Lee Enfield #1MKlll receiver w/holes in barrel threads

[Aderondacker]

Hello, I recently purchase a Lee Enfield #1MKlll striped receiver on Gunbroker. On each side of the receiver barrel threads there are 1/4" holes at 3&9 o'clock near the front shoulder of the receiver. Is this receiver still usable? Why would this be done? I have never seen this before except for the gas port and it also has one. Your help would be appreciated. Thanks John

Information

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[jmoore]

Go ahead and use it. No real safety concern w/ the extra holes as long as the receiver is OK otherwise. Not so good for a restoration project though!

Please don't try welding the holes closed!

Oh, BTW, welcome aboard!

[Brian Dick]

The receiver is from a DP rifle. Please read the thread on DP rifles above on the Lee Enfield Forum. Not to step on jmoore's toes but I'd think long and hard about using it to build a rifle.

[jmoore]

D'oh! Plumb forgot about the DP aspect! Its not the holes themselves that are the problem.... Can you say "Danger, Will Robinson!"? (I was thinking Bubba holes.)

Actually, seeing as you can find sporters and such for less than a hundred dollars, why bother with all the work such as rebarreling, fitting a new bolt, bolthead, et al. I've scrapped out a few just because the parts were more useful than the whole...

Mr. Dick, come to think of it, the only DP rifles I've seen have been in books and on this forum, so I think I dropped the ball, here.

Thanks, Brian!

A useful Link:

DP rifles - Military Surplus Collectors Forums

ETA PM'd Aderondacker.

[Brian Dick]

I can't for the life of me understand how sellers on gunbroker and other sites get away with it but they do. Sooner or later someone WILL get hurt. I had a guy in here a couple of weeks ago with a knackered, (Peter's Armourer terminology!), Ishapore 2A1 rifle and I tried to tell him but........ The bolt was slopping around in it like no tomorrow but it passed a US SAAMI field reject gauge so he insisted it was OK. I don't have the energy to argue with them anymore. I'll be damned if I'd sell it on to someone though if it was mine.

[Brit plumber]

I've a Ishy 2A1 rifle, If you squeze the trigger and then release the pressure, and then repeat 3 or 4 times, the bolt handle moves up and eventually the bolt unlocks and it flys back. If you are aiming at the time thats gonna hurt some!! After saying that though, if you actually fire the action the bolt snapps closed so shouldn't do it on firing a round. Still scary though!

[Aderondacker]

Thanks for the info, after I posted I did find some info on other sites about DP"s but not as in depth. The bolt matches the receiver serial # and is marked the same with DP. Before reading the link on DP rifles I was considering on trying to resurrect the receiver but not now. The bolt when lock to fire on this receiver moves back and forth .062 off the lugs. If I turn the bolt head out 1 full turn then there is no play. I was thinking it was DP because of the head space. It will remain a DP so no one will be hurt.

[jmoore]

The bolt play (IF there's no extractor/extractor spring installed) is not unusual.( I'm assuming there's no headspace gage or case rim between the bolt face and breech AND that there's a barrel installed!) I still think in light of all the recent learning that you're better off. I sure would hate to steer you down the wrong path.

Good to hear from you!

[buffdog]

I can't for the life of me understand how sellers on gunbroker and other sites get away with it but they do. Sooner or later someone WILL get hurt. I had a guy in here a couple of weeks ago with a knackered, (Peter's Armourer terminology!), Ishapore 2A1 rifle and I tried to tell him but........ The bolt was slopping around in it like no tomorrow but it passed a US SAAMI field reject gauge so he insisted it was OK. I don't have the energy to argue with them anymore. I'll be damned if I'd sell it on to someone though if it was mine.

There is no point in arguing with fools. There is no such thing as "foolproof". Fools are very ingenious!
.

[bigduke6]

I can't for the life of me understand how sellers on gunbroker and other sites get away with it but they do. Sooner or later someone WILL get hurt.

Well that sooner or later has arrived, someone has got hurt have a look on the Enfield forum very lucky indeed, but his mate was a gunshop owner and another was a gunsmith who put a new striker in and off they went to the range !!!!

click on the link,

Enfield Catastrophic Failure...