Longbranch No4 Mk1star Sporter Project...Black Walnut adventures.
- Thread starter STR8 Shot
- Start date
As many Lee Enfield’s as I have rebuilt I haven’t made all the wood from scratch. I went as far as finding a junk of spalted maple that is sitting in my loft. I was thinking of doing a one piece sporter stock. Keep us posted I am interested in your progress.
There was a chap on here, perhaps 10 years back, named Bob or Rob, from Quebec IIRC, who would make No 4 wood.
He said that he had trouble keeping his drill bit straight when drilling the stock bolt hole.
He went to laminating a two piece butt. He used two square router bits to make the hole on one side, for the two diameters of the stock bolt.
The joint on the stock was about 3/8 inch to the right of the center line.
I recall that the two pieces were cut from the same larger piece so the joint was nearly invisible.
In my clumsy attempt, I started with a beater stock that cost me $5.
I cut off the top and bottom as shown and glued pieces of walnut to replace them.
I planed down one side and only had to inlet the top and bottom for 3/4 inch at the receiver, them a similar amount for the butt plate.
Then I glued a piece on the left side and rough shaped it and had to fit a small area on the left at the receiver and then the butt plate.
I'm then going to glue a piece to the right side and repeat.
Perhaps, not long on elegance, but with arthritis and astigmatism, I'll take any short cut available.
I may have another hi-tech shortcut coming in several months.
He said that he had trouble keeping his drill bit straight when drilling the stock bolt hole.
He went to laminating a two piece butt. He used two square router bits to make the hole on one side, for the two diameters of the stock bolt.
The joint on the stock was about 3/8 inch to the right of the center line.
I recall that the two pieces were cut from the same larger piece so the joint was nearly invisible.
In my clumsy attempt, I started with a beater stock that cost me $5.
I cut off the top and bottom as shown and glued pieces of walnut to replace them.
I planed down one side and only had to inlet the top and bottom for 3/4 inch at the receiver, them a similar amount for the butt plate.
Then I glued a piece on the left side and rough shaped it and had to fit a small area on the left at the receiver and then the butt plate.
I'm then going to glue a piece to the right side and repeat.
Perhaps, not long on elegance, but with arthritis and astigmatism, I'll take any short cut available.
I may have another hi-tech shortcut coming in several months.
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I would like to see how that butt turns out. Got a bit of a laugh as I currently have multiple butts some new old stock and never installed. Something to think about if you can’t find butts.
I can’t find original top wood for the #1’s so have been making some. The front metal piece needs to be installed. I’ll have to order it first.
I can’t find original top wood for the #1’s so have been making some. The front metal piece needs to be installed. I’ll have to order it first.
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I think the spalted maple would look sharp. I'll certainly keep this thread updated as I progress.
There was a chap on here, perhaps 10 years back, named Bob or Rob, from Quebec IIRC, who would make No 4 wood.
He said that he had trouble keeping his drill bit straight when drilling the stock bolt hole.
He went to laminating a two piece butt. He used two square router bits to make the hole on one side, for the two diameters of the stock bolt.
The joint on the stock was about 3/8 inch to the right of the center line.
I recall that the two pieces were cut from the same larger piece so the joint was nearly invisible.
In my clumsy attempt, I started with a beater stock that cost me $5.
I cut off the top and bottom as shown and glued pieces of walnut to replace them.
I planed down one side and only had to inlet the top and bottom for 3/4 inch at the receiver, them a similar amount for the butt plate.
Then I glued a piece on the left side and rough shaped it and had to fit a small area on the left at the receiver and then the butt plate.
I'm then going to glue a piece to the right side and repeat.
Perhaps, not long on elegance, but with arthritis and astigmatism, I'll take any short cut available.
I may have another hi-tech shortcut coming in several months.
Thanks for the tips.
I'm planning on making a jig that will keep the bit on the centerline as it bores through. Hopefully with a bit of patience I can get a straight cut.
The idea is to bring it back to full wood configuration, but much shorter as the barrel has been shortened back to 18.5". I was going to just buy a forestock and modify it, but for the work, I may as well start from scratch. Besides I had the wood just laying around, begging to be used.
I appreciate that.
If you are looking for No1 mk3 wood, check these guys out:
h ttps://leeenfieldpartsandmilitaria.com/
BTW, that is one heck of a job you've done on the top wood. I hope mine will come out as good.
I'll be honest though, this right here was my inspiration. I should go searching the forum for those shortened ones you speak of.
https://youtu.be/ygDjMt6h6w0?si=KXvgBNK-I1v3DDa0
I'm certainly no expert, but YouTube has helped me a great deal. Search buttstock inletting or inletting a Winchester 1886. I'm sure something will come up.
Good luck and post the progress
I'm also interested in your stock progress, I have an old cooey 12 guage that is missing all its furniture, I've been imagining making some one day, this is great motivation, plus a cooey should be significantly easier than an Enfield.
Unless you have a pattern for that old Cooey, you could buy one on the EE, use the furniture as a pattern and then sell it when you’re done.
I know you are making your own stock (kudos to you, that's a ton of work), but Mark Novak might have some ideas for you in this (and follow up) video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMdJBwLRHEQ
