Enfield Butt stocks (Differences)

Was looking at some old Enfield parts rifles and stocks that I have and noticed quite a difference in the butt socket end of the stocks.

They all appear to be 13 1/2 inches long but the ends run from round ends to a variety of slanted cuts in the recess. The ones on the bottom don't insert in the butt socket on No1MkIII.

The parts rifles ended up in the middle, (the attachment manager decided that's where it belonged:)) two of which have the shorter butt stocks (4&5) one is without a butt plate. Some of the butt plates are steel..
They are from left to right, SHTLE IV Parker Hale 22 Trainer, 1917 SHTLE III*,
1914 SHTLE II, 1916 Lithgow SHTLE III cadet rifle, 1918 BSA SHTLE III
1917 BSA SHTLE III with Greek marking on the butt stock.
They all came 20 some years ago with parts missing (top hand guards,bolts and small parts)

The Lithgow cadet rifle was rebarreled in 1929 and has the nicest blue job you've ever seen. It appears to have never been fired as a cadet rifle is understandable.

So a question on the butt stocks, if some are not for MK III's what are they for?


AZB

The ones with the completely round socket end are for No 4 rifles. I also notice what appears to me to be a butt stock for an Indian 2A1 there. First picture, bottom left.

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Originally Posted by Bear43

The ones with the completely round socket end are for No 4 rifles. I also notice what appears to me to be a butt stock for an Indian 2A1 there. First picture, bottom left.

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Thank you for that information. I believe you are correct as that butt stock has an aluminum butt plate as the Indian rifles do.

Bummer on the No.IV rifle stocks as I only have two of them one being an arsenal new Savage the other a commercial sporter from Europe.
I have a dozen or so other #1MKIII rifles including an Austrian Gendarmerie that Bubba made into a sporter and did a right messy conversion.
I intend to restore it to it's military condition with a stock from one of the parts rifles shown.

Thanks again for the info.

AZB

So far us us in the real world of Armourers, on the sharp end were concerned, they were all interchangeable. I appreciate that some maintain that some were specific to the SAS, SOE, SBS Chindits, NAAFI staff etc etc but...., no! There was even an EMER detailing how to fit any type to any rifle - which we did with monotonous regularity, day in and day out

Thank you Peter,
That was an interesting answer and also entertaining in your delivery.;)

Actually then only Enfield that may need restocking is the Indian 2A-1 as its butt plate
was worn considerably.

As far as fitting stocks for other than their intended us we have a similar joke about Chevy mechanics. "If it doesn't fit, get a bigger hammer."

Thanks again,
AZB

Wartime butt plates weren't all brass because of shortage of brass. Many were made in an alloy that looks aluminium, called zamak. So t might not be Indian manufacture?

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Originally Posted by Daan Kemp

Wartime butt plates weren't all brass because of shortage of brass. Many were made in an alloy that looks aluminium, called zamak. So t might not be Indian manufacture?

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Thanks for that info. It made me go look and there are a variety of differences in the butt plates as you can see here.......Quite a range of finishes.......One steel one not in photo. Some have had a hard life.

The butt plate without the trap for the screw and oil bottle/pull through, is that the "Indian" one? Never seen one without the trap before.

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Originally Posted by Daan Kemp

The butt plate without the trap for the screw and oil bottle/pull through, is that the "Indian" one? Never seen one without the trap before.

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It was this one. It's some kind of pot metal and the tang is broken off the top of the butt plate.

AZB