Thread: Another .45acp Delisle Comando Carbine completed.

Hey mate,

I've got a project Delisle that I'm slowly chipping away at, but was wondering if you would be able to give some advice? Specifically on barrel and bolt.

What is the length for the bolt? And what was your method for shortening it? Currently I am looking at cutting a section out and rewelding the end (with the threads) back on to avoid needing to recut the threads.

For the barrel, do you make them yourself or do you get them made for you?

Cheers.

Originally Posted by Viridance

Hey mate,

I've got a project Delisle that I'm slowly chipping away at, but was wondering if you would be able to give some advice? Specifically on barrel and bolt.

What is the length for the bolt? And what was your method for shortening it? Currently I am looking at cutting a section out and rewelding the end (with the threads) back on to avoid needing to recut the threads.

For the barrel, do you make them yourself or do you get them made for you?

Cheers.

I use Lothar Walther and Vulcan s/s 1-16" barrel blanks.
I have made a set of jigs for cutting, turning and threading the bolt and counterboring the action for the barrel.
The bolt needs to be annealed to a softer machinable state to bore out for the shorter striker pin and re thread. I have made a tap to cut the special enfield thead pitch and dia threads needed. The bolt head then gets re timed, bolt face bored for the .45acp head size and then all rehardened and then tempered.
Bolt length and barrel set back distance is critical to get it to feed from the mag correctly.

The machining of the barrel is equally challenging and important for function. Making the spring steel extractor and ejector will test your patence for sure.
I certainly would never weld a bolt! You would have to weld very close to the locking lugs which opens another can of worms. You still wouldn't be able to drill the counter bore through it for the firing pin travel either as they are too hard. The firing pin also needs to be shortend and rethreaded but you can rethread that to 1/4"x28tpi and use a later No4 mk1 cocking piece as they use UN threads not the old enfield threads of the No1s.

They are a very challenging and labour intensive build with many quirks in the fine details.
That's about as far as my advice extends on this subject sorry.