Didn't see you message until today, my bad.
The bore is good, it came out clean with a few patches. She has gain twist rifling so I am interested to see how she shoots as well.
Restoration Sticky.
- Thread starter LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1
- Start date
Didn't see you message until today, my bad.
The bore is good, it came out clean with a few patches. She has gain twist rifling so I am interested to see how she shoots as well.
Query regarding restoration skill set
Hi folks,
Great thread, I'm interested in doing a restoration project . Maybe start simple with just bringing back to life a 1908 Krag I have in the gun cabinet. In general what resources are out there to help a noob restorer like myself. In refurb info the stock back to it's former glory am I risking doing a bubba on it. I have confidence that I could do this but don't have a clue where to start. How to stripe it, even taking the stock off. Have tools and will try but could use some guidance or access to good resources.
Another question I have is are most if you guys gunsmiths? I'm a little daunted by wanting to start disassembling a trigger mechanism to replace a spring for example. Can strip down the bolt in the Krag but should I be looking for a gunsmith locally in Edmonton/St. Albert for the more complicated undertakings? Can't afford a full time gun mechanic (LOL). Could see going to one to fabricate a needed replacement piece but wanted to get a sense of what level most of you would rate yourself. (That's a loaded question )
Thanks
Dave
Hi folks,
Great thread, I'm interested in doing a restoration project . Maybe start simple with just bringing back to life a 1908 Krag I have in the gun cabinet. In general what resources are out there to help a noob restorer like myself. In refurb info the stock back to it's former glory am I risking doing a bubba on it. I have confidence that I could do this but don't have a clue where to start. How to stripe it, even taking the stock off. Have tools and will try but could use some guidance or access to good resources.
Another question I have is are most if you guys gunsmiths? I'm a little daunted by wanting to start disassembling a trigger mechanism to replace a spring for example. Can strip down the bolt in the Krag but should I be looking for a gunsmith locally in Edmonton/St. Albert for the more complicated undertakings? Can't afford a full time gun mechanic (LOL). Could see going to one to fabricate a needed replacement piece but wanted to get a sense of what level most of you would rate yourself. (That's a loaded question )
Thanks
Dave
Hey Folks,
Picked this up fairly cheap:
Decided I would return it to more or less standard form!
Some parts showed up thanks to Vinver on the forums here, Ellwood Epps for some parts, and Fleabay.
I read online about mineral spirits / methyl hydrate and 0000 steel wool cleaning up stocks. I went to work while sitting on the porch. My hands were filthy and I forgot to grab a picture but it really worked quite well. The first coat of BLO went on nice:
The second coat has gone on even better:
I still need to do quite a few more coats and get a front band but I'm really happy with the results so far.
Picked this up fairly cheap:
Decided I would return it to more or less standard form!
Some parts showed up thanks to Vinver on the forums here, Ellwood Epps for some parts, and Fleabay.
I read online about mineral spirits / methyl hydrate and 0000 steel wool cleaning up stocks. I went to work while sitting on the porch. My hands were filthy and I forgot to grab a picture but it really worked quite well. The first coat of BLO went on nice:
The second coat has gone on even better:
I still need to do quite a few more coats and get a front band but I'm really happy with the results so far.
Is it necessary to have the stock bolt plate and the two copper shim plates installed in the lower fore stock on a No.1 Mk.3 enfield? I'm de sporterizing my dads old 1921 Lithgow I inhereted and that's the last thing I'm left with doing, the sporterized lower fore stock had the plate and shims. The complete Aussie set of furniture I managed to find did not, it fits nice and tight to the body of the action but there was a small crack on the rear end of the forestock where the butt stock bolt would sit. I glued the crack and have it all fit and assembled with no play butt to muzzle, I feel the bolt plate would add some reinforcement to the back face of the forestock but if its not 100% necessary I'd rather not carve the hole for it.
What do you all think, should I leave it be and hit the range or install the shims and butt stock bolt plate?
What do you all think, should I leave it be and hit the range or install the shims and butt stock bolt plate?
Just finished this (on Father's Day no less) after two painful years of searching out parts and fabricating a few. Given what I started with for a receiver alas it will never be a shooter.
There's no reason at least from what I can see that can't be a shooter. I would send that receiver to a good smith like Nick at Vulcan and he,ll anneal it fill in the gaps with spray weld and your good to go. Most of the force is contained in the barrel, especially if you throw a M2HB on it.
I wouldn't give up on that one.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Here's a Ross MkIII stock I spliced for another CGNer.
- Location
- Beaverlodge, Alberta
Thanks Lou, it just keeps dragging you in deeper and deeper eh? I just had another Ross with some issues come my way, this time a rung/bulged barrel 4.5" from the muzzle. So its becoming a 1905-R with a 22" barrel with a bit of counter bore instead of its factory correct 26".
Here's the MkII 3* I just built a stock for:
Here's the MkII 3* I just built a stock for:
Today fellow CGNers, with the help of two other fellow collectors, we were able to save an 1891 model Carcano from the jaws of death and ultimately the scrap yard. Originally, this girl, a 1918 Terni marksman rifle, was purchased as a stripped barrel action.
Here is what she looked like when I started the restoration:
and, after a few weeks of patience, and parts sourcing from two other CGNers, I was able to bring her back to this:
Some parts were a tight fit to get to work (the hand guard and magazine especially) but it is nothing that a bit of oil and some careful patience can't solve.
Here are some close ups of this lovely lady as she proudly rests as a complete piece once again:
Here, you can see the accuracy mark denoting a rifle marked for accuracy at the factory, I can't wait to get this girl out to the range:
My iphone camera does this girl an injustice so forgive the pictures if they are not super clear.
