Mark I/II Restoration

Good Morning. Just got started on my first MH in 40 years. Beautiful rifle but in need of some parts and a good gunsmith. First, need to replace the lower stock pin holding in the lower band. Looks like a heavy gauge wire was used and I cannot find a replacement at the usual sites. Second, the head of the small firing pin retaining screw in the breechblock is broken off. Too small for me to tackle. I need a recommendation on a good gunsmith who can extract and not damage the threads. Thanks, Randy

Try asking over on the british gun boards at britishmilitariaforums.yuku.com. There is a lot more traffic for martinis there.
john

For the retaining pin, you are going to have to make your own. These are commonly missing or rusted beyond use. I use a fine finishing nail of the correct thickness, clip with wire cutters to length, round off both ends, heat with propane torch, drop in oil when cherry red and then dry off and insert.

For the retaining screw, personally I'd just forget it. It only serves a purpose when the block assembly is removed....and then only to prevent someone from dissassembling the block assembly and then assembling it wrong out of ignorance. When in the rifle, the assembly can't change position. Aside from preventing troops from fiddling with the block assembly, it really is an extraneous part and has zero impact on safety or performance of the rifle.