What does the red stripe mean???

[P51MUSTANG]

As indicated red stripe was applied near the muzzle(about 4 inches or so back from the muzzle to denote a different caliber than in use in service. In the case of Commonwealth forces it was shown to denote 30/06 instead of .303.

[Johnny P]

Distinctive Marking of Non-Service Pattern Small Arms
British military procedure stipulated that non-standard arms of all types be marked in a readily visible, distinctive manner. The regulations that applied to the Garands were:

“Class I. Arms which do NOT fire .303-inch ... British Service ammunition will be marked with a 2-inch band of RED paint. On this band will be stencilled in BLACK the calibre of the weapon.” [capitals in the original]

“(I) Rifles, Class I 2-inch band round fore-end and front handguard between upper sling swivel and nosecap.”

The British Purchasing Commission purchased just about every handgun Colt had in stock, and the Colt Super .38 purchased by the British has also been noted with the red band on the end of the slide.

[fguffey]

I don’t remeber if Canada or New Zealand used this system, maybe Sunray can comment on that. The red stripe on 30-06 lend lease rifles during WW2 was a different animal.
I’d have the rifle checked by a gunsmith competent on the LE system before shooting.

I clamed I had a rifle that was painted red around the stock, trigger guard, receiver and bolt. I also claimed the rifle had a white strip painted over the red stripe; it was about that time the ship mush have hit the sand because most reloaders jumped on their opportunity to be rude. One of the more polite people rude reloaders claimed the rifle did not exist. He did not say he never seen 'one'; something like if he has not seen one it does not exist.

I posted a picture of 3 of them. by that time they were well on their way of becoming bench rest type rifles. The rifles were painted red around the receiver to indicate 303 British, and then? there were painted white around the receiver to indicate DP.

No one asked about the 30/06 chambered rifles. The 30/06 chambered rifles were painted red around the stock behind the front sight.

And then there was the volley sight. The rifle with the volley sight was chambered to 303 British. The 30/06 chambered rifles did not have volley sights.

F. Guffey

[Johnny P]

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[lyman]

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felt the same,, and then got over it,

[Griff Murphey]

Weren’t a lot of commonwealth DP rifles demilled by drilling holes in the barrel? It might be worth it to take the wood off and look it over.

[fguffey]

Mr. Murphy,

demilled by drilling holes in the barrel?

Yes they were, the white stripe painted over the red stripe incicated a DP P14 303. I had friends that pruchased the DP rifle in stacks. The last surviver had just under 50 left. A friend swore off of the P14 because of the differense between it and the M1917; of course I suggested he give the receivers to me, it was about that time he wondered if I knew something he did not know.

And then there are those that wonder ‘where is the savings?’ At the time there were many fine barrels available for $10.00, the last four I purchased cost $20.00 each.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

It might be worth it to take the wood off and look it over.

Mr. Murphy, They did not go to that much trouble when they drilled through the barrel; they did not miss much, all of my DP type rifles were drilled through both pieces of stock (wood) and the barrel. And then there was the hole they drilled; some had a rod welded to the barrel on both sides, some were not welded nor did they have a rod that served as a stake.

And then a few of the receivers suffered.

F. Guffey

[JB White]

Some rifles had the firing pins nipped. Some had the pin nipped and the bolt face welded shut. Others were simply marked DP. All depends upon who, where, and when. “Why” is most times anybody’s guess.

[Johnny P]

The current issue of the Rifleman (pg.26) has a photo of a No.1 MkIII with the stock and magazine painted with a red/white/red stripe around the stock and magazine. According to text they have been decommissioned into drill rifles.