Lithgow SMLE stock finish?

[Eddie1965]

I bought a Lithgow SMLE just before 12/31/13. It was just how I like my surplus, like they've been dragged through 100 fox holes and back. Anyway, the first time I shot it, the coachwood forearm almost fell apart, huge crack just in front of the magazine. So I bought this from Liberty Tree Collectors:




I also pick up this NOS Aussie stock but it is not finished. What type of finish did they use on their stocks? Thanks.

[Father Ted]

BLO, same as the Brits. Looks like you picked up an Indian stock. The other one can't be repaired? Are the draws knackered?

[Eddie1965]

BLO, same as the Brits. Looks like you picked up an Indian stock. The other one can't be repaired? Are the draws knackered?

Nope, at least I don't think so, the area that meets the stock socket can slide out. It even has the recoil pads but it didn't help.

[Enfield47]

That's a bummer that the original split like that. Hopefully the replacement fits without any issues.

Like Father Ted says, BLO is what the stocks were finished with. Since your buttstock is unfinished it will need several coats. How many is your call, but I would do at least 5-6 and be sure to use 0000 wool for the last cople of coats to matte the finish.

While working on my P14 stock I watched a video about refinishing an SMLE stock and the guy used 15 coats. He said he let it dry a day or two between coats so it was a little over a month long process.

[Eddie1965]

Thanks for the advice guys. The original is just about split right down the middle, I don't think it can be repaired. Since I'm going finish the butt stock, I'm going to try to remove the Indian racing stripes on the fore stock and re-finish it as well.. Oh, one more thing, apparently the Indians used a different butt stock bolt so I couldn't get the fore stock on. I ordered the correct bolt already. I guess this comes with the territory of the C&R collector, you learn something new everyday. I'm a stickler for keeping all my rifles the way they came out of the factory but I want to shoot my SMLE and I saw a previous thread about Lithgows and you guys recommended getting a different maker fore stock if you were planning to shoot it often.

[smle-man]

An Australian SMLE shooter told me that all coachwood forearms split eventually, even with the copper recoil pads. the coachwood forearms on the John Jovino bitsers frequently don't have them since they were installed at the organizational armorer level and unissued forearms weren't yet set up.

Best put a walnut or beech forearm on it and forget the coachwood now that is has failed.

[Eddie1965]

What type of wood did Ishapore use?

[Crunch130]

"India Wood." Something that looks like Philippine mahogany, but finishes to a dark redish brown with just a clear finish. Put one of those sets, brand new, got it unfinished, on my SMLE.

Nobody knows what Ishapore wood really is...

Crunch

[glennsche]

i thought the lithgows were coachwood and softer wood than the brit ones?

my lith had these funny copper shock absorbers to compensate for the weak wood, but the stock cracked anyway. i got a replacement from numrich, though this was 2008 or so now.

[Discogodfather]

Are the draws knackered?

Whoa, this is a family forum, let's watch the language.

[Father Ted]

Whoa, this is a family forum, let's watch the language.

Actually the British armourers described warnout draws as "shagged".
Cheers

[MasterChief]

This is a NOS Indian stock set I put on my 1917 Enfield. It required a lot of fitting and shaping. The original stock had disintegrated in the areas around the magazine well, had been sanded to death and was unrepairable.

The Indian wood is very dark. I even tried bleaching to lighten the effect but no joy. This wood was finished with BLO/TO mix, with a few drops of Japan Drier to speed the process.

The OP's stock set can be easily colored to match the individual pieces if so desired.

[Eddie1965]

The fore arm was just a drop in (other than ordering the new bolt for the stock). I'm going to try to start the refinishing this Sunday.

[mj1]

When I was in the Army we used linseed oil and turpentine in a 50/50 mix on the M1. M14 and M79 wood stocks after a good cleaning with mineral spirits and air drying. The first coat was sucked up by the wood and would soak deep. Straight linseed is so thick it just congeals on the surface. All following coats are rubbed in using a cotton sock wrapped around a finger like spit shining a boot then wiped clean. Beware of the rags as they will go self combustion, had it happen a few times. 24 hours between coats.

Good luck