Milsurp After Hours

I've just had my no.4 out for a spring clean, and I've noticed that it has writing marked into the muzzle. its slightly worn, and not easy to read properly. I have stumbled across a site which shows a barrel marked in a similar way, but also seems to suggest that this system was done to produce a good .22 barrel, whereas mine is still in original .303. can anyone add anything to this, or possibly suggest an alternative for what it might actually say. if it helps to know, the rifle was in a CCF armoury up until a year ago, so I guess parts could come from anywhere the army could pay the least money.

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"AJP Ball Burnished" is sometimes found on the muzzle of .303 No4 rifle barrels. AJP had some process to drive a steel ball through a new, selected, barrel in order to remove manufacturing blemishes. These barrels were usually fitted to target No4s. I have found these barrels to be noticably more accurate than a standard barrel , for a given amount of wear.

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do you know how that would look on the barrel? from my memory, I think the wording is arranged with a long word running round the top of the muzzle, and initials underneath. I'm wondering what happened to my rifle if that is correct though, as it came out of the unit in standard battle configuration. I will say though that I find it fairly accurate, even with me on the trigger.

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It does sound like a ball burnished barrel as Parker rifles relates to .22" as far as I know.





Joe (Joesey Closey) used to have one, and I think Dave (dhtaxi) has one so we'll see if they know or can remember whats on theirs. ;

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Adam.





Why don't you visit .

My 1953 No 4 Mk II was one of a batch delivered to Parker Hale from Fazakerley for conversion into target rifles and it has a ball-burnished barrel.





When I bought it it had had a Mk 1 military rear sight fitted so I bought a PH 5C aperture sight to return it to original condition.





When researching ball-burnishing some kind person on a forum sent me an article which I have added below. The print is a bit small but is readable at a pinch.





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/ ... nishpg.jpg" style="border:0;"/><!--EZCODE IMAGE END-->





Hope this is of interest,





Brian

<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p089.ezboard.com/bmilsurpafterho ... brit>Brian the Brit</A> at: 5/24/05 11:25 am

</i>

Brian,





you are <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--><em><!--EZCODE BOLD START--><strong>the</strong><!--EZCODE BOLD END--></em><!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> man, thanks for that, I hadn't seen that article afore. ;





I presume that your No 4 is a tack driver as well.

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Adam.





Why don't you visit .

Hi guys


just to confuse this even more, I had another look at the barrel today, and it seems to be something different again. from what I can make out, the engraving looks to read C&H BURNISHED. this throws up even less on a general internet search, so I guess I'm back to square one. so, and suggestions on this one?





ps, sorry for not looking more carefully previously. had my glasses on this time <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START :b --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/tongue.gif ALT=":b">;

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Have a look at Brians picture of his No4s muzzle here:





<!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://p089.ezboard.com/fmilsurpafterho ... =708.topic" target="top">Brians Muzzle <!--EZCODE EMOTICON START --><img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)">; </a><!--EZCODE LINK END-->

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Adam.





Why don't you visit .

thanks for that link Adam. I've had a look, but its unfortunately not what my barrel looks like. the C&H on mine is fairly definite, but I can't think of a company that uses those initials. I'll see if I can get photos and post them on here to see what you all think.


cheers


Nick

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I've recently acquired a No4 with a strange barrel: no odd markings or the usual "AJP Ball Burnished", but the rifling is extremely shallow and rounded - looks a bit like an Enforcer tube. It doesn't appear to be extreme wear (my initial thought!) because the lead looks like a new barrel, but with half-height lands. The rifle is very accurate - 1"@100yds with bog standard PMP. The only clue is that the rifle is re-numbered with a non-FTR type of number and the woodwork is the sort of glossy blond stuff you get on Parker Hale - prepared rifles and the like. No gunsmith ID of any kind.

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