original finish

[ElWoodman]

Inquiring as to the original finish on the stock on a 1943 #4 Mk I. Thank you, in advance.

[Sunray]

Made by who? Brits, Long Branch or Savage? Most of 'em were dipped in raw linseed oil though.

[JB White]

Dipped into a vat of linseed oil and hung in a drying room. Most of us use boiled linseed oil these days but the traditionalists think we're all insane. They might be right...

[bigedp51]

Inquiring as to the original finish on the stock on a 1943 #4 Mk I. Thank you, in advance.

The stocks were dipped in a heated tank of raw linseed oil and then allowed to dry. The "raw" linseed oil penetrated deeply into the wood and kept the wood from shrinking.

Prior to Dunkirk the Enfield rifle was completely dissembled once per year for inspection and the stocks were dipped in a tank of hot raw linseed oil. After Dunkirk the yearly complete disassembling was discontinued. And the rifles were painted under the wood work as corrosion protection and the troops were issued the raw linseed oil for their stocks. The rifles during WWII were repaired as needed and not put through a yearly inspection. (if it ain't broke don't fix it)

[IditarodJoe]

bigedp51 - What is the source of the excerpt posted above?

[JB White]

If it's a direct copy, it's from the British Army Council of Instruction. Hence the ACI number.

[IditarodJoe]

Thanks JB. I continue to be amazed by the variety of source material that has been located and preserved by collectors and scholars. Now I have to wonder what sort of document 57/S.A./654 (S.D. 10) refers to.

[bigedp51]

I have 12 DVDs of material from the old British MOD Pattern Room Library full of weapons manuals and information. I sold off the majority of my milsurp collection and bought new rifles that I could put scopes on. Sadly they do not make braille iron sights for people with chronologically gifted eyesight. I kept a few of my old favorite shooters and bought bigger targets.

Below covers what I said above and the end of the yearly tear down inspections during WWII and also the yearly soaking of the stocks in raw linseed oil. Peter Laidler said they would let the stocks soak overnight in the heated raw linseed oil tank. This soaking in raw linseed oil helped keep the bedding forces stable by preventing the wood from drying out.