SMLE front trigger guard screw collar question

[stevebc]

I'm in the process of fitting a reproduction No. 1 Mk.3 forend to my Lithgow, and a couple of questions arise:

1) what is the standard length, if any, of the collar?
2) what is the standard depth of the hole this collar fits in?

I've measured the depth of the hole on my forend at 1/2", and my collar length at a shade over 7/16ths. This forend is not a drop-in proposition by any means, but I'm slowly getting it to fit. I'm not at all sure however, that the forend itself meets the precise specs. For example, the front trigger guard screw lug does not hit bottom in the forend, but the bottom of the receiver frame does sit snugly (bottomed out) in the forend.
So are there varying lengths of collar, screw, front trigger guard?

 

[HarryD]

The trigger guard should when properly fitted make full contact with the inner recess of the forend, as does the bottom surface of the action. The collar should be just long enough to allow this when held tightly between the two by the front trigger guard screw. Without the collar, the screw would crush the wood causing all sorts of problems. The length of the collar should be just long enough to allow full surface contact of the two metal parts with a small amount of crush of the wood.

 

[stevebc]

The trigger guard should when properly fitted make full contact with the inner recess of the forend, as does the bottom surface of the action. The collar should be just long enough to allow this when held tightly between the two by the front trigger guard screw. Without the collar, the screw would crush the wood causing all sorts of problems. The length of the collar should be just long enough to allow full surface contact of the two metal parts with a small amount of crush of the wood.

I understand the principle, what I need are the dimensions. In other words, are my forend and collar in spec, or not?

 

[mr.e moose]

Collars need to be fitted to individual rifles.Somewhere in my files I have a article on a gauge that the armorers used to file collars to the correct length.A collar that came out of a different stock could be either to long or to short.You cannot determine the correct length until you have fitted your action to the stock.http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ6I-Kv5gr8IzJtvkpkoGjVp5LoOPktX2_k5SJWoUI1kc3kG_yA

 

[HarryD]

Ok sorry. I don't have access to the specs but Im sure someone will. I have however found them to vary in length from rifle to rifle as expected.

Good luck.

 

[stevebc]

Mr Moose and HarryD, thanks to you both. It's useful to know they vary in length. I'll keep an eye out for a longer one.