Looking for a good gunsmith for some stock work

[MilitaryArms]

I have a JJCO Lithgow SMLE Enfield that needs recoil blocks properly installed. Does anyone know of a good smith that would take on such a project? I would be eternally grateful for any help.

I'm in the US (Indiana).

Information

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[Paul S.]

I believe Brian Dick does.

[MilitaryArms]

Thank you Paul, I've PM'ed Brian and look forward to hearing back from him. Hopefully he can be of assistance. I hear doing the installation properly can be a bit tricky and I'm not handy when it comes to such things.

[Peter Laidler]

But tell him that you don't want the copper blocks. Tell him you want them replaced with hardwood with the grain running in the direction of the drawers. FAR better.

[Maxwell Smart]

But tell him that you don't want the copper blocks. Tell him you want them replaced with hardwood with the grain running in the direction of the drawers. FAR better.

Peter does this mean that the end grain is to the sides or to the top and bottom of the blocks?

[Peter Laidler]

Easiest explained by looking at the example I re-drawered using a cut away fore-end a year or so ag for the forum Max. But put simply, the end grain of the fore-end runs front to rear and the end grain is not the best part of the wood to impart a load (although some have disagreed with this, so I ask why roof beams are made as they are.....) or indeed, insert a screw (that's why the butt plate screws are so xxxxxxg big). If you are putting new drawers in a fore-end, best to have the patch end grain at the top and bottom of the patch, slightly angled, so that the ACTUAL grain will be running up/down at the same angle as the drawers of the rifle.

If I had a blackboard and some chalk...........

[Maxwell Smart]

Thanks Peter

[MilitaryArms]

He said he didn't have the brass plates anymore. I did inquire about using hardwood. I hope he gets back to me saying he can do such a repair/upgrade. I would hate to think I just bought a rifle I can't shoot...

[Peter Laidler]

Military Arms. If you took a woodwork lesson at school, then there is a VERY simple pictorial essay somewhere on this site that shows you just how simple it is to do this work. Just a couple of chisels a bit of good quality wood glue and a block of hardwood. Have a look....., you'll be suprised about how simple it is. Several people on this forum have done it and said so.

[Damian]

Yep. Its easy. Done it numerous times. The pictorial is easy to follow.