British Army Dump - October 2011 - Last RRPG dig of the year !

[Whitehunter]

So the bits that are red do they still have layers of rust attached?

[jeff998]

i have been following this thread and the others relating to it with interest and i have one question
it appears like they burnt the lee enfield furniture and threw the metal parts in with it but what happened to the
recievers and barrels ? do you have any idea ?

[Steve T]

We do find the odd barrel here and there, but always badly rusted and heat damaged, (the fires they had must have got VERY hot), and we've only ever found the end 6 inches of a No 4 barrel. Up until the last dig, nobody had so far found an LE action, but like you, we realised they must be there somewhere. A couple were found on the last dig but again, badly corroded and only just recognisable.

We are fairly sure that, judging by how the rest of the dump has given up its finds, stuff was disposed of in piles. When you hit a section of one particular find, you invariably find hundreds all in one spot. Hence we think the barrels and actions are in an area we've not searched yet. The dump is the size of a football pitch so it isn't surprising we haven't found them yet !

Cheers

Steve T

[m3bobby]

I picked out the worst, dirtiest, rustiest nasty thing and left it in vinegar for a week. This is what came out!

I was impressed to say the least.

Attachment 282898

Mouse

Looks like a Sten Mk5 cover, a bit shorter than the Mk2 as the whole mechanism was moved further forward on the reciever tube so the cover had to be shorter to miss the mag housing. I'm quite impressed by the results of the vinegar, I need to try it with a Mk1 Sten Stock as I need to recycle a part of it for a project.

[Steve T]

Well, I have to say I am impressed !

Attached are 2 photographs taken after a 36 hour soak in Distilled Vinegar, then a scrub with a Brillo pad.

The results are as good as spending 45 minutes at them with a drill + wire brush attachment.......better even. The buckles have come out remarkably well and one is almost as good as new !

The other items have been taken back to bare metal and most of the rust encrustment (is that a word?) has gone. The PIAT trigger is very good

Vinegar works !

[dangermouse]

Steve T "Did you ever track down what gun the revolver handle is from ? (1st and 2nd picture)."

No, I still cant track down what that is off... had a sudden brain wave (turns out more like a brain fart), I suddenly though to the little .30 browning handle, went running out to the workshop to find the handle and then off to get a book... not even close, looked at ever book I have... nothing! Can anyone help

Mouse

[Whitehunter]

Two for ID please

Attachment 285647
Attachment 285648

[m3bobby]

Non specific pistol claening rod and without sizes I could only guess the second one is a cleaning rod end for a Lee Enfield / Vickers / Bren. Defo British as it has a WD arrow.

[GasMasksUK]

They're both cleaning rods, the top one for a pistol (probably for a Webley Revolver) I'm not too sure what the one at the bottom is for though


EDIT: Looks like I got beaten to it

Thanks

Danny

[Steve T]

Another example of the effects of white vinegar. These bits were soaked for 36 hours.

Brass stuff first.....



Amazing result. You can now clearly see all markings....

Now a Lee-Enfield fore-sight protector and a Martini-Henry breech block. Once again, most of the rust is gone and the metal taken back to grey/silver.





Last but not least, I soaked my Vickers MG muzzle booster in the stuff. It worked so well the metal even shines !!!

Look at that beauty !!!





Steve T