ACDF marked barrel

[mrclark303]

Evening all, just wondered if Peter, Mike (I will give you a call tomorrow mate) or one of our other ex REME forum members can tell me what the abbreviation ACDF stands for, stamped on an L1A1 barrel?

Its on my cutaway rifle, also a * is stamped to the right of the receiver ring, signifying damage?? (is this why the rifle was condemned and cutaway I wonder).

It still has its original oil black factory finish and size 0 locking shoulder, so it must have been reasonably new when converted.

Cheers John.

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

I don't recall ACDF and it's not recorded as a steel batch mark although the last F could indicate 'Foundry' as in steel mix plant. There was a similar CF mark for British Steel at Corby. The star COULD indicate rust pitting or another identified marker but we'd stopped using these marks by the mid 60's or so. After all, you didn't need a star to mark a slight pucker or rust or lifting chrome..... You could see it!

As for the O locking shoulder. THat really doesn't indicate too much because like Bren barrel nuts, No4 bolt heads and L1A1 flash eliminator collars, you soon got to learn that those numbers mean....., well, nothing really. Especially the L1A1 locking shoulders as they came in UNDERsize, then 0 and then OVER size. Add to that there was another set that were similar BUT were a slightly larger diameter to cater for locking shoulder holes that were worn and............... Oh, don't let me slip into a nightmare.............

I'm sure Skippy and Tankie will come in here.

[mrclark303]

Many thanks Peter, sorry I should have been clearer, the ACDF is hand stamped to the right of the barrel NATO info B61 etc etc.

I assumed it was an Army organisation of some kind, REME off shoot, Army Collage " " something like that, perhaps ??

The end of * use in 1965 ish would fit with the Rifles oil black factory finish, no suncorite on this example. So (going by the 62 dated parts, all BSA) as it has no serial number, it must have only seen service for a couple years at most, surly the Army wouldn't cut up a perfectly serviceable rifle....would they ???

Thanks for the info regarding Locking shoulders, I never could make sense of them, too complicated for a simple trigger puller like me !!

[mrclark303]

Sorry all wrong again....I think I'll just go back to bed and forget this week.....TRY AGAIN... its ADCF not ACDF !

[Peter Laidler]

That'll be the Corby Foundry mark and presumably the AD might be the steel mix number

[mrclark303]

Many thanks Peter, as ever, much appreciated.

[tankhunter]

Johnny,
The star stamp was also used on No.4 rifles to indicate cordwear at the muzzle. This was done by over zealous wedgeheads dragging the pullthrough's. Through the barrel at an angle repeatedly. This causing a concave trough at the muzzle.
& would then make the rifle inaccurate if bad! The star stamp was an indication to other Amourers, that the damage had been observed. & to keep an eye out in this particular area. That it didn't get worse, & was for the moment. Of an acceptable limit of wear.

I don't recall seeing it on L1A1' during My time. Though this dosent mean it was not used. EARLY in the Rifles service first few years of service. Peter MAY be able to clarify from his records?

[Peter Laidler]

Tankie is right. The star MAY have been used but there was no cordwear in the L1A1's because of the flash eliminator.

While you're there Tankie, do you remember the performance over the locking shoulder and flash eliminator collar sizes! The number really didn't mean a lot! The best guide was a micrometer! And even then, you could never be sure that two with number 4 on them would be the same!

I know that you'll never believe this but before we had oversize locking shoulders to cater for worn locking shoulder openings, we had to put a slight coating of locking substance in the opening. Not 'loktite' but something similar. What a bodge........! I can't believe it now. But the oversizes cured it - most times!

[tankhunter]

Pete, I should have been clearer with my post!

When referring to cordwear on L1a1's. I MEANT to say. The inistial / Trials FN's. IE: NO flash hider fitted then to the barrel.
As you know, during it's development in British service. Things were added & changed.
Barrels later had the bayonet lug removed, & a screw thread cut to take a Flash hider. (Inisitialy called a Flash 'Eliminator') & eventually converted into sectionalised/ cutaway instructional models. & the rest, well..........I can only assume our practice of putting away into ordanance storage. Or Destruction?

But, as far as I am aware personaly. The star stamp on it's own. Simply indicated cordwear at the Muzzle. As used on the No.4, the L1A1's predecessor.