Numrich SMLE stock help

0 Kudo

Forum Jump

Author	Comment
thunderfromheaven	Numrich SMLE stock help	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1 (07/03/08 06:13 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Tags : None I have fitted one of the Numrich stripped "original issue" stock sets to a previously sporterised 1916 sporterised SMLE III*. The stock set fore wood has the metal re-enforcing strip just infront of the wrist band that the Stratton book says is post WW2 and I believe is usually found on later number 4 rifles and seems to be on all the sets listed on ebay Are these stocks re worked number 4 woodwork as the fit around the wrist is dreadful giving about 1/8 " step between the wood and the wrist on the stock and fore wood where as the sporterised stock had no step. It can be sanded but could not have possibly have ever been fitted to a Mk3 before. There are also DP stamps in places I need to get a butt plate for it but do I need a mk 3 or number 4 plate? The stock seems alot wider than the Indian blond coloured stock it had before. Any help would be good.
Bear43		#1	[-]
Posts: 573 (07/03/08 10:51 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Those are off of No 1 Mk III Indian drill rifles. Anytime you replace a fore stock you have to do some tweaking to make it fit that particular action, and I've experienced the ill fit at the wrist like you mention. You can shim it up the fore stock and it will be fine. Also, if you are running into the problem of the butt stock bolt hitting that strap because of the design difference from the original, then you will either need a different bolt or use washers to keep it off the strap. If that's confusing let me know and I can do up some pictures to show what I mean. For the buttplate, you will need one for a Mk III. Yes, a lot of the Indian butt stocks are wider, and a couple I have used took a tremendous amount of sanding to get them down to a proper profile, but those were also brand new stock sets.
thunderfromheaven		#2	[-]
Posts: 2 (07/03/08 02:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	It was a suprise to learn the stock sets are Indian. I will have to get a large box of sand paper to get into enought wood off the stock. The step was that bad that the bolt could not be fitted because it hit the woodwork before it was fully home, that was after the recess for the safety had been re profiled to get enough range of travel to get the bolt in at all. Doubt it would shoot to good at the moment. Might put it on hold until the NZ summer, sounds like a sunny day garden job, will go and finish off my Long Tom restoration instead. Thanks, Mike
MasterChief		#3	[-]
Posts: 958 (07/03/08 08:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	This stock set from Numrich was unissued Indian and required much inletting and trimming, including the finickey fitting of the draws inside the forestock. I am not sure if some or all of your stock set might be this unissued DP wood but if so then that would explain the poor fit. The good news is that with a little patient whittling you can get a fair if not outstanding fit. Best wishes. Dave
thunderfromheaven		#4	[-]
Posts: 3 (07/04/08 04:29 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	The first set they sent me had no spring clip on the rear guard and no metal plate on the upper fore wood. It was also a mix of walnut and lighter hard woods. They sent a replacement fore wood and rear cover so have a full set of similar colour. Now the lighter stuff will go on my Lithgow 42 which means twice as much sanding. Can I get a spring clip and front plate/ screws any where to actually use the upper pieces I have? I took the stock into the base armoury yesterday and it is definately a Number 4 they have sold me, it is over all about 1/2" wider than the SMLE one, It will no doubt sand down though. I might cheat and just do the neck and fit a number 4 butt plate. The pain of it all is it costs about $50 postage each order to send stuff to NZ so it is not a cheap option to desporterize stuff.
Gary D Macabre		#5	[-]
Posts: 1 (07/12/08 12:12 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	Your story is identical to mine in EVERY detail of your order. I phoned and complained and they were gracious in trying to make things right. I'm still waiting to get the replacement order (I shipped back the original wood at their expense) and see what it is, however I expect it will still be Indian post war wood, but it should be all walnut and with the handguard clip as advertised this time. Renatte (Ren-nah-tah) who is in charge if international orders was very helpful and hand selected an employee to hand select my replacement order. There is also no time limit on international returns (I'm in Canada). If nothing else call and voice your dissatisfaction, you might get the upper guard clip you paid for and hopefully it might help to encourage them to correct their item description to better illustrate the parts and help others like us in the future who restore these pieces of history. Gary D
TikiRocker		#6	[-]
Posts: 275 (07/14/08 02:15 AM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts Report Post	A few such reports are popping up about Numrich in recent times ... I'll be staying away in future. I've heard for some it's like pulling teeth trying to get small parts shipped from Numrich ... and having to repeat orders etc - they might like to lift their game.