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Hi all,
Just wondering if it's usual for a No4 T to have no stake marks in the two rear pad screw heads?
I'm looking at a rifle which has all the correct markings except the rear scope pad is missing the stake marks. The front pads all have one stake per screw head just wondering why the rear wouldn't have any stake marks.
Thanks
The pad staking didn't really start until post WW2, so if the rifle was sold off from service earlyish it would not have been done. I've owned quite a few with non-staked rear pads. If you're wanting to determine its authenticity perhaps you could get some photo's & post them up here? It is particularly helpful to get butt socket markings & the area of the two body pads without the scope & bracket fitted.
In fact, I've often wondered if many rear pads were intentionally not staked as the rear pad is not under the same stresses as the front one, & staking may cause minor damage that would impair the mating up of the bracket against the dovetail on the pad. Many were done of course, but it would have required more care (than doing the front pad).
Even soldering the pads on was not done for some time until the screws started backing out and shearing off.
There were a number of heated letters back and forth on this between Canada and the UK.
Thanks for the replies. Appreciate the information!
I've attached a couple of pictures of the front and rear pads...sorry about the quality.
I will see if I can get some better pictures.
Difficult to be dogmatic with the limited views but from what I can see it looks ok to me.
Looks entirely original to me. One can see that staking the rear pad screws really depended on where the slots happened to align, as in some positions there was really nothing to stake into without risking deforming the bearing surfaces for the bracket.Quote:
Originally Posted by Spakfilla
What do they say Warren? Was it in the original specifications or conveniently omitted?Quote:
Originally Posted by Warren
My T's rear screws are staked whether this was done because it was involved in the pad trials it was used for as the T's seemed to have suffered at one point with the front pads working loose.
As can be seen there are plenty of staking's on the front pad screws.
(P.L & Skennertons book on the T ~ Pg.48 T-38752/16684 - A.K & S, Dowelled bush and screw trials.)