No. 4 Mk. II forestock on Mk. I?

[Peter Laidler]

This Mk2 fore-end opn a Mk1 rifle variation was sanctioned for us BUT only for DP rifles to cater for the shortage of Mk1 fore-ends in Ordnance stockpiles. I know it happened elsewhere but don't really know why it wasn't sanctioned across the board. It was this shortage of Mk1 fore-ends that saw the retro modification of L42 fore-ends from Mk2 spec to Mk1 spec for the L42's. And dire they were too! I was told however that the problems arose because following continual firing of Mk1 rifles with Mk2 type fore-ends, the screw and nut, tie fore-end would pull loose and need tightening too often. Not coming loose in the usual sense, but by the heads cutting into the wood at either side causing looseness.

That would seem to be a good, logical reason but if that really were the case, surely the same would ocur when the open end Mk2 fore-end was fitted to a Mk2 rifle. I didn't question it but there it is. So, yes it will fit and will work. I would do it if it were me...........

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[Alexander A]

Thank you. I like your use of the term "variation." That gives a sort of official sanction to what I'm thinking about doing. At least it's been done before.

[ssj]

This Mk2 fore-end opn a Mk1 rifle variation was sanctioned for us BUT only for DP rifles to cater for the shortage of Mk1 fore-ends in Ordnance stockpiles. I know it happened elsewhere but don't really know why it wasn't sanctioned across the board. It was this shortage of Mk1 fore-ends that saw the retro modification of L42 fore-ends from Mk2 spec to Mk1 spec for the L42's. And dire they were too! I was told however that the problems arose because following continual firing of Mk1 rifles with Mk2 type fore-ends, the screw and nut, tie fore-end would pull loose and need tightening too often. Not coming loose in the usual sense, but by the heads cutting into the wood at either side causing looseness.

That would seem to be a good, logical reason but if that really were the case, surely the same would ocur when the open end Mk2 fore-end was fitted to a Mk2 rifle. I didn't question it but there it is. So, yes it will fit and will work. I would do it if it were me...........

but did they put a middle piece of wood back in?

Otherwise, the No4 mk2 Parker Hale target rifle I have has brass tubes either side to stop this, I assume.

[Alexander A]

and yet if you look on ebay there seem to be mostly mk1 type forestocks for sale

I scour ebay daily. I did find a new Mk. 1 walnut forend from a source in New Mexico sometime back, and it's now proudly on one of my rifles. (But I have two more rifles that need this treatment.) Lately, all I can find on ebay in new walnut are Mk. 2 forends. Hence my question.

Sometimes it's hard to judge the type of wood from the pictures on ebay. I recently ordered a complete set of new wood from an ebay seller in England, but it turned out to be the birch/beech type. I can't really complain because it is new (old stock) wood, and it is what was pictured. But it's so clearly inferior I don't want to put it on my guns. (I have very nice walnut buttstocks on them already.)