My old boss in the NZ Army, WO2 'Jock' Annandale, the chief Armourer at the Northern District Base Ordnance Depot who taught me all I know about the No1 rifle (we only touched on them while we were apprentices) explained to me that the copper blocks used by Australia were a frill - if not a direct fraud. I have got my steel helmet on and awaiting the incoming mortars from you wild antipodeans now..... Because the notion of keeping these blocks in place, under load, using a small wood screw INTO the grain of a wood was an idea based on fuzzy logig. If the wood wasn't tough enough at the end grain to tale the load/pressure of the drawers, under load............ then what makes it any more successful in taking the load of the drawers with a copper block between it?
I'm just repeating what he said but using more polite language. And in any case, he explained politely........ when the draws need repairing, then what....... Thicker copper blocks with longer and equally useless screws? Or just cut them out as with the No4's and patch using hardwood as per the NZ equivalent of EMEI's