L59A1 White band size/position

[Nick S]

I've just got an L59A1, but the wood has been changed for standard non-DP wood. Is there a specification for the position and width of the white bands, as I'd like to add them back onto the rifle... Also, the magazine it came with isn't a DP marked one - is it hard to find a DP marked one? (It actually came with a SMLE magazine!)

Thanks

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

The magazine must be marked with the letters DP, either stamped in or engraved centrally between the two vertical indentations on the right side of the magazine, 2" down from the top horizontal line
The white bands are as follows: A 2" wide white band will be painted around the fore-end and top handguard commencing 1.2" to the rear of the steel cap, fore-end and cap, handguard for 2"" rearwards of that line. The letters DP will be painted on the white band, upright and facing outwards (when the rifle is butt down in the rack). The letters will be central in the band and 1" tall

A similar 2" wide band will be painted around the bottom of the butt commencing 3.75" from the butt plate. The letters DP will be painted onto each side of the white band, upright. The letters will be positioned centrally within each side of the band.

I seem to recall that there is an article about these DP rifles on the forum somewhere including photos that show the places where the wood is cut away. The fore-end was cut away at the rear to show the cut-out of the left locking shoulder and together with the rear handguard, to show the sectioned and plugged/welded barrel

[bigduke6]

I've just got an L59A1, but the wood has been changed for standard non-DP wood. Is there a specification for the position and width of the white bands, as I'd like to add them back onto the rifle... Also, the magazine it came with isn't a DP marked one - is it hard to find a DP marked one? (It actually came with a SMLE magazine!)

Thanks

Nick, I'm sure I've got a DP marked fore-end if you need one, also a standard No4 mag I'd trade for the SMLE one.

[Flying10uk]

Was anything actually done to the "D.P." marked No4 mag to deactivate it other than stamping "D.P." on it?

[Peter Laidler]

No. But they were usually well battered and bruised ones that were used. Additionally it wasn't necessary to mark the DP mags with the rifle serial number because it was pretty academic with a DP. You occasionally see them with a white painted base - but not official.

Every collection should have an officlally converted L59 because numerically speaking, it is the very last version of the long line of Lee Enfields

There was going to be an L60 version as the DP No1 rifle. Long story but the project was shunted back and forth and for a time there were two proposed L60's. So the No1 rifle DP was to have been designated the L52 A2 while the 250 or so DP L1A1 rifle soldiered on as the L60A1

[Flying10uk]

Does anyone know why all the L59 D.P No4 rifles that Ryton Arms had for sale 2 or 3 years ago were just stripped down actions and barrels, deactivated, of course? There was no woodwork or mag that came with it and the mag was the hardest part to find, at a sensible price.

Nick, has there been a bit of metal ground off the back of the SMLE mag in order for it to fit the No4 rifle?

[LondonEnfield]

It's worth remembering that the L59 was an Army creature. Certainly in my neck of the Air Cadet woods about 10 years ago all the DP No.4s had been DP'd by drilling vertically through the chamber, welding up the striker hole in the bolt face and clipping the striker short ...

... and, er, that was it! Swap the barrel, striker and bolt head out and you'd have had a functional No.4 again.

I heard a rumour that when the order was put out to either hand them in for scrapping or have them deactivated to the civilian standard, some RAF armouries were prepared to turn a blind eye to robbing all parts except bolt, barrel and receiver. I recovered a few white blancoed slings from some DP No.4s returned to my local station but I didn't dare ask the grumpy old ex-WO1 in charge if I could have the furniture as well.

Some of them had white bands with a black DP, painted at varying heights and widths in the rough location that Peter gives. One or two even had US PROPERTY on the receiver...

[Nick S]

Does anyone know why all the L59 D.P No4 rifles that Ryton Arms had for sale 2 or 3 years ago were just stripped down actions and barrels, deactivated, of course? There was no woodwork or mag that came with it and the mag was the hardest part to find, at a sensible price.

Nick, has there been a bit of metal ground off the back of the SMLE mag in order for it to fit the No4 rifle?

Not sure - I've never had an SMLE, so have nothing to compare it to...

[Peter Laidler]

It was the RAF DP spec and the security aspects surrounding them that caused this standardisation of the DP specification following a tragic accident. I won't go into it again. Hundreds of them were converted on onders from the MoD to DP spec. There were all sorts....... US, UK and Canadian, all marks including ex downgraded sniper rifles too that still had the holes in the bodies.

After '75 or so all RAF small arms maintenance beyond unit level fell to the responsibility of the Army

[browningautorifle]

Not sure - I've never had an SMLE, so have nothing to compare it to...

That mag looks like it's been altered to fit a #4 rifle.