beech, ash, walnut, maple, mahogany, all hard woods except lignum vitie. the ones made in liverpool were almost all teak woodwork for some reason.
Thanks for the reply Scaly, from what I've seen the Ash looks preferable, it's lighter than the Beech and has a tighter grain as you know. When my chippy mate gets back from holiday, we're going to tackle the build from a different angle. We're going to start with the Bar 10 internals and build the stock around that. From what I've seen most people have trouble getting airsoft internals into a real stock, what we're going to attemp is to build a replica stock around the internals. Although the real stocks have a seporate front and rear section, I dont see why this cant be just one piece of wood. We can fabricate a steel band to go from one side of the trigger guard to the other but it only needs to be a dummy.
Well thats the plan at least. The chippy is away for a couple of weeks so we wont be attempting anything yet, in the mean time I'll borrow a bar10 so we will have something to take measurements from.
Although the real stocks have a seporate front and rear section, I dont see why this cant be just one piece of wood. We can fabricate a steel band to go from one side of the trigger guard to the other but it only needs to be a dummy.
IMO, that is the single hardest part of a Lee-Enfield build.
If you can make 1-piece lower wood that's compatible with genuine fittings, make drawings and patterns - You'll likely find customers...
There's no reason why a one piece lower and upper stock cant be cut out of the same piece of timber, that way all the grain will match. If we start with one chunk of square timber, and mill out the internal cuts whilst it's still aquare, I think we should be able to make it fit the bar10 /vsr internals and externally fit real enfield parts. On ebay I can buy a buttplate & trigger guard for appx £40 and as we'll be making the gun around the internals we should be able to get trigger placement right. I'll probably get the muzzle and front sight made up by the same guy who built my MG42, after that he'll be happy just making a front end for a No 4 
There's a fair few parts on ebay Chef, trigger guards appx £18 butt plate £22 etc, that's where I was going to go for parts.
Wood set with butt plate on ebay now:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0336309016
ZB, that sounds like a plan.
That £18 trigger guard is a MK2. While not accurate for WW2-dated rifles, the fact that the trigger is mounted on the receiver in that version might make it better for VSR-based conversions. I'm not sure you can tell the difference when it's assembled anyway. 
http://www.e-gunparts.com have everything.
What's the secret search parameter to find "everything".
http://www.e-gunparts.com have everything.
What's the secret search parameter to find "everything".
Follow the instructions 'Find gun parts HERE' and eventually you arrive at this page http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=231
mmm... well my SMLE full wood set just turned up from e-gunparts. The only place I could find one. Cost... just shy of £95 after customs...
So now it's full speed ahead on the project.
I also got some mild steel tube for the barrel from B&Q. Two diameters, one 14mm one 12mm. They fit inside each other nicely and the 14mm outer diameter is perfect for the nose piece. The 10mm inner is perfect for the inner barrel to fit in.
The next problem I want to solve is the joining of the stock... I've read the suggestion on here, but some pics would be most appreciated!
The next problem I want to solve is the joining of the stock... I've read the suggestion on here, but some pics would be most appreciated!
My plan is to make a collar and receiver from aluminium, then join them with this: http://www.easyweld.com/ (or mild steel and weld if the aluminium doesn't work) Then hold it together with the trigger guard - as in the real steel.
i will try and pop over sometime yith, have a look with a joiners eye.
cool ta...
It's looking quite good and considering the amount I bled, it's remarkably got no blood on it!
thats commitment to the job, well done 
I bought Jays unfinished No.4 and the stock is joined by lovely piece of milled aluminium which bolts together very like the real thing ,it might be worth giving him a call to see if he has a pattern you could copy .
