Repairing a Split Stock on a Lithgow SMLE
*** Hotlink to original article (click here) ***
Last week we were shooting some C&R weapons.
I was shooting my old Lithgow SMLE. Here's a picture of it from a couple of years ago. As you can see, the wood didn't match too well, but the metal was sound and it shot well. I fired a few magazines full and laid it on the bench.
Tman said, "Look at that. Your stock has split."
And, sure enough, it had.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-1.jpg)
It had never even shown a warning, but a crack about 1/4 inch wide now ran from the rear of the fore stock to up past the trigger guard, about 9 inches long. It was a mess.
I really hated to see the crack as this had been a very nice example of a Lithgow SMLE and now it was unshootable.
We looked at what it would cost to buy a replacement stock, but in the meantime, I looked at the possibility of repairing the stock.
We decided that we didn't have anything to lose and went to work.
I started by mixing up a two-part epoxy that I have used before with excellent results.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-2.jpg)
I then used a toothpick to work it into the crack, which I held open with a screwdriver.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-3.jpg)
And here. I then closed it up and used woodworking clamps to clamp it tight.
I let it set overnight. The next morning, it looked pretty good. It would have to be sanded, but that didn't bother me.
We decided to also put a little insurance on the job, by adding a couple of Ishapore Indian brass screws through the stock.
This is not a problem with these rifles, as mine already had several in the stock from past reworks at the factory that the Brits called FTR or Factory Thorough Repairs.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-4.jpg)
We went to a hardware store and bought a couple of course threaded brass screws.
I used the drill press to drill a couple of holes through the areas of the stock that had split.
You don't want the screw holes to be too tight, as that would only encourage more splitting problems.
I then filled the holes with the epoxy and covered the threads of the screws with the epoxy and screwed them into place.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-5.jpg)
We placed two screws in the most critical places.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-6.jpg)
We let these dry and then sawed them off close to the stock with a hacksaw.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-7.jpg)
Here's the cuts.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-8.jpg)
Tman then used a Dremel tool to grind them flush with the stock. This makes a very tough repair. I do not expect it to split again in these areas.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-9.jpg)
We also noted that the recoil lug was not seated properly and decided to bed the action. We used two-part JB Weld to fill the area and Johnson's Floor Wax on the action as a release agent.
It came out fine.
And I bet it improves the accuracy of this fine rifle.![Big Grin](images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Since we needed to do some sanding, I got Tman to work his magic with some Rit dye and he refinished the wood for me.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-10.jpg)
The metal parts of the rifle had been painted during the FTR and were painted an olive drab color.
The Brits and Australians felt that a painted finish on a battle rifle was more durable than bluing and often painted rifles.
Here's some of the original paint that was covered by the wood.
I decided to repaint it to factory condition again.
I used DuraCoat and sprayed all metal parts to original color.
I even polished the brass butt plate.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-11.jpg)
Here's the finished product.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-12.jpg)
Paint on the bore end.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-13.jpg)
Receiver.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-14.jpg)
Other side.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-15.jpg)
And the finished rifle.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-16.jpg)
I'm going to let it cure for a couple of weeks before I shoot it to be sure the paint is completely dry.
Conclusions:
Maybe I can get another 100 years out of it.
Or at least my Grandson will.
*** Hotlink to original article (click here) ***
Last week we were shooting some C&R weapons.
I was shooting my old Lithgow SMLE. Here's a picture of it from a couple of years ago. As you can see, the wood didn't match too well, but the metal was sound and it shot well. I fired a few magazines full and laid it on the bench.
Tman said, "Look at that. Your stock has split."
And, sure enough, it had.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-1.jpg)
It had never even shown a warning, but a crack about 1/4 inch wide now ran from the rear of the fore stock to up past the trigger guard, about 9 inches long. It was a mess.
I really hated to see the crack as this had been a very nice example of a Lithgow SMLE and now it was unshootable.
We looked at what it would cost to buy a replacement stock, but in the meantime, I looked at the possibility of repairing the stock.
We decided that we didn't have anything to lose and went to work.
I started by mixing up a two-part epoxy that I have used before with excellent results.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-2.jpg)
I then used a toothpick to work it into the crack, which I held open with a screwdriver.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-3.jpg)
And here. I then closed it up and used woodworking clamps to clamp it tight.
I let it set overnight. The next morning, it looked pretty good. It would have to be sanded, but that didn't bother me.
We decided to also put a little insurance on the job, by adding a couple of Ishapore Indian brass screws through the stock.
This is not a problem with these rifles, as mine already had several in the stock from past reworks at the factory that the Brits called FTR or Factory Thorough Repairs.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-4.jpg)
We went to a hardware store and bought a couple of course threaded brass screws.
I used the drill press to drill a couple of holes through the areas of the stock that had split.
You don't want the screw holes to be too tight, as that would only encourage more splitting problems.
I then filled the holes with the epoxy and covered the threads of the screws with the epoxy and screwed them into place.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-5.jpg)
We placed two screws in the most critical places.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-6.jpg)
We let these dry and then sawed them off close to the stock with a hacksaw.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-7.jpg)
Here's the cuts.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-8.jpg)
Tman then used a Dremel tool to grind them flush with the stock. This makes a very tough repair. I do not expect it to split again in these areas.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-9.jpg)
We also noted that the recoil lug was not seated properly and decided to bed the action. We used two-part JB Weld to fill the area and Johnson's Floor Wax on the action as a release agent.
It came out fine.
And I bet it improves the accuracy of this fine rifle.
![Big Grin](images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
Since we needed to do some sanding, I got Tman to work his magic with some Rit dye and he refinished the wood for me.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-10.jpg)
The metal parts of the rifle had been painted during the FTR and were painted an olive drab color.
The Brits and Australians felt that a painted finish on a battle rifle was more durable than bluing and often painted rifles.
Here's some of the original paint that was covered by the wood.
I decided to repaint it to factory condition again.
I used DuraCoat and sprayed all metal parts to original color.
I even polished the brass butt plate.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-11.jpg)
Here's the finished product.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-12.jpg)
Paint on the bore end.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-13.jpg)
Receiver.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-14.jpg)
Other side.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-15.jpg)
And the finished rifle.
![](http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/cgnmilsurpknowledgebase/repairingasplitstock/icons/e57-16.jpg)
I'm going to let it cure for a couple of weeks before I shoot it to be sure the paint is completely dry.
Conclusions:
Maybe I can get another 100 years out of it.
Or at least my Grandson will.
![Wink](images/smilies/wink.gif)