That certainly caused me concern as well and actually seeing the photo brings it home but that could be repaired fairly easily. I was also sent a PM stating that this isn’t an original numbered DCRA which again is important to know but I still feel it’s a good value when you consider the extra bits.
7.62mm DCRA LE No4 conversion thread
- Thread starter Airborn_69
- Start date
That certainly caused me concern as well and actually seeing the photo brings it home but that could be repaired fairly easily. I was also sent a PM stating that this isn’t an original numbered DCRA which again is important to know but I still feel it’s a good value when you consider the extra bits.
It wasn't a real DCRA conversion?
BTW, a friend of mine has 6 DCRA 7.62 conversion rifles, plus 2 .303 DCRA rifles. Some of these have been to Bisley. All of them are beautiful. He has virtually every different sight that was used too, I believe every one of them is different.
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It wasn't a real DCRA conversion?
BTW, a friend of mine has 6 DCRA 7.62 conversion rifles, plus 2 .303 DCRA rifles. Some of these have been to Bisley. All of them are beautiful. He has virtually every different sight that was used too, I believe every one of them is different.
Those are some pretty rifles. If he ever grows tired of looking at them...
Vimy Ridge
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Pile of Bones, SK
It wasn't a real DCRA conversion?
BTW, a friend of mine has 6 DCRA 7.62 conversion rifles, plus 2 .303 DCRA rifles. Some of these have been to Bisley. All of them are beautiful. He has virtually every different sight that was used too, I believe every one of them is different.
Still waiting for my old one to get added to the pic!
Ever tried to get a Pack Rat to release some of his horde?? Good luck with that...
When I started shooting these were a fairly common rifle. I really don't remember ever seeing a 308 mag on any of these rifles except the then new Envoy and the like. Every time I see a 308 mag on a DCRA rifle I think it is a Bubba, I could be wrong but I don't think so and fitting one is not correct and plainly wrong. When 7.62 came in the service rifle was the FN so SR shooting was done with it and not the #4 so there was no need for them to feed from a mag or eject so they did not. Our club had an issue of FN's from DND which were handed out to members for the season for SR.
If we go back to 303 days the #4 was used for both SRa and SRb (tr and sr) and did need to feed and eject for sr which it did. Issue sights were required for sr and that is why I have seen very few ejector screws long enough to function with a 5C or an AJ, eject was not needed on a tr gun so no one bothered even for 303. The same gun was not used for both tr and sr.
If we go back to 303 days the #4 was used for both SRa and SRb (tr and sr) and did need to feed and eject for sr which it did. Issue sights were required for sr and that is why I have seen very few ejector screws long enough to function with a 5C or an AJ, eject was not needed on a tr gun so no one bothered even for 303. The same gun was not used for both tr and sr.
Ian;
I do not look at a DCRA with a Sterling mag as a bubba because by the late 60`s and well into the 70`s it was not uncommon to see the conversions with these magazines. Was it correct for the rifle? not really but when one shooter does it sometimes others follow. Is it right that these rifles have had a 7.62 extractor added when they came back from CA with a 303 extractor ?
I have handled a DCRA conversion with a Stirling mag that had the 303 charger slot repaced with one for a 7.62.
As Vimey Ridge points out he is still waiting for an updated pic and on his rifle it even had a tag issued at the Bisley range stating Target Sights, Magazine Sterling Square Box.
Some of my DCRA numbers
491
548
575
1202
khornet
I do not look at a DCRA with a Sterling mag as a bubba because by the late 60`s and well into the 70`s it was not uncommon to see the conversions with these magazines. Was it correct for the rifle? not really but when one shooter does it sometimes others follow. Is it right that these rifles have had a 7.62 extractor added when they came back from CA with a 303 extractor ?
I have handled a DCRA conversion with a Stirling mag that had the 303 charger slot repaced with one for a 7.62.
