Long Branch DP Rifle

[pbsmg]

Hallo to everyone from a new Forum member. If anyone can help identify a Rifle i have then i would be very grateful. It is a 1942 Long Branch Nr4 mk1*. Original Serial Nr 14L8395. At some point she has been converted into a DP Rifle. New SN is 4414. Bolt and Receiver are stamped "DP". The stock is also stamped "DP" in front of the magazine. The chamber is milled and pinned. The barrel is milled about half way down. It is stamped "SARCO. INC" on the left rear of the receiver. Traces of white paint are on the butt and front Stock. The Bolt head is ground at a 45% angle and the firing pin hole is filled.
I would like to ask if this is a proper DP Rifle, or has someone made this up. As it is not de-act stamped by a proof House, what is the legality of it in the UK?
looking forward to your replies. Paul.

Information

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[Alan de Enfield]

From your description it very much looks as if it IS a De-Act to UK requirements, but I'll let a UK RFD confirm.

All of the 'work' done on the rifle is to De-Act requirements - to "convert" a rifle to DP varied from Country to Country by generally involved 'clipping' the firing pin, and maybe welding up the firing pin hole - I think that the UK DP specs were to drill a hole thru' the action

DP is not a recognisable definition by the Home Office, or the Firearms Acts so it is either a 'live' rifle or a "De-Act" - what is it being sold as ? (or what have you bought it as ?)

UK De-Act requirements for Bolt Action Rifles :

Bolt Action Rifles - current legislation requires that the barrel is slotted for the majority of its covered length and has a hardened steel rod welded in the bore, the barrel is pinned and welded to the receiver, or the above slot is taken right through the receiver, the chamber entrance is pinned and welded or the barrel rod extends right to the chamber entrance, the bolt is cut back at around 45 degrees and the firing pin is ground back. There is no difference between post and pre 95 deactivation standards. Both types have full working actions and can be fully stripped apart from the barrel. March 2011 Update - The specification for bolt action rifles has been tightened as follows: firing pin channels must be sealed with weld on the bolt face.

[Robert303]

You might find this of use.
https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...earms-2010.pdf
Without the Deactivation Proof mark you could have legal problems in the U.K. There has been a discussion about this on other threads about older 'Deactivations' but without getting too technical / legal I would avoid buying this unless you can see the DA marks on the Bolt, Barrel and Receiver

[Peter Laidler]

A DP rifle as per the EMER and is designated the RIFLE Drill Purpose, L54A1, (which I drew up) easily exceeds the deactivation spec laid down albeit in one subtly different way. And the only difficulty you might have is that WITH a certificate and a proof-house mark the prosecution would have to prove any case being bought to the court. WITHOUT such things the onus of proof is upon you that it is incapable of discharging this that and the other.

Can't say about any other DP spec of course but a few photos of the bare body and barrel might help

[pbsmg]

Thanks for the info guys. I already own the Rifle. It resides safely in my Armourers Shop.I will get some close up photos taken on Monday. The only photos i have at present are these.
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7ebf35d8.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1c2694b1.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psf638c0a7.jpg

Very interesting that you drew up the specs Peter. Fellow REME Armourer and all that.

[mpapajoffre]

In 1989 I bought several Long Branch "DP" rifles from Sarco. I believe I paid $49.00 ea for them. They were No 4 mk1* with 2 groove barrels and all matching numbers. They had a big "DP" electro penciled on the receiver, and white paint bands on the stocks. Other than the stocks being beat up pretty badly, there was nothing wrong, mechanically, with the rifles. After cleaning the grass and dirt out of the barrels and actions, the bores were pristine. Sarco advertised these rifles as being from New Zealand. I sold one to a friend and kept one for myself. It was the most accurate Enfield I've ever owned. Unfortunately due to divorce I had to sell it off.

[Peter Laidler]

The bad news is that your rifle isn't an L59!

[Beerhunter]

If your rifle is a UK deac then it will have been marked as such by one of the Proof Houses. To spot the mark, it will be the one that is bright and fresh. If you can find the mark, post a picture of it here for ID.

BTW, if that brass Very Pistol is also one of yours, you should be aware that in the UK they are Section 1 Firearms and so they need to be held on a Firearm Certificate or be deactivated.

[pbsmg]

The Webley Flare Pistol is a deact. What do you reckon my rifle is then Peter?

[Peter Laidler]

I can't tell you what it is as I was asleep during my psychic lesson at school except from the one photo that I can see and your desription! It looks/sounds like a bog standard rifle that has been a non standard DP for some nation at some time. Gone to the US where it was imported by Sarco and then made it's way home to the UK. Been sort-of deactivated and.........

Just err on the safe side is my advice until its exact status can be verified. If it was an L59 as per the old EMER then you'd be home and dry as they have already been deemed as blah blah blah and so on. On the othjer hand you could just make it into an L59 but while they are iconic, collectable and being an 'official' variant of the Lee Enfield family and worthy of a place in any true collection, they look naff - with white bands and cutaway sections to show their inert status. Incidentally, the L59's also kept their original serial numbers in order to keep the accounting/WOCS/SSR registers straight. (unless they were allocated a 'lost number' number during the BW conversion programme).