$400.00 Deal or no deal on Lithgow?

[Brian Dick]

Roger is right. The forends on Australian rifles are a bit on the fragile side compared to English beech and walnut. The Queensland maple and Coachwood is soft and once oil soaked will crumble from the draws rearward if the forend isn't fitted correctly and tight. Ask me how I know! They will also split from the guard screw forward if ill fitted. Add in someone turning the stock bolt with the forend fitted, (which could be remedied by reading a $10 Skennerton SAIS #1 booklet), which is the kiss of death. I'd keep my eyes peeled for a nos coachwood forend for this rifle. They used to be a dime a dozen but that's 20+ years ago so watch the auction sites and be prepared to pay. If the draws are destroyed, patch it with oak and dowels as per Peter Laidler's articles posted on this forum. Forget the little copper plates which were a bit of a stopgap measure anyhow for the reasons stated above. I love Australian SMLE rifles, the quality is second to none but am very wary of shooting all but one, a '41 date Mk.III* which I restored from a sporter with a nos '45 date barrel and nos coachwood forend when I had a stack of them. I'd be very careful shooting my 1915 Mk.III with original QL maple, (how would you ever replace that forend?), and even a green tagged '43 date that the forend is pretty oil soaked.

---------- Post added at 01:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 PM ----------

PS, That "dark stain" is probably the original finish which was 50-50 raw linseed oil and creosote. You can still smell that creosote on un-mucked with Aussie rifles.