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Notes on the No. 4 Mk 2 DCRA 7.62

Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: 7.62 Enfield
Forum Description: All things to do with the 7.62 Enfield
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=13671
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 2:51pm
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Topic: Notes on the No. 4 Mk 2 DCRA 7.62
Posted By: britrifles
Subject: Notes on the No. 4 Mk 2 DCRA 7.62
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 9:44am
I have my father’s friends DCRA 7.62, a 1950 PF No. 4 Mk 2 converted by Long Branch to 7.62 NATO (conversion serial number 590). It’s in exceptionally good condition, nicely finished Beech furniture.  Fitted with PH 5C rear sight. I suspect this was a rifle bought new in the wrap in the mid 1960’s. 



The barrel also looks exceptionally good, no pitting at all, no indication of any firecracking in the throat. As good as any modern match grade barrel I have seen. 



I also have his notebook and PH service rifle score book from the 1940’s thru 1960’s.  Norm was an officer in the Royal Canadian Artillery in WWII and a very accomplished Service Rifle shooter having shot with the DCRA for many years. He shot with the Canadian team to Bisley numerous times. His notebook contains an impressive list of trophies and medals. 

He was one of the early DCRA members who attempted to get the 7.62 conversions to shoot. His No. 4 has some interesting forend bedding modifications (allowed by the DCRA at that time). Reading his notes from 1966/67, the last configuration he worked on before he passed away was with the barrel nearly entirely bedded in the forend with polyester resin to the muzzle. He never got to shoot it in this final configuration.  Going thru his notebook and scorebook, he had only put about 200 rounds thru the barrel. 

Eventually, the UK NRA and DCRA figured out the problem with the DCRA conversions was poor quality of 7.62 service ammunition. This was true of UK and Canadian service ball ammunition. With a good match bullet and handloads, these are probably the best shooting No. 4 rifles. 

Here is my third 10 shot 200 yard group, shot prone in the sling with my handloads: 168 Sierra MatchKing, 40.0 grains of Varget.  First shot was low in the 10 ring, so held a bit higher on the front sight, remaining 9 shots all in the X ring but one, a 10.9. This rifle shoots, no question about it. 




At some point, I’ll bring this rifle back to the range and shoot it at 300, 600, 800 and 1000 yds. Curious how the forend bedding does at longer ranges. 





Replies:
Posted By: DarioPirovano
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 11:21am
That’s a laser!!!


Posted By: Canuck
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 12:37pm
That sir is awesome shooting! I aspire to duplicate this performance with my DCRA 7.62.

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Castles made of sand slip into the sea.....eventually


Posted By: Mayhem
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 3:07pm
Very impressive but I don't believe that is ALL the rifle.

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.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889


Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 5:50pm
wow that is a brand new looking barrel 


Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 6:14pm
Yes, it is. I had to turn the borescope light intensity way town, the bore is so bright it reflected too much light into the camera. 

Except for the new CBI .303 barrel I installed on my Fulton 4 Mk I/3 earlier this year, this is the nicest barrel I have on any of my No. 4’s.  Looking through my score book plot sheets, I found one 300 yard target I shot a few weeks after the one I posted above.  Wished I had taken a photo of it.  The group was even tighter, the vertical spread was less than 1 MOA for the ten shots.  I’ll need to do some additional shooting with this rifle, I’m very curious how it will do at 600 yds, and perhaps try the 168 gr TMK as well at long range.  I wished Dad’s friend Norm could have seen this. 

I also have my Dad’s DCRA 7.62, now with 2300 rounds thru it.  I shoot it several times a year at long range (800 and 1000 yds) and have posted results on this forum.  It shoots quite well, but now wonder if Norm’s DCRA will shoot even better. 






Posted By: Shamu
Date Posted: December 01 2024 at 7:32pm
That is just sweeet!


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Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)


Posted By: Sapper740
Date Posted: December 02 2024 at 5:17am
Wow!  That is definitely a shooter you have there.  It's funny how 40 grains of Varget seems to be the perfect load for Lee Enfield rifles whether you're shooting .303 or 7.62.


Posted By: britrifles
Date Posted: December 02 2024 at 7:46am
Agree.  Varget (ADI AR2208) just plain works in the No. 4 .303 and .308/7.62.  They have pretty similar case capacities and very similar bullet weights.  I've had mixed results with Varget in .30-06, possibly because of the low load densities (large airspace).  H4895 is a better choice for the .30-06.

For long range shooting (800 and 1000 yds) with my other (Dad's) DCRA, I've pumped up the load to 44 grains of Varget with the 168 grain Tipped MatchKing.  It's a stout load for sure, about equivalent in pressure to the 7.62 NATO loads at the time (and a mid range load per the Hodgdon load tables for .308 Win).  The critical variable here with this load is to NOT seat the TMK to magazine length, that will substantially increase pressures, it is a much longer bullet than the 168 grain SMK.  I seat the TMK to within 0.020 inches from the lands, 2.95 inches in the Long Branch 7.62 barrel.  



Posted By: Rossfield
Date Posted: April 01 2025 at 11:37pm
It's surprising how many of the conversion rifles have pristine barrels, and the barrels are found loose as well where a heavier barrel was fitted later, often an Enfield hammer-forged example.  I suppose it reflects the relatively short period these barrels were used in compeition.  I've probably seen a dozen and don't remember any that showed significant wear.


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Treason doth never prosper;
what's the reason?
Why if it prosper,
none dare call it treason.



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