS because if you straighten a body it would stretch both sides (one side being stretched while being bent and the opposite side, being straightened.....). Fail No2 bolthead CHS and it was the chop. Then put the reject CHS gauge into the barrel, mark the face of the gauge with a fine film of engineers blue, then close the bolt and bolt head down on it, with just light finger pressure. The witness mark on the bolt face should be an equal full circle. If it's not a full circle then by default, something is wrong and our suspicions will be confirmed.

There may be other tests but that's ours