long branch no4 mk1* DP but not deactivated!

[gewehrsniper]

Hey guys. This is my first post. I am somewhat new to lee Enfield Rifles. I had an ishapore 2a1 long ago but sold it. Also had a fazakerly 1948 no4 mk1 in mint conditon and numbers matching...sold it! Lol. Now this one is here to stay. All the numbers match except the magazine. I took this rifle to a gunsmith to make sure it was safe to fire since it was a DP and he said it was good to go and even put a round through it to be nice. It shot fine. Firing pin is good and headspace too. The patina on this gun is awesome. Found a few stripper clips to go with it as well.

Anyway. Back to the gun! I read some DP rifles were marked DP and werent even worn or deactivated but just becaise they were in need of DP rifles. The white stripe on the buttstock has been removed sometime in the past. Idk if they had permanet markers in the 40s lol but it has some initials on the buttstock. Imported by sarco. The corners for bolt release are chipped but stays on track 97% of the time lol. Bolt head is marked '1'. Also gun is marked "DP" 4 times kn jnderside of stock as well as on the receiver, bolt handle and magazine. Has the brass buttplate and grooved handguard and the 1300 meter sight.

Can anyone give me tips on how to post pics???? New to this site

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.

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

Welcome to the forum. You may want to do a search for threads concerning DP rifles-there's a lot of them. Here's just one.

DP rifles

[Beerhunter]

Anyway. Back to the gun! I read some DP rifles were marked DP and werent even worn or deactivated but just becaise they were in need of DP rifles.

The whole point about DPs is that they are an unknown quantity because DP meant different things at different times to different nations. For example it can mean just the firing pin cut short and the firing pin hole blocked to wholesale destruction of the rifle such as the L59s.

Deactivation is a completely different subject.

[Peter Laidler]

But YOU don't know why the rifle was set aside for conversion to DP in the first place. It might be something simple like worn-out magazine stop face (or sear stop face as we have discussed recently....) to having been totally destroyed in a vehicle fire. I have seen both scenarios, one at each extreme end of the spectrum but easily brought up to DP spec for training.

I would ask the man to guarantee what he says about its safety, in writing............ AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE

[Bear43]

Welcome to the forum, gewehrsniper. Now about that rifle..... I wouldn't put a single round through it!! Plainly, I value my life more than that. Like Peter said, you don't know why it was DP'd in the first place. It's a huge unknown and a huge risk. There are lots of other No 4's out there with no issues at all. I would put this one back into DP trim to have in the collection and get another that is a good shooter.

[Ridolpho]

Gewehrsniper: If you go back to the seller and educate him based on what you now know maybe he'd give you a refund or swap it for a safe shooter? As to photos, read the sticky thread 3 from the bottom- it works extremely well. If you can save photos on your harddrive and they're a meg or smaller (individually) you can upload them with ease. Your "name" suggests an interest in German snipers- do you have a K98k sniper or two?

Ridolpho

[gewehrsniper]

Gewehrsniper: If you go back to the seller and educate him based on what you now know maybe he'd give you a refund or swap it for a safe shooter? As to photos, read the sticky thread 3 from the bottom- it works extremely well. If you can save photos on your harddrive and they're a meg or smaller (individually) you can upload them with ease. Your "name" suggests an interest in German snipers- do you have a K98k sniper or two?

Ridolpho

Thanks guys. And no I do not have any german sniper rifles lol. On sks boards they have this thing that states you are a minor and I am a minor. Is there a feature on here that says so? Anyway I'm 16 ive been foolin with guns since I was 12. I'm getting into some minlr gunsmithing. Ive had Enfields before and sold em so I wanted another and this is the only one i could find in my area. I took it to a gunsmith who specializes jn antiaue guns and he said it would be fine to shoot and even shot it for me lol he said the headspace is right, the sear seems fine and not reallt worn, he said the only flaw in the gun is the corners are broke in the bolt release gap but still stays on track nice. I got it for $225 (I'm in MO U.S.) and it came with a hardcase which I think is very fair.

Is there anything else I should look for

[Bear43]

Here's the thing..... There could be issues at play here that can't be seen with the naked eye. A DP rifle is a literal time bomb! Search through this forum, it was just a couple years ago a gent lost part of his thumb to a DP marked Enfield. Take a bit of time and research DP rifles and you will find some scary stuff. Sure, this one may fire 100 rounds just fine, but what will you do when it blows up in your face on round 101? Yes, it is that serious!

[Badger]

Here's a few links to other threads where Peter and others have discussed the pitfalls of DP and ZF marked rifles ...

ZF marking on Enfields?

DP Stock Marks Query

DP Rifles

Please read them all thoroughly before you go and shoot it ...

Regards,
Doug

[gewehrsniper]

Here's a few links to other threads where Peter and others have discussed the pitfalls of DP and ZF marked rifles ...

ZF marking on Enfields?

DP Stock Marks Query

DP Rifles

Please read them all thoroughly before you go and shoot it ...

Regards,
Doug

I think I'm gonna buy a new sear and trigger spring just to be safe. When you dryfire the weapon the bolt handle kicks up about half a centimeter so im thinking it is the sear. I'm goin to replace it just to be safe and thoroughly inspect it some more. The guy I bought it from said he had shot it before and it was damn accurate at 400 yds. He could have been lying but the guy seemed honestthe muzzle passes the bullet test and barrel has nice rifling and is pretty shiny. From the research ive gathered I'm thinking maybe it was just marked DP because whoever used it was in need of a DP rifle and. Couldnt get enough of them....??? I'm lost lol I don't know what to say part of me is scared to shoot it but the other part wants to belekve it is safe to shoot lol