Yesterday's Weapons Forums

Well the friend with the 1915 Enfield just said I can have it as soon as we work out a trade, or figure out its cash value. I think cash would be best since I don't really have anything I want to part with, and I figure he could use the money.

Looks like my winter project is on.

congrats - that will be a good one for sure , keep us up-to-date with photos

After looking up the EFD Walnut No.1 MkIII fore ends which are cut for the magazine cutoff the price doesn't seem so high afterall.
These are modern made of American Walnut to original specs, so while not original issue they would be equivalent to the American produced replacement stocks of the era.
Better to have no serial number on the wood than a non matching number.

What I'll probably do is get one of these fore ends for the rifle first.
The Buttstock thats on it is a very nice one, the wood is striking and as yet no one has any idea what species it might be.
I have a Ishy front handguard with intact legs thats still usable, I can replace that later when a Walnut handguard recomes available, the rear handguard is still on the barrel and probably original to the gun.

If a proper original of the era stock set becomes available the EFD fore end and other non standard wood will go towards a Target rifle project I may start later on using an action from a non restorable rifle and a custom made heavy barrel.
I've seen civilian target rifle Enfield No.1 buttstocks of the era without the unit disk hole, so the stock should suit a 20's style target rifle build up perfectly.

PS
Just found a original Walnut front handguard in my junk pile, don't remember where it came from,its got a very light DP mark on it but looks to be in great shape.
Theres no inlaid repairs like on the Ishy guard so after a clean up it can be matched to the new fore end and existing buttstock pretty nicely.
The DP mark looks so faint it may no be visible after the clean up process.

Theres a crossways copper pin reinforcement at the front of the rear sight cut out, I hadn't noticed this on others but it looks like its original to the guard and not a repair.