Butt stock lengths

[bonnie]

Have two Fazerkerly No. 5 Mk 1 rifles. Both rifles made 8/46 and very close in serial numbers.
Both rifles have the 'S' marked butt stock.

How was it decided what size butt stocks were to be put on rifles when produced?

[browningautorifle]

I thought the majority of #5s had S butts? I have only seen one L and it was a loose butt that I owned for some time a few years ago. It was light wood and I couldn't match it to anything. I would change it from rifle to rifle. Peter would have a handle on this one.

[Peter Laidler]

I seem to remember that initial issue from Ordnance was 10% small butts, 10% long butts and 80% normal butts. But if these amounts needed slight changes, then it was done in-house by the unit Armourers. And contrary to what I have read elsewhere, the soldiers weren't just given a few butts 'to try' and then set about changing them themselves. God....... I can see the carnage already.......