Former Lee Enfield No 1 Mk 6 or No 4 Trials stock?
One of the big parts website ran a flash sale on Lee Enfield parts so I decided to test my luck for a new stock for a jungle carbine I've been on and off parts swapping for about 5 years. I wasn't expecting much, but I thought it would probably be more serviceable than the twice+ refinished and refurbished stock I have. On first inspection I noticed some repairs that indicated that it was a cut down full sized stock, and the addition of an Ishapore screw. I dry fit the stock and noticed that the right side went down far enough to fit a magazine cut off, and had an inlet for the boss for the cut off screw. I then thought that this was a stock for a No 1, but a quick comparison proved otherwise. Was this once a stock for one of the early No 4 trials rifles that retained the magazine cut off? I am aware that many of these rifles and parts were mixed together with later No 4's and often not noticed.
In any case, it's not what I'm looking for for a stock for this No 5.
It's an early production No4 walnut stock that has been modified for a No5, as you surmised. Being walnut & having the slash for the cut-off it could be Trials, but early Long Branch & some British wood is found similarly configured. The woodwork with the coned out area for the front guard screw & the cut-off clearance continued in production for some time before it was eliminated, so No4 forends like this are not uncommon. If it has been shortened to the correct overall length it should have a neat wooden plug in the very front end, as a correct length cut down No4 to No5 stock finishes directly through one of the lightening channels. I've done a few & patched them. If you do it well they're barely visible. Others cut them (forends) a little too short, or fit an end cap to cover the bodgery! If doing the mod you also need to re-cut the recess for the barrel band as it's not in quite the same place on a No5.
Last edited by Roger Payne; 05-05-2023 at 11:16 AM.
Reason: clarification
From the few I've seen/owned the earlier trials type forends lacked the step down in front of the guard and were also somewhat straighter on the sides, making them a bit thinner around the mag well than the later types.
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
Sorry the photo is not great - by chance I happened to degrease two LB birch forends earlier today. The photo is of the marking I was referring to. It doesn't prove anything but it seems to be a common mark on Long Branch produced front wood. I assume it relates to a subcontractor that produced the tie plates.
Last edited by Roger Payne; 05-08-2023 at 06:37 AM.
The "B in a circle" is also present on Long Branch magazine followers. Does anyone know who the subcontractor was? Obviously, a metal fabricator near Toronto.
If we conjecture that the letter "B" is from the name of the company, the Canadian Trade Index for 1937 has these companies in Ontario under "Metal Stampings":
“There are invisible rulers who control the destinies of millions. It is not generally realized to what extent the words and actions of our most influential public men are dictated by shrewd persons operating behind the scenes.”
PM
