Brass stock disk

[garra]

Ran across a couple of MKIII, one of them had this brass disk on the right side of the stock, can someone advise me what this signifies.

Information

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[limpetmine]

They were used for marking the brass with stamps to signify what unit the rifle was issued to.

[RobD]

I may be wrong here, but I understand the practice continued till about 1916. Thereafter the stock discs were blank, because (or so I have heard) this information gave the enemy potentially useful intelligence. Most discs on SMLEs are thus blank. In the Boer War (and earlier) similar info is to be found on brass buttplate tang or (in the case of .303s Martinis, Lee Enfield carbines, etc) on brass stock discs.

[garra]

I checked out the rifle again today, and the disk is blank. The manufacturing date was 1916, it is in remarkably good condition. The price on it was $400. I bought a nice one today in a small town nearby, paid $180, it was made in 1943.

[browningautorifle]

Don't get wrapped up in that "giving intel to the enemy" thing. The enemy knows exactly who they oppose in the line of battle. The brass shortage had the discs discontinued and the recess was filled with a plug. That's why the discs are scarce today.

[garra]

They may be scare, but when I was checking out e-bay under Enfield there was a brand new one with screw on the site. Just in case someone is looking for one out there.

[Fritz]

Don't get wrapped up in that "giving intel to the enemy" thing. The enemy knows exactly who they oppose in the line of battle. The brass shortage had the discs discontinued and the recess was filled with a plug. That's why the discs are scarce today.

I know I am reviving an old thread here, but I have a question on topic. Can I ask you to elaborate some on the plug filling of the stock disk recess? I ask because I have recently acquired a sporterized 1942 Lithgow No1 MkIII, that I will be restoring. The buttstock has a plug in the stock disk recess. Before I go and look for a replacement disk, I would like to be sure that I would not be making a serious mistake by removing the existing plug.

[Bindi2]

I do not think 1942 Lithgows had butt discs from new. A photo of the butt disc side would help.

[Fritz]

The rifle is in transit to me, as soon as it is in my possession, I will happily post photos.

[dthiede]

Fritz, I also would like to know about the plug in the stock disc recess as you describe. I recently picked up a 1917 No.1 MKIII* BSA that has a wooden plug filling the stock disc recess. Is this something the arsenal would have done or something a civilian did later?