DCRA No4 7.62 Conversions

The '44 is likely a BSA M47C, the '43 a ROF(M). Different factories used seperate blocks of serial numbers. Any letter prefixes to the serial numbers? If you have the name of the original owner, I may be able to look him up and tell you what years he was on the Cdn. Bisley teams.
 
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Wayne/sk.ca said:
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One more thing. Any 7.62mm accessories that are attached to your rifle have nothing what so ever to do with the DCRA conversion. When rifles were submitted for this process, all that was required was the barreled action, and that's all you got back; action,new 7.62 barrel attached plus old .303 barrel returned. Stocking up, sights, etc. responsibility of the owner - whoever that may have been; individual, gun club, Military Rifle Association, Provincial RA or the DCRA itself. The addition of 7.62 magazines, extractors and charger guides didn't make them shoot any better.
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This has been one of the most frustrating aspects of attempting to sell a DCRA 7.62...

Most people are looking for the P-H or AJP sights & 7.62 magazines with the understanding that they came with the guns. They just don't believe that the converted guns didn't come with them.

I have accumulated quite the collection of different bedding variations in my spares. I've tried to display them a couple of times, but most people who look try to buy them...
 
There were two categories of competition - SR(a) and SR(b). (a) was service condition type shooting, (b) was all slow fire prone. These rifles were intended for the latter. If I see one with a Sterling or L42 magazine, I assume that the magazine was added after the period in which these rifles were used in target competition, or even very recently. One set up as a repeater could have been used for (a), but the C1A1 was the preferred rifle. Just as nowadays a Lee Enfield could be used for service conditions competition, but AR based rifles are almost standard.
Many were also altered in attempts to make them better target rifles. Some are hardly recognizable. Once the rifle no longer had to have the appearance of a service rifle, it was anything goes.
Lee Enfield - I have found that if I put together a little display at a show, many viewers are not interested when they find out the items are not for sale. Of course, serious collectors may be interested. This is a problem with shows - the really good items, which would not be for sale, are seldom displayed, and only trade stock is on the tanble.
 
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tiriaq said:
There were two categories of competition - SR(a) and SR(b). (a) was service condition type shooting, (b) was all slow fire prone. These rifles were intended for the latter. If I see one with a Sterling or L42 magazine, I assume that the magazine was added after the period in which these rifles were used in target competition, or even very recently. One set up as a repeater could have been used for (a), but the C1A1 was the preferred rifle. Just as nowadays a Lee Enfield could be used for service conditions competition, but AR based rifles are almost standard.
Many were also altered in attempts to make them better target rifles. Some are hardly recognizable. Once the rifle no longer had to have the appearance of a service rifle, it was anything goes.
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IIRC SR(a) was issue sights only
SR(b) was target sights

As to the C1A1s, not everyone could afford the $89!! I saw on 1 invoice.

I've only seen 1 DCRA with an Enfield mag which I believed to be correct.

Of course all the Enfield mags I've looked at are dated 1965....

As to sights:
ALL of the 7.62 DCRAs I've seen w/o P-H or AJP sights had C.MkIIIs.

The .303s have been another story :runaway:
 
tiriaq said:
Snip...
Lee Enfield - I have found that if I put together a little display at a show, many viewers are not interested when they find out the items are not for sale. Of course, serious collectors may be interested. This is a problem with shows - the really good items, which would not be for sale, are seldom displayed, and only trade stock is on the tanble.
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The other problem is that people can't/WON'T READ!!!

Not For Sale/Display Only/Do Not Touch does in fact mean YOU!! :runaway:

When I displayed some *&^!@# EXPENSIVE toys (some of them borrowed!) I couldn't keep peoples oily fingers off them! :mad:

I'm contemplating bringing a yardstick to my next display... :dancingbanana:
 
Yes, SR(a) was issue sights, SR(b) allowed target sights, the PH5C, and AJP being the most common. I've seen a couple of No. 4s with another hole drilled so a 5A could be fitted, and there some PH4s as well. I suppose that Centrals could have been used, as well as Swensons. Some 5As had their bases recut, and an adapter plate fitted, so that they would mount like a 5C.
There are reports that there were some military pattern repeater 7.62 No. 4s made up, barrels with bayonet lugs, a la L8 rifles. I have heard that some L8 rifles were made with LB barrels.
$89 is pretty good - the only invoice I saw was for over $100. Same chap had NIB C1A1, C2A1, and C1 smg.
 
Lee you need a locking glass case, it makes your display look better and will bring more people to your table. Make sure to have a little write up for people who are really interested. All it takes is one niche display on a subject your into
that hopefully shows you something new. I would kill to see a display of parker hale products from their early sight aids(I think that was there first product?) and ending with a modern sniper rifle with a PH bipod.
 
Some no longer recognizable DCRA conversions carrying on as Target Rifles.

Copy2ofHBEnfields009.jpg
 
tiriaq said:
Yes, SR(a) was issue sights, SR(b) allowed target sights, the PH5C, and AJP being the most common. I've seen a couple of No. 4s with another hole drilled so a 5A could be fitted, and there some PH4s as well. I suppose that Centrals could have been used, as well as Swensons. Some 5As had their bases recut, and an adapter plate fitted, so that they would mount like a 5C.
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Here are a few that have had the extra 3BA hole put in the butt socket to allow for mounting of a PH5A or No1Mk3 style of Central plate.

TRSights005.jpg

TRSights006.jpg


This one has a set of the John Wilkes Precision sights installed. Later versions of this sight may be marked "Swenson Precision" or "Precision". They were more likely supplied with Swing target rifles.

TRSights002.jpg
 
I have a LB (No. 7) action with 7.62 S&L barrel set up in a one piece Robertson stock. PH sight, Canjar trigger, with speedlock conversion on the striker.
 
Are we going to meld these two databases for the benefit of all, or at least all who contribute?
 
RRCO. From day one, the data from here has been transfered to the new which all the pics have expired, this thread is 2.5+ years old & is dead.
 
Airborn_69 said:
RRCO. From day one, the data from here has been transfered to the new which all the pics have expired, this thread is 2.5+ years old & is dead.
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Thanks, maybe you mentioned that in your thread where you linked to this one; I didn't notice.
 
I have No4 Mk T M47C 1944 C32991 50 TR Receiver Ring 1303 Bolt 1303 England Barrel Ca 7.62 No 32 Mk1 scope 1942 mount A76 A77
 
can14 said:
I have No4 Mk T M47C 1944 C32--- 50 TR Receiver Ring 1303 Bolt 1303 England Barrel Ca 7.62 No 32 Mk1 scope 1942 mount A76 A77
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Someone was thinking when they sent that one in for conversion. Neat, a sort of Canadian L8

How does it shoot?
 
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