Printable View
I have this a 1917 No1 made by RSAF Enfield that was converted to a .22 trainer in the 1920s. It has what looks like 4 dowel repairs to the stock? There are 2 on each side opposite rack other. What I can't figure out is why? There are no cracks in the stock and I have never seen repairs like this before. Any ideas on why it was done ? Thanks.
Attachment 61901Attachment 61902
Target shooter accurizing.....
Hardwood dowels
Very common MANY years ago but not much now with all the new bedding compounds.
Regarding accurizing; the dowels look like they may not be located high enough to contact the sides of the receiver. Any possibility that the forend is from an Indian .410 with the wooden mag well block removed?
That's a brilliant suggestion Steve.....
Attachment 61928
Yes. It's from an Indian .410. I pulled the one I have out of the Enfield safe and took the picture. There's no doubt.
No Indian marks that I can see. I made a mistake in my original post. It is a BSA gun with a mix of BSA Sparkbrook replacement parts. No marks on the outside of the stock . Just a faint serial number on the under side. It does look like it had front volley sight(Pic 3)??????
Here are some more pics if the stock and the inside with the mag out.
Attachment 61929Attachment 61930Attachment 61931Attachment 61932Attachment 61933Attachment 61934Attachment 61935
On I side not it has Brian Dick's import mark on the receiver
Attachment 61936
Thanks the wood color does match and the dowels look the same.Quote:
Originally Posted by Vincent
So the question now is how did the stock from a Indian single shot end up on a .22 trainer? Does not seem like a logical replacement? Serial number on the bolt, receiver, and barrel all match. Sight is a force match and the noes cap is blank.
It doesn't look like an Indian 410 stock to me. Every example I've seen has the dowels in the same horizontal plane.
The block of wood was glued as well as pegged into the mag well. Any sign that it has been cut out again? Doubt it.
Edit. Just looked at the photos of the magazine well. I'm positive there was no block of wood glued and pegged in there. Dunno why this rifle has those dowels, but it's not Indian 410.
I don't have enough knowledge to contest any of the above so I am posting this for observational purposes only.
The 4 examples I have all show the dowels in a lateral line, on plane with each other. The pic posted by Therno shows the dowels much closer together and offset. They look very much like the illustration posted a short while back about where to position the dowels for accurizing. Sorry for the horrible photos.
From left to right...
.410 RFI 1949
.410 RFI 1948
1904 BSA I** I.P. 410 RFI 1931
1909 LSA I* I.P. S.L. RFI 1940( The dowels on this example are closer together than the others but still in line with each other )
Attachment 61940Attachment 61941
Just found the illustration posted by Bruce-In-Oz.... not even close to what my brain remembered....sigh Attachment 61943
Were there any single shot .22’s converted in the same way the Indian .410’s were?
According to Edwards, of India's Enfields, small numbers of service rifles were converted to .22 trainers. From 41' to 51' the markings were the same as the British with the exception of the RFI conversion date on the left side of the butt socket. He describes the use of a magazine with the follower removed and the side of the case marked .22. No loading platform style mentioned. He goes on to say the new production after 1951 markings changed to 5 lines on the right side of the butt socket and were purpose build .22's. I have a 68' dated purpose built Ishapore .22 and it has a magazine with no follower and no loading platform. It is also devoid of any dowels in the areas indicated above.
But, back to the origins of the thread......... Looking at the photos, those dowel marks don't contact anything but the magazine body. So apart from the magazine blocker fixing thinggy, what other possible explanation can there be.
If you really want to break away the old animal glue and residue used in that era, just put it in the freezer overnight and it'll snap clean away. Simple. That'#s how they used to see whether our butt patches were perfect as op[posed to just a good fit at the edges!
The rifle was converted in '28Quote:
Originally Posted by SpikeDD
Attachment 61961
I have not taken the stock off, but would there be any markings on the inside?
There may be some markings in the barrel channel which would determine the stocks origins, but, not it's trail of history. It could have been anywhere before it landed on your rifle.