Maltby Production

[Richard Hare]

Peter,

Thanks again.

The "made obsolete soon afterwards" is Skennerton again, as I have no clue on this myself!
I think this is similar to the way we get in trouble as soon as we say "never" or "Always". LOL.

Do you know if these A & P barrels were two or three groove?

[Richard Hare]

Just found this, regarding the rifling in these A &P barrels;

Woodend, H. 1981 "British Rifles; catalogue of the Enfield Pattern Room", Published by HMSO, London. ISBN 0 11 771930 7.

The reference is on page 53 and covers two rifles in the pattern room collection (apparently now housed at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, along with the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield's archives).


RB271
Rifle No.4 Mk.i, .303" with Mk. iii barrel
L 44.3 in B25.2 In, W 8lb 10 oz

The Mk.iii barrel fitted to this specimen was introduced as a temporary measure in 1943. Developed by Accles & Pollock, the well known steel company, this barrel was manufactured from drawn steel tube with the nocksform made as a seperate sleeve, shrunk and pinned to the breech end. Rifling is 5 groove as for the Mk i barrel, but the interior finish of the bore is noticeably dull. This fabricated barrel was unsuccessful due mainly to moovement which often developed between the barrel tube and the breech sleeve. The rifle is marked on the left body: "No.4 Mk.I ROF(F) 7/43".

So apparently these barrels were 5 groove.
Interestingly, this barrel in the Pattern roof is fitted to a Fazakerly action.

R.