British Thompson Wood

[deerslayer]

Finally made a guy a full set of wood with enfield slings on the side of the vertical grip (left) and top of the butt stock as per the British way of doing things. I LIKE IT. Gun carries nicely balanced and feels like it would shoot from the hip just about right. I had a Kerr sling that I put on it, and its too short, so it is not properly installed, I think a different sling would be better. A NOBUCKL one might be OK in its long configuration, though the British probably had their own sling that worked good.

 

Trying to raise the gun to the normal shoulder firing position without taking the sling off over my head just didn't quite work. It was close, a little more length and it would have worked, but then it might have carried too low.

 

With the sling hanging loose, the rear swivel was not in the way of my cheek as I sighted down the barrel (close though).

 

With the front sling swivel pushed forward it was not uncomfortable to hold the front grip, though it was obviously in the way of the index finger to some degree. Some pictures have the sling on the right side of the stock but that would leave the sling hanging over the top of the barrel (which I guess would not be a problem if firing it from the hip, but would of course be distracting if trying to look down the sights. I had a customers original front grip in hand once that had it on the left side, so I went with the left too.

 

I didn't actually shoot the gun and probably won't before I send out the wood, but I think I'll make myself a set in the future.

 

Anybody have their gun set up this way? Be interesting to hear if you like shooting it in that configuration.

Dan

 

http://images.andale.com/f2/126/125/4386526/1138927494764_brit6.jpg

http://images.andale.com/f2/126/125/4386526/1139758412397_brit5.jpg

http://images.andale.com/f2/126/125/4386526/1140071574858_brit4.jpg

http://images.andale.com/f2/126/125/4386526/1137910967812_brit3.jpg

 

[45fan]

Beautiful wood! Very nice! It is walnut, I assume? How much would a full set like cost? You can email me through the board link if you prefer.

 

Incidentally, my Brit '28A1 has the front swivel on the left as well.

 

Sam

[deerslayer]

Got the butt stock swivel on the top also? Shot it in the slung position? Did you get it with a sling? So many questions....

 

Email sent also, thanks

Dan

[TSMGguy]

Looks good, Dan!

The British would have issued a standard khaki P-37 web rifle sling for use with this setup. The later P-44 sling was identical, but more of an OD color. I think you'll find that these can be adjusted to a far longer length than an attached M1917 (Kerr) sling. Kerr slings were not provided to the British under Lend-Lease and Sten slings had not yet come along.

The finishing touch to your butt stock would be to inlet for the swivel in the normal place, and then neatly fill it in with some sort of wildly mismatching wood like Australian coachwood or European beech. This is how British armourers did it in the field.

[Mk VII]

more often you see the swivel on the right-hand side - when you find out that it interferes with your hand on the left you can see why!

However here is one taken on the 20th August 1942 at Newhaven after the return from Dieppe.

 

http://www.fototime.com/F6A36DE9854FDBC/orig.jpg