Changing the buttstock on a '42 Lithgow, have a question about the screw

[SDWriter]

Hi all. New member here. I'm a fairly longtime owner of this '42 SMLE. I decided recently to change the buttstock to a "Long". Bought an Aussie-made buttstock that's 'new' unfinished. And I have it fitted nicely into the rifle's butt socket now. However, the screw, my original one, doesn't really come through the receiver much. Barely above flush with the surface in fact. I am sure screw's square head is supposed to protrude more so it can nest with that metal piece in the rear of the handguard.

Anyone run into this situation? Is there such thing as a "long" screw? Or do I find a for-wood drill bit of the same size as the oiler/access hole and deepen it a little more? What would be the standard solution to this problem?

Thanks in advance.

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[SDWriter]

For what it's worth, I just did a slip-fit of the screw into both buttstocks. In the new stock, the screw protrudes out the front 0.15" LESS than it does with the old stock. Is this a really bad situation for a #1 Mk. 3*?

If so, I'm kind of thinking it might be simplest for me to weld some steel to end of the screw, then file it to the proper box shape. I lack the proper tooling to make that hole in the stock deeper while keeping it squared. I don't think a hand drill would be the right approach, assuming I could even find a drill bit for wood that's the right diameter and long enough. Something like that would cost me a lot more than I paid for this stock.

[bob4wd]

For what it's worth, I just did a slip-fit of the screw into both buttstocks. In the new stock, the screw protrudes out the front 0.15" LESS than it does with the old stock. Is this a really bad situation for a #1 Mk. 3*?

If so, I'm kind of thinking it might be simplest for me to weld some steel to end of the screw, then file it to the proper box shape. I lack the proper tooling to make that hole in the stock deeper while keeping it squared. I don't think a hand drill would be the right approach, assuming I could even find a drill bit for wood that's the right diameter and long enough. Something like that would cost me a lot more than I paid for this stock.

Just a thought, but I once had a similar issue, turned out there were TWO of the tensioner springs in the hole. Took one out and all was well, plus had a spare spring! So take a look in the hole first.

[SDWriter]

Hmm. Nah. This was a never-issued replacement stock. 100% wood. No metal in it when I received it. So now it's even worse. I just pulled out a plane washer from the old stock, didn't even know it was in there; found it with a magnet. And there's another item made of steel there that I cannot get out of there. Might be that spring washer, I don't know. If I put those in the new stock'd I'd be in even worse shape.

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[nijalninja]

It might only affect the looks of your rifle honestly. If there are all the right washers in there with the bolt then I can't see why there would be much issue with the square not protruding as far. Only reason it has the square is to stop the bolt coming loose in harsh environments like war, which I suppose you don't plan to join with that rifle.

That being said if you wanted to remove some wood to let the bolt sit further forward I reckon you could get some dowelling about the size of the butt-screw access and fix some sand paper to the end, then just spin it around, clean it out, and repeat until you have the correct protrusion. DON'T TRY THIS until the experts give their input however.

[CINDERS]

As we never know what life these rifles have had a canny person may have had the front woods off for some reason and decided to dock the stock bolt that way the butt can be removed without having to take to hand guards and lower fore wood off, the only way to check that stock bolt is to compare it to one that is known to be original, as I feel they would not be docked in service by the armourers at all....

Don't go deepening the hole in the butt to suit that bolt if you want it to be like an original buy a NOS stock bolt they are out the for about $10-20/Au

[SDWriter]

Only reason it has the square is to stop the bolt coming loose in harsh environments like war, which I suppose you don't plan to join with that rifle.

Well heck, if that's the only reason for the square head to stick out, then I can easily not worry so much. I assumed it must be to support the handguard structurally in some way. You make sense though, since the #4 rifles don't have this feature but instead use that spring-washer as a lock washer.

[SDWriter]

Don't go deepening the hole in the butt to suit that bolt if you want it to be like an original buy a NOS stock bolt they are out the for about $10-20/Au

I was thinking about buying a new one. A company here in the states has new/un-issued Australian stock screws for only $8 US, plus mailing. However, since my existing bolt is recessed when used with the new stock, without threads on the end it's not getting as good of a purchase as it should. And that situation will be worsened when employ a washer under the screw head. A screw from a #4 rifle might work better here because it's threaded out to the end, assuming they are the same all other ways. I don't like mixing the rifle-type parts, but it may make sense in this case. I think I'll pull out the screw from my #4 to compare with the #1's.

[CINDERS]

They may share the same lineage but some parts are not interchangeable between the MkIII & No.4 some of the more experienced here may shed light on the stock bolts between the two if they are the same thread & pitch and same length.

[SDWriter]

Actually I just pulled out the screw from my #4 and used it to attach the new stock to my #1. Works fine. The #4's screw is actually slightly longer overall than the #1's screw, which works out fine. When I add the spring washer and flat washer to the assembly the end of the screw sits just a little lower than flush with the front of the receiver. If I omitted the spring washer (and just went with blue Locktite), the screw end would likely be perfectly flush with that surface.