"lightened" SMLE No1Mk3 buttstock... any official story behind this?

[louthepou]

Hello everyone,

Here's a buttstock I'm working with at the moment for a fellow SMLE enthusiast here in Canada. Now, this is the 3rd time (I think) I see this exact pattern of drilling in a SMLE buttstock - only logical reason is to reduce weight? Is there any official story about this? I've seen the exact same pattern in the three buttstocks I've seen which received this treatment, so, it can't just be a basement job.

Lou

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[Roy]

The lightening holes are a feature of pre WW1 SMLE MkIII aren't they? Mk1 SMLE have four holes drilled around the stock bolt hole.

[Mk VII]

I've got one like this somewhere. A piece of sophistication that got dropped.

[englishman_ca]

Butt stock is taken from a 1903 Sht.LE Mk.I that was fitted with a steel butt plate without a trap door. (It appears that a plate with a trap was later fitted, I see an inlet for the spring's screw.)

Yes, I believe that the holes were for lightening the butt. Don't forget, when introduced this was the cutting edge 'new lightweight' service rifle of the Empire.

A lot of design changes between the MLE and the SMLE, the butt stock being one of them.