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Lowkeyed
Newbie Joined: November 16 2020 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Posted: November 16 2020 at 7:43pm |
So I picked up a 41 Lithgow off of a local internet site because the price was less than a used stock set I was looking to buy. I believe it to be a practice gun but it is matching. The only problem is once I stripped off the yellow latex paint on the stock and hand guards, there are all these cool cartouches. Now I am thinking of just making her a wall hanger, but just curious as to what the marks on the stock mean. Does anyone know what any of them mean?
There are more photos to come. |
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Lowkeyed
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The Armourer
Senior Member Joined: June 23 2019 Location: Y Felinhelli Status: Offline Points: 1246 |
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DP = Drill Purpose only.
These rifles were deemed unsafe to fire and were then relegated to 'practice use only'. An interesting article from the UKs most senior military armourer (Peter laidler) I have mentioned ‘Britain’ here
but while I can’t include Canada, I can certainly include New Zealand and
Australia with a degree of certainty plus India, whose Army liaison Officer at
work ran his eyes over this paper for me. I have also mentioned DP too and in
this respect, it isn’t meant to mean ‘DRILL’ in the parade square context, it
is meant to indicate practicing your rifle ‘training drills’. And it’s not only
rifles that were downgraded to DP either because in the days of the old
‘number’ radio sets, many of these were classified as DP sets too. Pressure bearing parts will be outside of specification with (for example) the action being distorted, twisted or unsafe in one way or another. Wood work is normally OK but will require WORK (as in modifying) to fit. The woodwork, in fact most parts, are not 'plug and play' on any Enfields.
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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Quick scan of the butt stamps:
CMF stamp on the butt means Citizen Military Forces (reserve militia) 3MD = 3rd military district -southern command victoria. MA 5/44 rebuilt at LSAF may 1944. HV=sighted for High Velocity Ammunition Butt has early shield stamp 1915 I think the butt is off a much earlier rifle, the stamps are quite prolific and cool. The photos probably don't show them all clearly
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Lowkeyed
Newbie Joined: November 16 2020 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Thanks guys for the information.
Guess I’ll leave the stock alone for now and continue the search for my bastardized 1918 replacement stock. |
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Lowkeyed
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smerdon42
Senior Member Joined: February 20 2018 Location: Natick MA Status: Offline Points: 455 |
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if it is just painted dp and not stamped it may be ok to shoot if it guages well and headspaces well .please remember if it has a dp stamped on the reciever and barrel it is not to be fired . I have seen rifles not stamped that fire well but where painted yellow like that . Buttstock is from a much earlier rifle as is the stock probably as it is walnut not coachwood as it was in 42 on
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Lowkeyed
Newbie Joined: November 16 2020 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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Here is some more pictures with the wood off to show some additional markings.
That’s all the markings on the receiver and barrel. Only other stamps are on trigger, sight, barrel band etc.
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Lowkeyed
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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i could be wrong, but above the 1 to 10 factory inspector stamps there looks to be the stamp of John Jovino Company a US importer. If that the case they imported a lot of Lithgow rifles, some were made up from old parts etc. Some of the others on this forum know more about it than I.
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The Armourer
Senior Member Joined: June 23 2019 Location: Y Felinhelli Status: Offline Points: 1246 |
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The "10 stamps" are the original Lithgow factory acceptance marks. As the rifle progressed down the production line it was QA tested at each stage and if it 'passed' was stamped with the station number (1 to 10) and passed on down the line. |
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Lowkeyed
Newbie Joined: November 16 2020 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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The importer stamp is IA Co Sac Ca. I know them as Inter Arms as I have several SKS they have imported.
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Lowkeyed
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Marco1010
Senior Member Joined: February 04 2020 Location: New Zealand Status: Offline Points: 400 |
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I was referring to what was just abovethe factory stamps Looks to me there is a very faint J A Co ??? CA then Australia 303
I guess these will be the importers markings?
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Shamu
Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 17603 |
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OK, I see what you're talking about. I enhanced the image a bit to see if that helps. I don't think its a Jovino stamp, theirs was usually "JJ&Co" |
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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Twodogs
Groupie Joined: December 05 2018 Location: England Status: Offline Points: 96 |
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As an ex British army armourer, though of a somewhat later vintage than Mr Laidler, I fully agree with and support the comments made in the article and by The Armourer.
Use any bits at your own peril, even if they gauge/fit ok.
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Lowkeyed
Newbie Joined: November 16 2020 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 9 |
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I purchased the rifle solely to use the stock as a replacement for an older gun that I already own but it has issues with the stock. I just thought the markings were cool but never had any intention of shooting it. Here are some pictures of the gun that is going to receive the stock as long as there are not any issues swapping it over.
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Lowkeyed
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Goosic
Senior Member Joined: September 12 2017 Location: Phoenix Arizona Status: Offline Points: 8792 |
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There is a place here in Arizona , J&G Guns in Prescott. They have dealt with numerous Enfield rifles in all configurations. When an Enfield shows up with any DP marks on it, be it painted on or stamped. You cannot purchase it until a waiver has been signed by you stating that you will not fire the weapon. I worked in a gun store in Phoenix for many years and we had the same policy. DP regardless of how it came to be was just that. It is no longer safe to fire except in emergencies based off of the paint code of yellow.
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Honkytonk
Senior Member Joined: December 30 2017 Location: Brandon Mb Status: Offline Points: 4770 |
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No matter how much you want to convince yourself this rifle might be safe to shoot, weighing advise and opinions that support not to, looking for some that might say it'll probably be ok, I say, why would you even consider risking it?
If, in the end, you decide to shoot it (my advise is to make it a wall hanger), for a small nominal fee (plus expenses) I would volunteer my wife to take the first shot.
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devrep
Senior Member Joined: October 28 2020 Location: florida Status: Offline Points: 625 |
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pretty sure he said he gets it.
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double gun
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