No. 1 Mk III Drill Rifle?

[Merc]

The first gun show of the year in Washington, PA was this weekend. I saw a very nice 1917 Enfield No 1 Mk III that looked like it did not see any use during WW1 or beyond. The bore looked untouched, the external metal parts were still about 90% coated with bare metal showing here and there on high areas, the muzzle showed zero erosion, the headspace was good. I wasn’t equipped to check throat erosion. The stock is relatively ding free but has that raw, dry look to it like it has never been oiled. The brass butt plate has a nice patina and looked ding free. The rifle didn’t appear to have been refinished.

The only thing I wondered about was the faded light colored 2 inch wide painted ring around the stock located right above the middle barrel band. I know it means something but I don’t remember what it is. Is this a drill rifle?

[lyman]

yellow band?

[p246]

So never say ALWAYS with Lee Enfields, now that we have that out of the way... Some LE drill rifles had white bands painted on them. Later D.P. Rifles could have the firing pin clipped, D.P. Stamped on Knox, and the chamber drilled and welded. (Up grades after live rifles were mixed with a D.P. And a new Cadet shot his finger off) I’ve got DP Ishapore Rifles with red and white bands painted on both rifle and Bayonet. The red and white I believe was only an Indian Army practice. Half of my drill rifles are beat to crap but I have some that look next to new. My L59A1 drill rifle is pristine. I have a 1938 BSA that is DP stamped, firing pin clipped, but no other features so it varies.

[p246]

yellow band?

Yellow band was an Australian practice (I know India used yellow to, but not sure on exact details) yellow basically meant it was worn but still usable. I have a Lithgow with traces of the yellow band. Cordite wear in front of chamber and bore is .313. Unfortunately the previous owner tried to clean yellow paint off. The stock on this rifle cracked and I did a post on fixing it. The yellow paint was visible in a couple pictures.

[lyman]

I have seen them with the red\white bands, no bands and my turkish service No1 MkIII has a bright yellow, and something similar to Drill Purpose engraved in turkish (arabic?) on the stock

[p246]

I have seen them with the red\white bands, no bands and my turkish service No1 MkIII has a bright yellow, and something similar to Drill Purpose engraved in turkish (arabic?) on the stock

I could see the Turks using the yellow to. One of my D.P. Had Arabic scribed on stock. One of the forum members advised it said “Danger”.

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I have seen them with the red\white bands, no bands and my turkish service No1 MkIII has a bright yellow, and something similar to Drill Purpose engraved in turkish (arabic?) on the stock

My Ishapores have the worst stripe jobs of all them. The guy assigned to do it must have hated his job.

[Merc]

The band of paint was too faded to see what color it was. This rifle is in unusually good condition which made me suspect something wasn’t right.

[Sunray]

DP rifles were marked differently by whoever was using it(Stamped with 'DP' by the Brits, as I recall.). Not all of 'em were DP'd because they were unsafe either. Sometimes it was just because somebody needed one.
I'd take a WHAG and say that one's stock may have been refinished while the metal that isn't as visible as the metal while being used by some colour party. Where it was made would matter.

[lyman]

I have a Mk IV 22lr with a faded DP marked stock,

not a DP anywhere on the metal, and no paint on the upper handguard,

since it is not marked anywhere else, I would bet the previous owner(s) used wood off a DP (IIRC Springfield Sporters sold wood back in the day off DP's) so it is safe to fire,

[deadin]

Half of my drill rifles are beat to crap but I have some that look next to new. My L59A1 drill rifle is pristine

What's a ball park figure for a decent condition L59A1 these days??