Custom or DIY rear stock band for No 4's?

[donniem]

Hi. This is my first post here and have to say this is an awesome site with loads of information and great articles for reference. I inherited a heavily modified Longbranch a couple years ago which piqued my interest in Enfield's, and recently caught the bug for shooting and tinkering with Enfield No4's. I like the simplicity and functionality of these rifles, and oddly I really like the recoil of the 303 cartridge.
I decided to put together a purpose built No 4 (already basterdized) with an L42A1 stock kit, but retain the 303 cartridge. It took quite a bit of work to fit the stock and I ended up bedding the action and draws as the inletting seemed to be off a bit from the trigger guard to the top action inletting. I am left with an issue where the top fore stock was trimmed quite long where the barrel band attaches so I need to find a way to cover approx 3/16" additional to a standard stock band. I am working with the company that makes the stocks to correct the issue so no dig on them, but it would be nice to be able to still use the piece as I have it matched to the lower fore stock and the front band is fitted and matching the lower stock as well.
I started thinking of a way to produce a custom rear stock band that would look authentic just a bit wider, and thought maybe an engine freeze plug would match the profile quite well if fitted correctly and would provide the extra depth required to fit the upper fore stock. Have any of you guys had to deal with a similar issue or a poor fitting rear stock band? Any suggestions on a way to remedy the aesthetic issue beyond just replacing the upper stock piece?

Information

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[rgg_7]

Post a couple pix's. Never seen a custom band - generally fix the wood. Where did you buy the stock?

Ron (Canada)

[Mk VII]

Sometimes just changing between the stamped band and the milled band is enough to make it fit.

[browningautorifle]

For sure some pics here to clarify what's happening?

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

A freeze plug sounds like it may be a reasonable starting point, but it also sounds like a lot of work. I suspect you'd wind up having to weld in a short section on the bottom. I think I'd just get another rear handguard. They're cheap enough.

[donniem]

I will see if I can figure out the pictures. The stock is from Prestigious Wood Stocks. I'm hoping to get an email back when they do another run of these stocks and hopefully they can make me a new piece that isn't trimmed so long.


---------- Post added at 04:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:26 PM ----------

A freeze plug sounds like it may be a reasonable starting point, but it also sounds like a lot of work. I suspect you'd wind up having to weld in a short section on the bottom. I think I'd just get another rear handguard. They're cheap enough.

Hi Steve,
Sounds like you can picture what I'm wanting to do, and I agree it is going to be way easier to just get a new handguard. For the $6 the plug costs, I might attempt it anyway and see how it turns out. Who knows, might help with a solution down the road?
Don

---------- Post added at 04:40 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:34 PM ----------

Still tons of work to do, but it will be very rewarding when its done.

[Brian Dick]

I have a set of the Prestigious L39/L42 wood here. I just examined the handguard and the lip at the rear of the handguard needs to be trimmed back so it'll go flush into the handguard retaining ring. I compared the one I have here to an original handguard and the one I have looks like the upper band will fit properly once the extra wood is trimmed and the handguard is fitted snug at the rear. If anything needs work, the machined groove for the upper band may be a bit tight. If your upper band is fitted and the problem exists as shown, the handguard is machined wrong. I think I'd talk to them about replacing it. There's no real way to change the dimensions as manufactured.

[donniem]

I have a set of the Prestigious L39/L42 wood here. I just examined the handguard and the lip at the rear of the handguard needs to be trimmed back so it'll go flush into the handguard retaining ring. I compared the one I have here to an original handguard and the one I have looks like the upper band will fit properly once the extra wood is trimmed and the handguard is fitted snug at the rear. If anything needs work, the machined groove for the upper band may be a bit tight. If your upper band is fitted and the problem exists as shown, the handguard is machined wrong. I think I'd talk to them about replacing it. There's no real way to change the dimensions as manufactured.

Thank you for your time and looking at that. I touched base with PWS and I think there are definitely other issues that I was able to remedy with some bedding and slight modifications. The front band on this stock lines up and the back of the upper stock piece was trimmed quite long, however I believe the rest of the inletting followed suit except the bottom metal, so something must have slipped or moved during the machining. Basically the front and rear trigger guard screw's were not lining up by about 1/4" and it was either the action/top inletting had to move forward or the trigger guard moved back, but 1/4" was excessive either way so I split the difference and after doing some clearancing in the inletting, it came to about 3/16" I had to split between the top inletting and bottom trigger inletting. I am hoping they can make me an upper piece that will remedy this or I will see if I can get one that isn't machined for the rear band and I will chisel that in myself accordingly.
Don