1919 Ishapore makings

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bradtx
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Re: 1919 Ishapore makings

Post by bradtx » Wed Aug 11, 2010 12:06 pm

When the wire wraps first appeared en masse in the mid 90s there was a bit of skepticism, in particular those stamped EY (Emergency Use Only). Short version is that a few were stripped down and all were in excellant working condition, after these first few, the rifles weren't stripped completely, at least for safety considerations, and functioned as well at the range as in a tennis ball war.

Let us know how it shoots and welcome to the forum.

Brad
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Aughnanure
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Re: 1919 Ishapore makings

Post by Aughnanure » Wed Aug 11, 2010 6:50 pm

In the Australian service the Armourers always understood that wire wrapping was for safety reasons and I don't think that a split handguard would have required the care and expense of the work and the copper and solder that went into the job.
The wrap extended for, as I remember, some 3 to 4 inches at each location and was soldered for at least half an inch at both ends of each wrap. The wire was wound on with considerable pressure and the rifle was mounted in a fixture that allowed it to be rotated to wind on the wire, solder was applied with a large soldering copper while the rifle was still in the fixture.
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

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Niner
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Re: 1919 Ishapore makings

Post by Niner » Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:29 pm

Here are a couple of quick snaps of the wire wrap.
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wrap1.jpg
wrap2.jpg
brewstop
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Re: 1919 Ishapore makings

Post by brewstop » Thu Aug 12, 2010 3:49 am

Aughnanure wrote:In the Australian service the Armourers always understood that wire wrapping was for safety reasons and I don't think that a split handguard would have required the care and expense of the work and the copper and solder that went into the job.
The wrap extended for, as I remember, some 3 to 4 inches at each location and was soldered for at least half an inch at both ends of each wrap. The wire was wound on with considerable pressure and the rifle was mounted in a fixture that allowed it to be rotated to wind on the wire, solder was applied with a large soldering copper while the rifle was still in the fixture.

Extend your own logic: why does the wire only cover the centre of the handguards? If the barrel is in danger of bursting, why is more than 3/4 of the barrel NOT reinforced?

In fact the first "wire-wraps" in British service were created by using leather cord - most probably simply issue bootlaces. Clearly that was not intended to stop high-velocity bursting barrel fragments.
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Aughnanure
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Re: 1919 Ishapore makings

Post by Aughnanure » Thu Aug 12, 2010 4:30 am

The danger of bursting is caused by the sudden buildup of pressure and thats why Lee-Enfield barrels in partcular burst easily when there is a barrel obstruction; being so light in weight they will not, usually, allow an obstruction to be blown out. I have burst barrels with a wedged in pullthrough and a grenade blank and have ringed a barrel with a full case of 3F and the same obstruction. I can well imagine a ring of local pressure building up behind a grenade. In fact ringinging barrels was sometimes a problem with the earliest grenades with spiggots down the bores before the cup was developed. With heavy barrels there is no problem and Vickers barrels often had dark patches in the bores that could not be scrubbed out, they were jackets that had had their cores blown out by the succeeding shot. I'd imagine that the wire was put where it was thought that it would provide the most protection as a fully wrapped rifle would have been a bit heavy.
Self Defence is not only a Right, it is an Obligation.

Eoin.
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