Well, I just had to get off my butt and go down to the basement for a refresher. Only date is 6/16 other than the 1916 under the kangaroo crest. Another early (1917) Lithgow stock on hand seems to have a FTR date (or something similar) near the toe of the stock. Nothing evident in the same area or anywhere else that I can see. If none of these were installed during the war, my best guess would have to be it was done when it was regulated for the Mark VII ammunition (HV stamp on barrel and butt) probably in the twenties. Unless the replacement barrel was installed earlier? Hard to say. I was a happy boy when I patched the grease out of the barrel and found it to be darn near unfired though. Wish I knew exactly how the rifle ended up this way.
SMLE copper recoil plates
- Thread starter the11
- Start date
Well, I just had to get off my butt and go down to the basement for a refresher. Only date is 6/16 other than the 1916 under the kangaroo crest. Another early (1917) Lithgow stock on hand seems to have a FTR date (or something similar) near the toe of the stock. Nothing evident in the same area or anywhere else that I can see. If none of these were installed during the war, my best guess would have to be it was done when it was regulated for the Mark VII ammunition (HV stamp on barrel and butt) probably in the twenties. Unless the replacement barrel was installed earlier? Hard to say. I was a happy boy when I patched the grease out of the barrel and found it to be darn near unfired though. Wish I knew exactly how the rifle ended up this way.
What meant to say earlier is as far as I am aware, lithgow was not installing recoil plates until late 30's. Not entirely sure and happy to be corrected if that's wrong.
The thing is, I've had a number of very early First World War lithgows that have had the plates installed sometime in the rifles service life, with no date on the butt to indicate when this could have been done. In some cases there appears to be not one modification or replaced part evident, only the plates, so it appears in many cases, the mod was done without record on the rifle. My feeling is very early WW2.
The thing is, I've had a number of very early First World War lithgows that have had the plates installed sometime in the rifles service life, with no date on the butt to indicate when this could have been done. In some cases there appears to be not one modification or replaced part evident, only the plates, so it appears in many cases, the mod was done without record on the rifle. My feeling is very early WW2.
Hmm, I was under the impression that it was an early modification simply by the presence of them on this particular rifle which seems to have remained relatively untouched over the years. I have sportered fore ends off a couple other WWI era Lithgows but they appear to have been later replacements by the lack of provisions for volley sights. Did some googling and whatnot, but can't find anybody putting dates to the installation of the plates.
I've had all years of early 20's production with forends without plates. Then roughly from 1926 to 1929 stocks had walnut inserts. From 1930 to 1934 no production and 1935/36 steel rods from the keeper plate. Late 30's production is a bit of a black hole with so few rifles being made and therefore so few intact remain to examine. Most of my 30's dated actions with original forends were assembled in 1939/40 and they have the plates, so my guess is late 30's. I wouldn't make a hardened judgement from your rifle. In most cases where an Australian service SMLE retained volley sight forend, which was not many on proportion to the numbers made, the volley sights were removed by simply grinding the pointer off the dial plate and again this could have been done anytime between manufacture and sale from service if it was in fact sold and not acquired by other means. Of course there are exceptions and these are the rare birds.
My 1917 Lithgow has its original 1917 forend & no recoil blocks installed, so i would say your 1916 did not have them originally.
