Never seen these before

[englishman_ca]

I am curious. I need to ask, cos I have no answer.

For a while there has been something listed that online auction site.

It is just something that I have never seen before.

Attachment 107878

These are listed as leather for the butt trap.

Original WWII vintage leather stock wads for the British and Canadian No. 4 Lee Enfield Rifle. These are the leather washers that slide down the hole in the buttstock and rest on top of the stock bolt. They cushion and muffle the sound of the Oiler and clean out. They are about 3/16" thick heavy leather and most have the Broad Arrow military acceptance stamp and some have a small C that encircles the Broad Arrow for Canadian Army. There are at least two different types of Broad Arrow stamps on these, some have a tiny double arrow, some a large single arrow. These came out of large box Replacement Walnut Buttstocks for the No. 4 Mk I Rifle, all with Long Branch Arsenal (CANADA) markings---so I can only guess that they came out of the same Arsenal.


I have found and picked up lots of long branch stuff over the years. The only time that I have seen anything like these was the dross from a wad punch in the bottom of leather worker's scrap box.

Surely, Long Branch never used these?

If you installed one in a rifle and pushed it to the bottom of the hole, how the heck would you ever remove it to access the stock bolt?
A leather washer washer the prescribed part, a washer rather than a disc so that hook can be used to reach down and get a hold at the hole to pull it out. That is something impossible to do with these ones.

Ah, but I should never say never with an Enfield!

I just wondered if anybody has bought one and installed it?? ??????

Information

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[Daan Kemp]

Never seen anything like that for LE. Or heard of it. Keeping apprentices busy?

[browningautorifle]

I'll bet they're just a fantasy piece to get buyer's attention. Never heard of anything but washers used. Why would you mark something like that with a broad arrow? And as stated, no way to remove them easily.

[englishman_ca]

Ya, i know. But these have been selling!

One has to be quick, only a few left!

But what are they???

Whatever they are, I don't think that they are even military, never mind being a rifle part

[rgg_7]

A leather washer was used after the stock bolt was installed to dampen the rattle from the oiler. It's a leather washer with a hole in the centre so it can be removed with a special tool. These appear to be a repro of the washer however are not correct IMO and would be a brute to remove once seated on the stock bolt. Ron (Canada)

[Roger Payne]

Agree entirely with BAR & rgg. IMHO they're an invention simply to bring in a little money for the seller. They look like they ought to be on sale at a craft fair. Originals are plain, & as mentioned above have a small hole in the centre so that you can hook them out with the appropriate tool...

[Alan de Enfield]

Originals are plain, & as mentioned above have a small hole in the centre so that you can hook them out with the appropriate tool...

Or, a suitable shaped wire coat hanger.

[Scout Sniper]

Total fantasy pieces, and crap ones at that... Sorry!

The leather stock wads have always had a hole in for removal.

[englishman_ca]

Attachment 107897

[Toffee]

Interesting, I have never seen anything like that either.

I suppose I had better be more careful when looking for things so I don't get scammed.