No4 war time furniture

[madcratebuilder]

I know that the No4 Mk2 used beech and birch for furniture almost exclusively. What about the war time MkI, British made rifles, did they use mostly walnut or did the use beech and birch because the walnut was unavailable?

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[Thunderbox]

Most wartime British rifles appear to have been stocked with walnut, with some beech being introduced in 1945 - earlier for replacement No1 furniture.

[Warren]

Canada experimented with maple but it was just too heavy. I can find the maple stocked no4 just by lifting rifles in the rack... I believe it also shattered in extreme cold from what one of the chaps who worked in the stock room at Long Branch told me years ago.

[Surpmil]

Most wartime British rifles appear to have been stocked with walnut, with some beech being introduced in 1945 - earlier for replacement No1 furniture.

We can be certain Beech was in use by 1941. Have had two such MkI forends, one an original fitting to a ROFM 1941 Maltby No4(T) in the 11--- SN range. Have also seen others, also MkI forends, on 1941 Maltby's.

Haven't noticed whether they were used elsewhere in that time frame.

[madcratebuilder]

We can be certain Beech was in use by 1941. Have had two such MkI forends, one an original fitting to a ROFM 1941 Maltby No4(T) in the 11--- SN range. Have also seen others, also MkI forends, on 1941 Maltby's.

Haven't noticed whether they were used elsewhere in that time frame.

That is interesting. I friend just acquired a 43 savage with a birch fore-end with the square S on the fore-end wood and on the nose guard metal. This is the earliest rifle I have seen with birch. I'm curious how many were birch/beech compared to walnut.

[jona]

Savage started using birch in 1942. Their early birch stocks were stained walnut. In 1943 Savage no longer stained the birch and left it with the distinctive orange color. The very early Savage No. 4s were stocked in walnut, but very few were made.

[krinko]

"We can be certain Beech was in use by 1941....Haven't noticed whether they were used elsewhere in that time frame."

I too have a '41 Maltby stocked in brown-stained Beech and I also have a '41 BSA in Beech. Both forestocks are serial numbered parallel to the barrel, so I have reason to believe they are original furniture.
-----krinko

[jmoore]

The early beech fore stock also has the mag cutoff provision, as well as some distinctive inletting at the front of the action. (I've only the one example so far, though.)

Pic link: See post #37- about 3/4 down the page:

Lee-Enfield Mk1 No.4 rifle picture thread - Page 4 - Military Surplus Collectors Forums

[Surpmil]

Here's some more.

Not sure where I got the photos now. :dunno: