I completed two newish semi-projects since New Years': a new military stock from Numrich for my P-14 (mentioned in earlier posts) ...
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and a faux re-militarizing of my Lee Enfield No.4 Mk.I sporter into a kinda-sorta No.5
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The P-14 stock was basically a drop-in finished product, so no real story there. When I bought this rifle, it came with a real beater of mismatched DP stock.
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Here's how the No. 4 rifle looked when I bought it:
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Note the cut back barrel, without bayonet lugs. If I went with an expensive repro military No.4 stock, the barrel would still have had the wrong look at the muzzle.
Numrich used to offer a No.4-to-faux-No.5 kit. Evidently they've sold out of their modified handguards and forends, so I just bought the muzzle fitting and buttstock from Numrich, along with a pair of their cheap 'sporter' wood forends made from cut-down No.4 stocks. I bought two of sporter forends to have a better shot at getting one the right color and condition -- that was a good decision, as the second example was something of a beater.
Liberty Tree had repo No.4 handguards in stock that I could suitably modify, along with the necessary rear handguard ring; APEX provided the No.5 stock band and sling swivel. I still have a repro No.4 milled rear sight in the mail from Numrich, along with a canvas sling. There was a fair bit of work attaching the muzzle device, fitting the buttstock, thinning the forend and handguard and cutting the groove for the swivel band. I refinished all the wood once I had the stock parts fitted together.
I'm happy with the look and handling of the jungled facelift, even though the forend is more than an inch shorter than a McCoy No.5. It will pass the 3-foot test if you aren't a No.5 expert, but shouldn't fool anyone into paying a genuine No.5 price when my estate eventually comes up for sale. Anyway, the receiver is clearly stamped No.4 Mk.I.