Installing stock bands on No 4 Enfield

cantom

cantom

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I'm desporterising a Maltby 1943 No 4 Mk 1 rifle. I have all the parts. The middle stock band, the one with the sling swivel is giving me grief. I have several of these bands and it's the same with all of them. I can't get the band to meet at the bottom within reach of the screw. It's almost an inch apart, the screw as you know is somewhat short...

What trick do people use to get this together so you can get the sling swivel in there and screwed together?
It almost looks like the wood in the band track needs to be filed a bit in the bottom quadrant...I'm not eager to do that and mess up the great finish.

Also, the swivel screws I have for the front bands and the mid bands seem to almost be interchangeable, same length etc. Are they the same screw?

Anyone know what thread this is? Probably some nightmarish Whitworth screw or something? Tempting to tap it and get a longer screw to pull it together... :cool: :eek: :runaway:
 
I had this problem on m'42 Savage, when I put its new wood on. I got a pair of vicegrips and held the yabs together while I set the screw.

On my '33 Ishapore I had to lightly sand the top and bottom of the band channel to have the hinged band close properly. I removed so little that the rifle retains the proper lines, and it isn't noticeable with the bands in place anyway.
 
Actually, if you're looking for screws you might want to contact John_Sukey on the forums, he's a good guy and sometimes stocks enfield threaded screws.
 
Skippy said:
Actually, if you're looking for screws you might want to contact John_Sukey on the forums, he's a good guy and sometimes stocks enfield threaded screws.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I actually have the screws, it's just getting the band close enough together to be within hope of getting it screwed together...I might try that vice grip trick...
I also think I'll try a skinnier screw with nut, doing it up to draw it together then removing it.
 
John Sukey said:
Welcome to the world of vise grips. :D
Had to use them on more than one No4
Click to expand...

I tried the vice grip thing last night-no go. I was bending the band near the unthreaded hole. Then, I grabbed my one early, thick middle band and presto, it went right on and closed up easily. :dancingbanana: It's even a trifle loose done right up, but it did go on with no bending/grinding/cussing required which pleased me no end. It's like anything else where you bring a group of disparate parts together and try to make them a team...

I love it when a band comes together(apologies to the A team)..

That's one less sporterized Lee Enfield in the world...ka ching.
 
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