Ross Rifle Restorations

A few Reproductions Ross Bayonet Scabbards made up.

Nice to display your bayonet that is missing its original scabbard. Leave in the sun and will get a nice tan!

Magazine lee Metford MK I fore-end.

New Zealand butt and fore-end. Lost my pattern for the hand-guard so need to make another one! Getting a donor hopefully on Thursday!

Trade pattern carbine set. No hand-guard for that set.

Lee Enfield Carbine hand guard.

Order is heading out to New Zealand shortly. Two different customers.

Just got in a new shipment of machined steel bands! Yeah!

Lee Enfield Carbine mid bands and nose bands.

Magazine Lee Enfield bayonet bands.

Ross M1910 bayonet bands and mid bands.

Now to catch up on back orders.

Product comparison.

Smle CNC vs original product vs Ross Rifle reproduction.

Finally got my hands on a CNC SMLE stock set.

First of all. I DO NOT work on other stocks except for mine. A customer brought it in for me to look at.

Starting with the forend.
I measured at the widest part on the belly two inches from the edge of the stock on trigger guard side for each stock I measured.

2 inches BSA original
1.98 inches lithgow original
1.88 inches CNC reproduction
2.06 inches Ross reproduction prior to sanding.

No images as i do not use a digital calliper. You have to take my word on that.

CNC is 0.10 inches less and that is prior to any sanding compared to original stock.

Other noticeable differences. All the original wood plus my reproduction has a nice curvature. While the CNC has noticeable flat sides. See images.

Around the trigger guard originals and ross repro again has a nice curvature. CNC is flat. A curvature could be placed, however there is no extra wood as the guard is flush with the stock. So care must be taken. See images.

Barrel channel.
Just prior to the barrel mid collar there should be an upset in the wood. Originals and my repro has it. CNC does not. This is there for barrel whipping. To help reduce it! See images. Look up lee enfield accurizing book. I’ll find a link and post it later.

Midband area.
Originals and again my reproduction has more of a curvature. CNC is there very slight but it should have more meat. As it stands even light finishing with 220 sandpaper the band may protrude out further. I did not do much fitting of the mid band. Some more material can be taken down in the channel, but not much. See image.

Handguard (long).
CNC does not have the distinct hump in it. Where the mid barrel collar rides. Compared to original and my reproduction. See images.

Rear hand guard seems ok. Some fitting is needed which i did not do.

Butt Stock
CNC has distinct flat sides. Originals do not. No extra wood to sand a curvature in it. Socket fits nice. There is extra meat to sand it down. Only thing that has extra meat on this set. Back end (Butt plate) is neatly done. However again no extra meat for final sanding.

I reproduce stock using old school pantograph. Using original stocks as a pattern. Not mass production by no means. SMLE is NOT an easy stock to make and have a rifle shoot decent.

I cannot compare the cnc draws as the customer did some work on them. When my forestock is put on it imbeds the draws into the wood.

There you have it.

It was a pleasure helping Rob at BLM with his Lewis presentation. Here is his video just in case those who do not follow him.

https://youtu.be/IoO4ZaipEns?si=OHhd9s-HsmeZ8H1B

Ross M1905 MKII three star carved.

Now to fit action, hand-guards, bands etc.

Another sporterized ross coming soon in proper form and dress. Will post once she is all finished.😎.

The SMLE turned out nice. 😊

Customer wanted to use the original rear hand-guard and butt stock.

Had to remove the clear coat from the butt. She was slicked up like an 80’s p**n star! 😝

Used acetone and a rag. It did not remove the deep stains. Just the clear coat. Reapplied linseed oil.