BSA Siamese contract SMLE

[Ridolpho]

Bought this a few months ago from a local collector/ shooter who hinted at accuracy problems. Barrel/ action body match along with nosecap. Bolt is mismatched but Siamese. Forend has no visible number but a delightful black patina. Butt has some strange lettering on it- maybe original user? Mechanically sound with some pitting along the woodline. However, on stripping found very bad longitudinal crack starting at the screw, guard, trigger, front. Stockbolt keeper plate badly deformed and the wood from draws back disintegrated. As you can see, forend also has some old repairs and defects. After much deliberation, decided to try to fix the forend (nervous due to Homer Simpson-like wood working ability). Wanted to make it functional with as little change to the appearance as possible. Dealt with the crack with a replica "Ishapore screw" (I like the way they look and can always replace it with a dowel later). Main patch at draws is a piece of very hard maple with glue aided by two vertical threaded brass rods- one of these would have to shear off for rear of forend to spread. After getting this patch in place found huge gap between forend and cheek so glued on wedge of walnut and filed to fit (can't get 0.002 feeler in anywhere). You'll notice I didn't reuse the keeper plate chosing, instead, to put a lock washer on the stock bolt (again ala Ishapore).Finally installed patch on upper side by left reciever ring where big splinter was separating. Next step is to get to the range. Biggest concern is that the entire forend may be somewhat degraded but we'll see. Curious to hear reactions to my repair- specifically, should I have simply left it as a non-shooter, having seen the problems, given that it's a slightly rare variant? Thanks, in advance, for any feedback.

Ridolpho

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[Bindi2]

There was only 10k of these so well done on the repair looks good. Will be interested to hear what the C A P t P says about your handiwork.

[Thunderbox]

No reason why you shouldn't shoot the rifle, so long as your wood repairs are strong and there is a good forend fit. Just about any badly crumbled forend can be rescued, given the strength of modern glues.

I'd have straightened the keeper plate and glued it back into the forend. It adds to the strength at the back of the forend, so something should be put there. Some threaded wire or a No4-style backstrap can be useful.