Mint 1942 Maltby with extras

[rayg]

I was just curious as to what FNR does stand for. Any body care to offer a suggestion. Ray,

[RobD]

An effing nice rifle?

[Brian Dick]

I have a new condition 1942 Maltby No.4Mk.1 that is Naval marked but it's just a capital "N" on the left side of the butt socket. It was imported straight from MoD stores via Interarms in the late 80's/early 90's. Badger posted pics of it here a few years ago for me. God bless him!

[Seaspriter]

I have a new condition 1942 Maltby No.4Mk.1 that is Naval marked

Brian, what wood is the stock of the Naval rifle? Does it have a grooved handguard?

[Brian Dick]

I apologize as my Naval marked No.4 is a 1941 Maltby. It's stocked in walnut and has a grooved rear hand guard. I also have a newish 1942 Maltby, (no Naval ownership mark), and it's stocked in beech with a grooved hand guard.

[Seaspriter]

y Naval marked No.4 is a 1941 Maltby. It's stocked in walnut and has a grooved rear hand guard

Thanks Brian for the info. Going back to rayg's first post #1 and the pics, his gun is all walnut with a grooved handguard. Maybe Capt. Laidler or others might have some insight -- did the Enfields designated for Naval use specify walnut (remembering that walnut was scarce and perhaps considered more durable in a nautical environment)? This might help the code-cracking/deciphering of the cryptographic initials, if it is indeed a Naval rifle.

[SpikeDD]

I have a 42' Maltby that I am also proud of, along with a 42' BSA. My Maltby is a earlier production than Rayg's and has the low cut stock. I can't say when in production that feature was eliminated or if was just scattered throughout production. Both the Maltby and BSA have full Beech stocks with the Maltby's forestock having the serial number stamped vertically.

Attachment 61962Attachment 61963Attachment 61964Attachment 61965

[Brian Dick]

I seriously doubt that any service would be able to specify what woodwork would be on their rifles. All of the different types of wood were serviceable and I'd have to disagree that walnut would be any better than beech or birch for a nautical environment. Much like five versus two groove barrels, All of the parts of these rifles had to meet a specification and would not have been used if substandard.

[Beerhunter]

If mine also went through Turkey, it must have also missed getting the British import/export and proof stamps. Ray

We don't have export marks and if it was a Government to Government deal it would not have needed Proof. (Our Government is exempt from the Gun Barrels Proof Acts.)

[Seaspriter]

walnut would be any better than beech or birch for a nautical environment.

As a naval officer and wooden boat restorer, there are two woods I'd never use for exterior environments -- birch and maple (I've had or seen awful results with these). These rot very quickly and get punky. I don't know about beech in a nautical environment, but I know of no wooden boats that have ever successfully used beech.

Walnut, on the other hand, is very rot resistant and has been used in coaming boards, fiddle blocks, tillers, and trim on boats for centuries. Apparently black walnut contains a herbicide called juglore (even sounds ominous and walnut dust is considered toxic) which prevents fungus attack. Also, black walnut doesn't check or spit in a harsh sea-going environment. Last summer I was roaming the back lot of a friend of mine in eastern Pennsylvania. He lost a lot of trees in Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Someone cut up a lot of trees for firewood, including maple and walnut. The maple was filled with fungus and rot was setting in. Not so for the walnut -- it had been out in the elements -- sun, rain, snow -- for two years. The wood was not checked nor split nor rotting-- it was beautiful. I threw half a dozen pieces in my wagon for a future project.

Walnut has been used for centuries for naval gunstocks. My British Navy 1700s flintlock blunderbuss with brass barrel has a walnut stock (and a rusted lock). As the Navy is very partial to tradition, it would be a reasonable guess that rayg's Enfield could/may have likely been for naval purposes.