Irish Contract Enfields

[Transitsc]

All of the Irish contracts I have seen have light (blonde) wood stocks. The one I own has a darker stock. Stock is matched to the rifle. Were there different stocks used for this run of Enfields?

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[Skippy]

Your rifle certainly suggests they there were.

[Stevo]

All of the Irish contracts I have seen have light (blonde) wood stocks. The one I own has a darker stock. Stock is matched to the rifle. Were there different stocks used for this run of Enfields?

The possibility exists that a previous owner may have stained the stock. Can you tell what type of wood it is?

[Transitsc]

Steve;

I've attached a picture of it. It's the bottom rifle. Not sure of the wood, but it looks to be birch, the rifle above it might be elm?? not sure if they used that wood on an enfield. Bottom enfield is a 54 top is a 53.

[Stevo]

Wood identification has never been my strong point.

2nd from the bottom looks like beech from the bright spots in the grain. If the bottom one is birch, it looks to have been stained, unless there's a dark variety of that wood.

If you take the handguard off, you might find a different colours under it or on the ends if it's been stained on the exterior only.

[Badger]

I have the same problem as Stevo ....

Everything to me looks like "walbut"...

I'm sure someone here is a wood expert....

Regards,
Badger

[Claven2]

Bottom rifle is either stained maple or birch - hard to tell without a closeup. 2nd up is 100% certainly Beech.

[tiriaq]

The centre swivel in the bottom rifle is an addition. Usually installed for target shooting, with a 2 point sling. This suggests that the rifle may have been worked on. Does the forend serial stamped in the wood match? Any marks elsewhere on the stocks?

[Claven2]

I should also mention that in about 30 years, the very blonde No.4 Faz "irish contract" rifles we see today will be darker brown from aged linseed oil, handling, and exposure to sunlight.

[A square 10]

shes a looker , but i concur may have had switching done or stained by someone
BTW the 'irish' contract falls from SN #PF309348-#PF359747 there were other contracts , mine is #PF372692 and is burma contract rifle , some mistake all of the later mk2s for 'irish rifles' - they werent delivered so in a way they arent