Where to find No4 Mk1 stocks

Tugnum

Member
Rating - 100%
29   0   1
Location
Fraser Valley
I recently grabbed a No4 Mk1 from a co-worker for a case of beer :D The only problem it was sporterized back in the 70's.

I have been searching the net looking for stocks. I noticed Marstar and Trade Ex have some parts, and Numrich has most items but additional costs for 'export'.

So where do most people find full stocks for restorations?

Also what parts do I need (going off the Numrich schematic)?

35, 36, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 - is that all of them?
 
That's most of the parts you need but you won't find the screws or sling swivels at Numrich. Sarco sometimes has the stuff but they are not at all reliable and don't always answer emails
Try Reich Outfitters in the US. He sells a lot of stock sets
 
Screws on the Number 4 are BA thread (British Association). They are a fine 47-1/2-degree thread on a metric standard.

A GOOD machinists' supply should have them, or, at least, the taps and dies. The threads still are used by serious modelmakers as well as by us gun-cranks.

Screws on the old Number 1 (SMLE) are Enfield standard, which was a completely different standard generally based on a 55-degree round-topped/bottomed V thread although others were used. It was the world's FIRST (1858) standardised and fully-interchangeable thread system, so don't knock it. Whitworth designed his famous 55-degree rounded fine threads (BSF) and coarse threads (BSW) AFTER he straightened out the problems at Enfield. BA came MUCH later and is not a Whitworth design.

The CHANGE from the EFD threads to the BA threads was what occasioned the change in NAMES from Number 1 Mark VI to Number 4 Mark 1, just so everyone knew that NO screwed parts interchanged. The Test Number 1 Mark VI rifles used the old system, the Trials Number 4s (1931) used BA threads....... as did all of their several million offspring.

The actual change was made because there only ever were half a dozen complete sets of gauges made for the SMLE rifle and these were spread from India to Australia. OTOH, every machine-shop and most of the metalworking shops in England already had taps, dies and in-stock screws for the BA threads. BA became the new standard in part because of the EASE of decentralising production; they were looking ahead.

Worked, too.
.
.
 
You can check out www.britishfasteners.com, an outfit in the US which deals in Brit spec fasteners, tools, and taps and dies. These are in demand by those who own and restore older Brit cars and motorbikes. I've ordered a couple of dies and taps from them for use in repairing/rebuilding Lee enfields.
 
I'm lucky; ended up with about half of an Armourer's field kit, including a set of BA taps and dies which appears mysteriously to have developed legs and walked out of Long Branch, many years ago.

Guess I'm set for those for the next week or so, anyway!
.
.
 
Back
Top Bottom