Special thanks to the two CGNers (you know who you are
) who made this project completion a reality.
Here is what she looked like when I started the restoration:
and, after a few weeks of patience, and parts sourcing from two other CGNers, I was able to bring her back to this:
Some parts were a tight fit to get to work (the hand guard and magazine especially) but it is nothing that a bit of oil and some careful patience can't solve.
Here are some close ups of this lovely lady as she proudly rests as a complete piece once again:
Here, you can see the accuracy mark denoting a rifle marked for accuracy at the factory, I can't wait to get this girl out to the range:
My iphone camera does this girl an injustice so forgive the pictures if they are not super clear.
Special thanks to the two CGNers (you know who you are
) who made this project completion a reality.
Any recommendation for the wood job I have to do on this SHTLE?
I'll sand most of it and I want a dark, as close to original color as possible.
I'm new to this, never done it before, what should I put to match the color?
PS : The front sight protector will be there once it's done, it's just sitting somewhere here.
It's so ugly!!
I'll sand most of it and I want a dark, as close to original color as possible.
I'm new to this, never done it before, what should I put to match the color?
PS : The front sight protector will be there once it's done, it's just sitting somewhere here.
It's so ugly!!
So.. I went from this :
To this :
To this :
Used thinner and sand papers to reach the wood. For light colors, we had to use 120 sand paper grain to make it lighter with the danish oil. Darker colors were sanded with 180, for a lighter brown type of color woods.
The process was all about matching different wood pieces from different areas in the world (Germany, USA, Canada suppliers of wood parts, the main body was from Germany)
So the main thing was color matching here. It worked pretty well, you have different shades of colors, nothing serious here, but it adds something to it.
This was done by a friend I know since 13 years, he's a ebonist since 8 years in a factory that makes private jet plane interiors in Montreal.
What do you guys think?
(Sorry for my french, english is second language here.)
To this :
To this :
Used thinner and sand papers to reach the wood. For light colors, we had to use 120 sand paper grain to make it lighter with the danish oil. Darker colors were sanded with 180, for a lighter brown type of color woods.
The process was all about matching different wood pieces from different areas in the world (Germany, USA, Canada suppliers of wood parts, the main body was from Germany)
So the main thing was color matching here. It worked pretty well, you have different shades of colors, nothing serious here, but it adds something to it.
This was done by a friend I know since 13 years, he's a ebonist since 8 years in a factory that makes private jet plane interiors in Montreal.
What do you guys think?
(Sorry for my french, english is second language here.)
Last edited:
New rescue project...
Just pucked up a BSA III* at a local gun show for $170. So pleased...just starting my research and will then start to try to bring it back to it's former "woody"self.
More pics - http://s2.photobucket.com/user/tzinck/library/1918 III
Happy dance!
Just pucked up a BSA III* at a local gun show for $170. So pleased...just starting my research and will then start to try to bring it back to it's former "woody"self.
More pics - http://s2.photobucket.com/user/tzinck/library/1918 III
Happy dance!
sequoia4100
CGN Regular
- Location
- Western Canada
Ishapore No. 1 MK III
Hello,
All these resto projects have inspired me to share some pics of my latest project. I don't like to say restoration, but "put back to original military configuration" seems appropriate.
I started with a standard sporterized 1939 Ishapore No. 1 MK III. I chose this rifle because I wanted a magazine cut off. The bore is very good and the metal was OK. You can see all the little bags of parts that I accumulated for this project (from Numrich and Liberty Tree mostly). I got the wood from fellow CGNers (that sounds bad). The four pieces of walnut were all slightly different shades.
I did the oven cleaner treatment on the metal than used 0000 steel wool to clean up the pitting, minor rust on the metal. It turned out very clean. I spent some time trying to match colours on the wood. I darkened some pieces with a dark walnut Minwax gel stain. It worked OK but it's hard to stain a 75 year old pieces of hardwood that's been stained / oiled many many times. I only sanded the unisued fore-end. I don't like to sand anything that's original. I finished the wood with a few coats of hand rubbed raw linseed oil. It turned out pretty good except that the forward top wood is a bit darker. I like it though.
In the end the parts cost me way more than the rifle is worth but since I'm going to keep it, its worth it for me.
Greg
Hello,
All these resto projects have inspired me to share some pics of my latest project. I don't like to say restoration, but "put back to original military configuration" seems appropriate.
I started with a standard sporterized 1939 Ishapore No. 1 MK III. I chose this rifle because I wanted a magazine cut off. The bore is very good and the metal was OK. You can see all the little bags of parts that I accumulated for this project (from Numrich and Liberty Tree mostly). I got the wood from fellow CGNers (that sounds bad). The four pieces of walnut were all slightly different shades.
I did the oven cleaner treatment on the metal than used 0000 steel wool to clean up the pitting, minor rust on the metal. It turned out very clean. I spent some time trying to match colours on the wood. I darkened some pieces with a dark walnut Minwax gel stain. It worked OK but it's hard to stain a 75 year old pieces of hardwood that's been stained / oiled many many times. I only sanded the unisued fore-end. I don't like to sand anything that's original. I finished the wood with a few coats of hand rubbed raw linseed oil. It turned out pretty good except that the forward top wood is a bit darker. I like it though.
In the end the parts cost me way more than the rifle is worth but since I'm going to keep it, its worth it for me.
Greg
sgt_hebert
Member
- Location
- Trois-Rivières, Québec
I need help,
To those who've restore no4 mk1, how did you get the rear stock band past the front sight? Do I need to tanke the sight off?
To those who've restore no4 mk1, how did you get the rear stock band past the front sight? Do I need to tanke the sight off?
