Reproduction SMLE stock

[Johnluger]

Hi, checking to see if anyone is currently making SMLE NO.1 MK3 stocks as they are harder to find than hens teeth.

[Brian Dick]

I fitted a new manufacture Mk.V forend that was purchased from EFD several years ago by a client and vowed to never do another. The quality of the inletting was horrible and the time it took at my full hourly rate would have been mind boggling. Since I didn't want the owner to have a MCI when he got the bill, I just stopped counting the hours after a certain point and wrote the job off as a big time loss. The thing i don't understand is why; with all this modern cnc machining and computer programs, can't the new stuff be even close in quality and ease of fitting as the original replacements made back in the day? I've fitted quite a few Enfield and Lithgow late/post war forneds and they are a treat to work on. Even the bulky South African replacement wood for the No.4 is very well inletted and fits up nicely. Does anyone know if those beech wood sets were made in England for a South African contract or actually manufactured in South Africa? I just finished up another butchered No.4T for a guy in Hawaii and it's perfect. I still have to fit the scope bracket, (from the good Dr. Payne), to collimate it. The scope has been serviced and I'd put it up against any No.4T I've ever had for performance.

[pisco]

hi southern cross militarized in queensland sell new wood sets for smles

[Johnluger]

Pisco I just checked Southern Cross and with the price conversion it would be well over $650 dollars for that stock set.

[pisco]

hi that’s not good there is a market for these wood sets i would love to be able to set up to make them

[Colonel Enfield]

That can't be right - the Australian Dollar is worth a lot less than the USD.

The cheapest way to do it here is buy a deactivated SMLE and strip the woodwork off it, but so many people did that the price of deactivated SMLEs went up too.

[harry mac]

Check outthis, from Canada. I believe he will ship internationally.
https://www.adpost.com/ca/sports_games/10546/

[bigduke6]

Thats a good find Harry and a very fair price I would think, all depends what they modelled the fore end on, early SMLE fore ends with the recess for the volley sight are the ones to go by, the later newer ones without, just don't have the same character and are a bit more chunky.......

Regarding previous posts, The deactivated dealers cleaned up years ago regarding timber etc, only until recently I'd of gone along with what Brain says regarding making them now with the modern Modern Machinery available etc, but a walnut blank doesn't come cheap anymore.......

Its why you see more job lots of barrelled actions etc at the auction, just not cost effective to rebuild etc.

[Alan de Enfield]

Its why you see more job lots of barrelled actions etc at the auction, just not cost effective to rebuild etc.

I had a No1 Mk3* barrelled action and was struggling finding 'bits', I happened to be in my local (very rural) RFD Gun Shop (he sells loads of shotguns and the odd .22rf) to farmers and I saw a Lee Enfield muzzle sticking out from behind a rack of clothing.
Long story short :

It was actually two Lee Enfields - a No1 Mk3 in full wood bored out to 410 shotgun, and a barrelled action No4 Mk1 barrelled Action in 410 shotgun. Picked up the pair for £100 all in.


Sold the No4 barrelled Action to another RFD (who knows about Enfield's) who had been asked by a customer to make him a No5 look-a-like, got £100 so all my money back.

Stripped the No1 Mk3* (410) and used the bits to rebuild my No1 Mk3* (303) so rebuilt it for zero cost.


Took the barrelled action No1 Mk3* (410) back to the original dealer and asked him to scrap it for me (it got it off my licence)

[army1882]

Check outthis, from Canada. I believe he will ship internationally.
https://www.adpost.com/ca/sports_games/10546/

The ad says no international shipping.