45 Maltby Correct Wood

[swanson22]

I have a 1945 Maltby No4 Mk1 with matching receiver, barrel, bolt, and magazine. I believe the only thing that has been replaced on the firearm is the stock, I see no serial numbers, it has a Longbranch type sling swivel on the rear, and it also has an ishy screw. There are no import marks visible on the rifle, not even an "England" country of origin mark, although it does have BNP markings. What would be the correct stock for this particular rifle? As far as beech or walnut, grooved vs. non grooved handguard? I have searched all over the internet for unaltered examples of 1945 Maltby's but was unable to gather any good information.

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[Peter Laidler]

It really all depends on who you listen to Swanson. If you listen to the enthusiastic amateurs that litter the world of gunshows, concourse competitions and pure waffle they'll be telling you about this that and the other, shapes of this, ribs of that, colours, dyes and wartime phases of the full moon and its effect on the workforce during the equinox and.............. You get my drift.

But if you want the truth, from an Armourers workshop it's this in my humble experience having been there and done it once or twice. If a rifle came into us that's been well and truly battered to the extent that it needed a complete wood rebuild then we'd select a reasonably colour matching set of wood off the shelf. We wouldn't care whether it was part-used or new or the type of wood or whether it had this or that or the other features. And if we didn't have it on the shelf, we'd be forced to patch and make do with what we had. Then we'd fit it all properly. Then we'd range test it for accuracy and zero it. When it passed the out-inspection, it'd go back to the soldier or Armoury whence it came.

Take your choice.

[Richard Hare]

Peter,
To help our pal out a bit, Can I ask if there is a greater Probability of the wood being beech at this time??...........followed by birch? And, more likelihood of being non-grooved?

[Peter Laidler]

The wood is what was on the shelf in the Armourers shop. And I would imagine that's how it worked in the assembly plants too.

[Ridolpho]

Then we'd fit it all properly. Then we'd range test it for accuracy and zero it. When it passed the out-inspection, it'd go back to the soldier or Armoury whence it came.
Take your choice.

Peter: Would stamp the rifle serial number on the forend after fitting?

Ridolpho

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, the rifle number would be marked on the fore-end too. There'd be no unsightly overlapping edges between the fore-end and handguards, the correct gap between the butt and butt socket and all that too......... PLUS a good soaking in linseed too