Mint 1942 Maltby with extras

[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.

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[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.