Help with some kind of attachment on an old enfield stock.

JTF#

JTF#

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 99.5%
217   1   0
Location
Ontario
I got a 1918 3* enfield made rifle to restore. when I took off the forend I noticed there was 4 little screw holes with what looks likes marks were a bracket or something was attached. here is some pics and a pic I made showing were the bracket or what ever might have been attached. does anyone have any idea or guesses as to what might have gone on here?









 
I can't help you with the holes, but I am curious about that forend. It looks as though it has a long range or volley sight installed. Did the forend come on the rifle? If I am not mistaken, the Mk III* was not equipped with long range sights and the long range sights on Mk IIIs were discontinued in 1916, which was also the year of introduction for the Mk III*.
 
Do the upper holes enter the bbl channel, or they angled downward? It appears the holes are at about the balance point of the rifle. I suspect the rifle may have once been on display somewhere and mounted to a bracket of some sort to keep it from wandering off.
 
the last pic is not my gun. I just used it so you can see were the attachment was.
the screws on the side just go as far as touching the barrel when they stop.
 
Target shooters used to instal steel bands around the stock......Only seen it on the SMLE and not others.
The bands used to go over the handguards........We are speaking of the 20's and 30's here.
 
And the odd misguided soul has been known to attempt to screw a homemade scope mount onto a forestock. I had one like this on a Ross myself.
 
thanks! it was a long shot but I thought someone would know!


wheaty said:
Target shooters used to instal steel bands around the stock......Only seen it on the SMLE and not others.
The bands used to go over the handguards........We are speaking of the 20's and 30's here.
Click to expand...
 
It wouldn't make sense to have the metal band around the rear hand guard for target shooting. Any No 1 rifles I have seen with this extra band were around the middle of the front most hand guard. Here is a picture of one of mine, an Alex Martin match rifle. In this case they used a hose clamp type of band, no screws into the wood whatsoever.

rifle.jpg


band%20markings.jpg
 
The regular rear sight is a long range sight. My '42 Mk III* has 'em up to 1200 yards I think it is.
I'm thinking B_noser is right. Holes drilled to prevent it escaping from a wall or other display. Might be for a grenade launch sight, but it doesn't look solid enough for that. No flat spot for the sight to sit in/on.
 
The hole looks a little too high for the Ishapore screw. Plus, you can faintly make out a lighter area of the wood where some kind of band or strap had gone around it in that area. I agree that it could possibly be someone's attempt at mounting a sight or scope.
 
Looking at the pics, to my eyes, I can see a ghost of an outline where a piece of metal utility strap has been mounted for some time. For what reason, who knows? Probably not put there by Fultons!

Utility strap like this;
0633016_L.jpg

Where there any other 'home gunsmith' repairs or modifications to the rifle?
 

Attachments

  • 0633016_L.jpg
    0633016_L.jpg
    26.9 KB · Views: 78
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom