Help with damaged ishapore stock

[Kiwi]

I would appreciate your opinions on the following damaged stock problem I have. I recently bought a stock online for a future SMLE restoration project, but when it arrived I found, A: it has an Ishy screw, B: it has an DP stamp on it, C: it has a stock band like a No.4 rifle at the rear of the stock and D: some of the woodwork around the triggerguard and the right rear of the stock has cracked or split off the stock. Now that I have learnt my lesson about needing to ask for more detailed photos and a description of the stock I realise that it may not be that bad.

Now for my questions:

1. Is the steel band at the rear of the stock something I should be worried about i.e. is it a sign that the stock deficient in some way?


2. The wood that sits around the trigger guard area generally is proud of the guard except for on small section which is below the line of the guard. Examples of sporter SMLE stocks I have show that generally the line of the stock is flush with the line of the guard. Is it a indian manufacturer thing that the stock sits about the guard, or is it fitting issue that an armourer would take away wood to make it fit better? I ask as I would think the best line of attack is to sand down the rough and jaggard edges so that they are generally flush with the guard rather than trying to graft new wood on to the damaged areas given that they would sit about the metal and be prone to damage.

3. Regarding the rear section of the stock the same sanding/re-contouring of the stock may also work as there is a bit more wood to work with. If I was to try and graft on a section of wood and re-contour it to match the existing stock, what of wood should I use. Are these type of stocks walnut?

Sorry about the long winded post, but I'm hoping that someone can help turn my impulse purchase into something that is usable.

Information

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[Salt Flat]

Kiwi, regarding the trigger guard area I think your only option is to remove some wood. You have a little extra wood to work with there. I would mark the line with an extra fine "Sharpie" ink pen. This will leave a nice visible and accurate line to work to. Remove the trigger guard and using a medium rasp, trim to the line ( leave just a smidge for final block sanding). The kind of rasp I like is a horse shoe rasp that has four different surfaces. One side is flat an the other is rounded. One half is a coarse rasp and the other half is more like a coarse double cut file which would work best for cleaning up around that trigger guard. You may have some small areas that don't clean up 100% but just leave them alone as they won't be very noticeble. The chipped are could be repaied by flattening out the glue joint are and epoxing on a piece of scrap from maybe the extra forearm or other piece of scrap. Salt flat

[Kiwi]

Thanks for your advice Salt Flat. It was actually a much easier job than expected to smooth out those chipped and damaged areas around the trigger guard. I'm pleased with the results so far, and after looking at my photos see there is a little bit of smoothing still to be done. Will just have to live with the one area that was chipped below the line of the guard. I put some linseed oil on the stock (except where I need to attempt the other damaged area at the rear of the stock) and was surprised how nice it looks after just one coat. Will build up the courage to repair missing section of the stock soon.

[Peter Laidler]

We regularly used to repair fore-ends (albeit No4 and not No1's) that were broken away around the trigger guards. In fact, I seem to recall seing photos of just such Armourers repairs on the forum. No doubt someone will put a suitably patched fore-end up for all to see. We'd just dovetail a patch in and peg/reinforce it with thin hardwood dowel pegs. Modern wood glues are FAR superior than the old animal bone cxxp that we used to use. Technically speaking, the wood should always be proud of the steelwork such as around the trigger guard.

Patching in the broken out part at the rear should be a doddle too. Just cut away with a razor sharp chisel and fit an oversize patch. Make good and peg. That way, using pegs, it always looks like a real Armourers job

[Ridolpho]

Kiwi: The strap at the rear was standard fitment by Ishapore for No. 1 forends after a certain date which I can't recall offhand. They also used a lockwasher ala No. 4 on the buttstock bolt which eliminated the need for the "keeper" inletted into the rear of the forend.

Ridolpho

[Salt Flat]

Kiwi, Looks good. I don't think anyone will even notice that little bit of low area. After all, it is a battle rifle. It's bound to have a few nicks and dings! Take a look though at some other No. 1 forearms and see how they handled the area around the trigger guard. I'm thinking you may want to radius the outer sides to the flat area just a small amount. Fine sandpaper on a rubber block or wood block will do the trick. Salt Flat