As Vimey Ridge points out he is still waiting for an updated pic and on his rifle it even had a tag issued at the Bisley range stating Target Sights, Magazine Sterling Square Box.
Some of my DCRA numbers
491
548
575
1202
khornet
I know a fellow who has the DCRA conversion that shot 2nd in the Governor General's match in 1967. It was owned by the last RCAF Queen's medalist.
As far as the "Bubba" stuff, the QM winner put a VERY ROUGH Monte Carlo stock on this same rifle on the ranges at Connaught, during a competition. Having done it himself, at a match, for the purposes of shooting TR, to me, makes it unique not a bubba.
The rifle also went to Bisley.
As far as the "Bubba" stuff, the QM winner put a VERY ROUGH Monte Carlo stock on this same rifle on the ranges at Connaught, during a competition. Having done it himself, at a match, for the purposes of shooting TR, to me, makes it unique not a bubba.
The rifle also went to Bisley.
I agree tree, and by putting the original butt back on it is once again original, same as the mags. Many seem to think there was a set way things were done but there is a lot of variety. The real "official" conversions were done for DCRA but many tr guns were put together from parts and therefore don't have all the expected markings. They can have anything from #4 wood to a fiberglass stock and I guess they are conversions as well but not "official" DCRA conversions. While we were still on issue ammo everyone had a #4 for long range but at the end I doubt any were in original wood (I have a rack of this stuff, all of which was a Bisley with me or someone else). My point is really that many think there should be a 308 mag with these guns (perhaps with some rare exceptions) but this is not the case. They search for a 308 mag thinking it is needed to make it all original and it is not, hopefully they don't misplace the original mag especially if it has a matching number. I expect to see a friend soon that was well involved during that period and I will try to squeeze more info from him on this topic.
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Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
What I find facinating is the bedding variations which were tried. At one point I had about 25 bedding variations in my accumulation of high quality junque.
Standard No4 stocks go from the fitted standard military bedding (shims glued in to result in the perfect muzzle, knox & draw bearing surfaces and weights), thru about 3 main variations of centre bedding and end with basically a fibreglass pillar bedded free float.
A lot of machinists layout blue was used to ensure perfect fitting of the stock to the gun.
Interestingly it seems that the actions were glued in on a regular basis. So if your forend is not budging DO NOT attempt to force it off.
Also I've seen handguards which are totally free floated. Handguards which are rear, centre or front bearing "dampened", and handguards which are "packed" to totally ensure the dampening effect along their whole length.
Trigger guards were also regularily shimmed and bedded.
Everything was tried at some point, match legal or not.
Workmanship ranges from beautifully blended & fitted professional custom gun grade to hack and dab "bubba watch this....".
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Can't forget the 'rake screw' forestocks, LE. If the forend doesn't come off easily, remove the butt and look for screws inserted into the forestock from the butt socket. You can bet there have been some well done forestocks ruined from forcing the issue.
I have a No 4 conversion done this way that came to the U.S. with a returning 1967 Palma Team member. This rifle sports a complete set of beautiful laminated wood and I can't imagine ripping that apart.
Fortunately, one of the upper handguards is marked as having rake screws installed.
I have a No 4 conversion done this way that came to the U.S. with a returning 1967 Palma Team member. This rifle sports a complete set of beautiful laminated wood and I can't imagine ripping that apart.
Fortunately, one of the upper handguards is marked as having rake screws installed.
Interesing info there, I'd never heard of that rake screw setup, valuable info to know, I imagine people have indeed ruined forends trying to remove them not knowing about that...
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
Yes, I did forget this. I haven't had one myself, but have held at least one locally. Seen ones which just dimple into the butt socket, and ones which thread into it.
They seem to have been quite popular in Australia judging from the pics of SMLEs so equipped that have shown up on the internet.
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Ok so this one is mine. As I understand it the full conversion, including bedding, was done by CAL. The weapons techs who did the work put their signatures on the inside of the hand guards. The original owner was a VISL shooter and used it here in Nanaimo.
