Indian alteration to No. 4 lower band?

[Alexander A]

I've seen many No. 4 rifles, which incidentally also have the "Ishapore screw," with modified lower bands. This alteration consists of a hole drilled in the center of the band, on both sides, and "scallops" carved out of the wood of the forend, on either side of the band on both sides of the rifle. So I have two questions: 1. Is this an Indian alteration? and 2. What is the purpose? Was this a means of attaching some accessory?

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[gsimmons]

It's for a grenade launching rifle.
Attachment 47389

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest, that's what I would call, using Army trechnical language, easily understood by all in the workshop, as a xxxxxxg brilliant idea - and cheap too. It's one of these simple ideas that costs sod all and achieves the aim of something really expensive. Thanks for the photo too GS

If you don't appreciate me going off at a tangent, then do not read any further.

Simple ideas. Reminds me of a day during the field trials of a VERY fast firing electrically operated machine gun. It had to be test fired while at a start-up temperature of -4c - frozen solid almost. The TROUBLE was that it had to be taken from the industrial overnight freezer to the range where it still had to be at -4c! Much thought went into it as well as tooing and fro-ing between the people involved. It was/seemed insurmountable...... There was even talk about building a temporary firing structure close to the freezer and all that palava.........

That was until someone suggested that as we were only really testing the operation and firing of the frozen machine gun and electrical firing system, then let's just use a zillion blanks outside the door of the industrial freezer. We did and it worked. And the trials tean awarded him £50 for his simple no-cost idea that saved thousands.