Fore Stock gap to Butt Socket

[ptf18]

I purchased a 2nd No.4 Mk2 Enfield and found that the fore stock has a +.020 gap between its rear face and the Butt Socket BUT only on one side. I removed the Trigger Guard and found that the Fore stock moves fore and aft just a slight amount but that the Fore Stock falls away with no effort. The wood in the draws area look to be new. Its as if the L/H side and the R/H side of the rear faces of the Fore Stock were cut to different lenghts allowing one side to contact the Butt Socket (not by much or there wouldnt be fore and aft movement)

THoughts about repairing this please.

My idea is to shorten the "longer" sides rear face until the gap is the same for both sides. Then "repair" the wooden draws per Peters instructions to provide for a tight fit of the Fore Stock.

BUT..... this will move the Fore Stock to the rear about .020 (in taking up the gap) and I dont know what to do about the Trigger Guard Collar hole in the Fore Stock as it will also move to the rear the same distance. Perhaps there is enough "play" fore and aft in the hole of the stock for the Collar and it wont be a problem Or I could elongate the hole if need be to instal the Collar. Or I could plug the hole and redrill it in the correct location for the Collar.

Thoughts Please.

Perhaps I could get a replacement.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[bow]

That's all you need:
Milsurps Knowledge Library - Worn draws in your No1, 4 or 5 fore-end .... (by Peter Laidler)

Read and...read again. If fore-end has a bit of play fore and after, you nedd to patch the draws as for Peter article. New fitted draws will draw ( hence the name) the fore end in contact with wrist face.

[muffett.2008]

Good onya Bow

[Ridolpho]

Actually Bow, I'm not sure the answers to ptf18's question is there. Specifically, what do you do if properly patched draws draw the forend back so far that the screw, guard, trigger, front is very, very badly misaligned with the collar, screw, guard, trigger? That connection would seem to be the primary locator of the forend front to rear and I can't imagine it would be good to have it misaligned by 0.020inch. Won't you want to buildup the rear face of the forend for tight fit with front screw in place then build the draws? This is what I'm currently doing with a No.1 MkIII with a big gap ( nearly one-tenth inch).

Ridolpho

[bow]

I had one rifle with the same problem ( only one between 15 No.4 rifles). I fixed this bedding issue first machineing away 4 mm wood of fore end where it contacts the socket in a way that it's not seen when rifle is asswembled. Then i filled the "hole" with epoxy and reassembled the rifle, main scew lined with collar hole. After epoxy was cured i patched the draws. So all remains lined.

0.02" is a big gap, in my opinion fore end were not fitted well from the origin..

[Ridolpho]

bow: Thanks for that idea. The rifle I'm currently repairing is a "Smiling Tiger" and I'm trying to make it shootable again without altering the appearance of the beautiful (to me anyway) age-darkened forend. I also have a No.5 that has a uniform very wide gap between forend and cheek- worst I have seen so far and with what appears to be the original forend. More common amongst my dozen or so seems to be a wedge shaped gap, usually with a fairly tight fit closest to the trigger guard.

Ridolpho

[bow]

More common amongst my dozen or so seems to be a wedge shaped gap, usually with a fairly tight fit closest to the trigger guard.

The same applies to my rifles.. I rember that a small gap was accepted , following military standards. But the smallest gap is detrimental to accuracy here.

[ptf18]

Fellows: Thank you both. It seems that you both have seen the "issue" I have with this stock fit.

What do you think of the idea of fitting a wooden shim (of beech) onto the rear face of the Forestock to fill the gap. I would have to ensure that ALL of the previous applied stock sealent (linseed oil) was removed prior to "attaching" the shim.

Do you have any idea if this was ever done by the military?

[bow]

Fore-end Butt socket contact accepted repair methods ( No.4 rifle)

Do you have any idea if this was ever done by the military?

Above was what Peter said about the same matter.

It's very interesting your idea fitting a wooden shim. It depends on woodworking ability: using hardwood to make a tight shim requires handy skills. Here in Italy, where i live, most people use walnut veneers: you could find them in many ticknesses and sizes. Choosen the right one, you will glue it in wrist contact surface and the gap will be filled.

[ptf18]

Thanks Fellows: Let me give you what I "think" my plan of repair may be and get your input. I'll "correct" the gap the rifle has at the rear face of the forestock to butt socket junction. I think I'll remove wood from the rear face of the stock until both the L/H and R/H sides of the stock have the same size gap... and parallel to the butt socket. Then I'll attach a (beech) shim abit thicker than the gap. Once the gap is corrected I'll check the draws area and repair them if need to get a proper fit up with the stock. Hopefully the collar and main screw will be aligned without elongating the hole in the stock.

Thoughts?