Restoring a No1 Mk3

Hello everyone! :wave:
I have a project that I may need help with; it is a 1944 MA Lithgow SMLE sporter that has been brutally treated (someone should be charged for gun abuse) As much as I want everything to match and be as historically accurate as possible, I have limited funds and parts (mainly woods) are few and far between, so I ordered what I could find. This build could take weeks so just bear with me.
Anyways Lets get to the before pictures! This is after cleaning the crap out of it. Also if anyone knows what the markings mean, please feel free to share, that would be great.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../0g7K5Je-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../4Mkw1Dy-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../gWxCNlx-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../zuybigI-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../RNKeDo7-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../9kGisVC-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../YzOT9EG-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../l2mb69q-1.jpg
Thanks!

Springfield Sporters, (ssporters.com) in Pennsylvania, will have a number of Australian and British SMLE parts and they're fairly inexpensive. FA is the Forbes feeder factory, OA is the Orange factory. BA is for Bathurst. "Slaz 44" on the handguard is the Slazengers sporting goods company, part made in 1944. I think that by 1944 Orange was doing SMLE rifle assembly, rather than Lithgow proper. Looks like a great project!

I've contacted SSPORTERS and they don't ship to Canada :crying: I've found most parts on Ebay, but mostly looking for parts stamped OA to match the buttplate stamp.

They don't ship to Canada?! Why, those....! I see their prices have climbed some, too. As far as parts, OA, FA, BA, and WA (Wellington feeder factory) marked are all good to go on your rifle. Best of luck!

Yeah stupid ITAR ruining all my fun :mad: oh well...

Some one you know who has a friend with a friend (who knows what they are looking for and at with condition etc) that lives near the parts seller may pick you up a set of furniture and post it to you privately or is that not allowed.
Brian Dick has a good handle on posting stuff he may have a set of woods and bits you require, here is the link to his business web site good luck https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&r...gEfOrErbPh3D1Q

Thanks but I think I have ordered all the parts I need. Just waiting for packages to arrive.

Of course we'll want the after pics...

Yes of corse!

In what seems to be record timing for canada post, some parts arrived! :super: Mainly the woods and rear sight protector!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../KwTtFLc-1.jpg
fitting to action
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Xove6ys-1.jpg
Installing sight guard
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../T9aB3QU-1.jpg
now we wait for the band and the nose-cap. Now to find a stock that matches the forearms :thup:

It's getting there...

Picture 2, where the right hand vice is, that's where we had an ARMOURERS HORSE bolted onto our benches. It would overhand the edge of the bench, 1.5" or so wide, hardwood and could be swung into any radial position to make life easy when stripping, assembling or testing any of the weapons. Topped with a leather cover or horsehair matting so as top cause no damage. It was also useful for leaning your elbow on while gazing out of the window or while discussing last nights TV show or last Sundays church sermon, the latest knitting pattern or just how to solve the latest Middle East 'unpleasantness'

your origonal wood looks like Queensland maple. I may be wrong.

but did you ever consider buying some Australian wood or carving up a bit of wood on your own.. Have you searched for or come across any vendors in Australia that sell parts?

Tried to find some aussie woods but could not find any. As for making the woods, I'm quite busy at the moment, but I might try in the future.

Another update:
So I've started to colour match the woods, here is the outcome so far
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../KwTtFLc-1.jpg
Before the tops and bottom didn't match and the tops were really dark and covered in grease. I cleaned them up with some paint stripper and re stained with some BLO + some oil based stains + turpentine
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../89TXeuu-1.jpg
results so far
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../1febI2v-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ZQENgJK-1.jpg
still needs to hang and dry. Looking good. :thup:

I'm very much looking forward to the end results...

Sorry I'm late following this thread :) This should turn out to be a great looking SMLE.

Just a quick check - have you bedded the action correctly at the recoil lugs?

Lou

Good to see you around Lou, you've done enough of them...so you can certainly help him.

You're right BAR. Haven't seen or heard from Lou much lately. Welcome back Lou

Thanks folks. been a busy little while. Should be here a bit more often now. :)

Lou

Original stock work is Australian Coachwood. QLD Maple has very distinctive tick marks in the grain, also the grain is not as smooth as the Coachwood, very similar in colour though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mike16

your origonal wood looks like Queensland maple. I may be wrong.

but did you ever consider buying some Australian wood or carving up a bit of wood on your own.. Have you searched for or come across any vendors in Australia that sell parts?

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Sorry for the super late update! life kinda crept up and I got swamped :sos:
Small update, new things I have so far:
- 1943 OA stamped bayonet
- OA stamped brass Oil bottle
- sling ( wrong style but still works )
- springs and screws
*Pics to come later*

I ordered a nose cap but I think that the package was lost or seised by CBSA :mad: oh well
I have another one coming marked BA so thats nice, also a new buttstock that matches the dark-brown rest of the rifle.

As for bedding:
I have fitted the stock so that it is tight at the recoil pads and shimmed the back end to make an overall VERY tight fit, sometimes requiring a rubber mallet to remove ( if I didn't take my superman pills yet ).

All thats left is to fit the nose cap and go to the range! :thup:

Pics
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../84dpZR4-1.jpg
Obligatory local beer pic
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../hNeEErE-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../4nZFQGz-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../y1LXhry-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../p0RliMd-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../zl7Rif4-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../eBmsQUO-1.jpg
bedding
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../T2K1P9N-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../i0V8sxl-1.jpg

Hey Guys,
Just got my stock in, had to do some modifications so it would fit properly.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../pc4WURQ-1.jpg
Basically had to shave down the butt portion to match with my buttplate, and shaped the front end to fit properly in the socket.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../gs6OuyR-1.jpg
minor inlaying for the safety
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Hw3eFxC-1.jpg
The bolt was too short to reach the full way so I found my 3/4" spade bit and an extension and drilled it out a bit to make the bolt fit
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Hq9cTCw-1.jpg
So far So good!
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../FwcxszP-1.jpg

Had a minor issue with the heel of the stock being too small for the buttplate, leaving a gap.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../TOlukxZ-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../ZlfEu2l-1.jpg
I will put some colour-matched epoxy to fill the gap.

Still waiting on the nosecap, should come this week :cheers:

That's because it's a #4 butt stock... Nice job, at least it will be dressed correctly now.

FINALLY!!! :dancingbanana: :super:
The nose cap showed up today! Yay!
Well the funs not over yet. when I installed it onto the hand guard, the nosecap pushes the barrel to the right! Thats not good. Also ordered the wrong type of front nosecap screw, but it fits so IDGAF.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../oWc7L3s-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../YlauO8V-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../NDwK3j8-1.jpg
How does one go by fixing this? any tips and tricks would be most appreciated :thup:

We do have threads here with the repairs and alterations in them. Seek and ye shall find...