I've read that before about the recoil plates being omitted from Australianicon production at some point during the war. I also read they were reinstated after a very short period which would indicate they may have had problems on rifles without them. I can't say for sure any of this is correct, I just recall reading it on the net somewhere. We know how things get twisted around on the net.

Does anyone know when they stopped fitting recoil plates on new Lithgow SMLE's and for how long?

Has anyone put a lot of rounds through a SMLE with a Coachwood stock without recoil plates and had issues or otherwise?

All I know is all Lithgow rifles as well as Lithgow FTR rifles I've seen here is Australia have the plates fitted. I've seen one rifle without them and it was a sporterized rifle in 303.25 that someone built, fitted a new forend and cut it back to a sporter profile. The only other Lithgow rifles I've see without them are very early rifles with Walnut Stocks. Its the JJ CO rifles we all read about that seem to have them missing. As far as I know the Brits didn't use them but they didn't use Coachwood stocks either.
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