G'Day Fellow US Enfield enthusiasts,

I would like to know if anyone has come across a similar type of damage to their US Enfield stock as I have encountered. I bought this rifle a few months ago, apparently a safe queen from a prominent collector, as the story goes, and noticed the split on the RHS of the stock, above the magazine well.

I'm at a loss how this lateral split has occurred, as it appears to be a tension fracture of the outer timber fibres, suggesting radial bending from the LHS of the stock to the right.

Attachment 81523Attachment 81524

A possible way this could happen is if some one disassembled the rifle, supported the stock at the end of the butt and the extreme fore end, with the LHS uppermost, then stood on it, midspan. Silly suggestion, but the fracture pattern seems to support that type of failure. I am struggling to see how the fracture could occur if the barreled action was seated firmly in the stock.

I am planning to epoxy the split, then screw pin it with brass stock repair wire.

Rather than speculating on this confusing damage, thought that I might ask the wider community what experience of knowledge you folks may have to offer on possible causes. If I am aware of the cause, I may be better prepared to prevent further such damage, should it be a likely recurrance.

Thank you for your interest in reading and in anticipation of your thoughts and suggestions.
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