MkI Butt with ID disc... when in production?

[wallyg]

Greetings:

One of my MkI parts kits came with a butt stock now containing a Brass ID disc... I put a blank SMLE one in the round recess... I have only seen one picture of these and it was about 1940... When were these phased out of production... or was this a featured possibly added later when in service?

Would love to learn more...

Thanks for any info.

Gery

[Kev]

Here you go



Thanks to Tom and his trusty scanner ;D

[wallyg]

Thanks! That was a FAST and precise answer...

Best regards,

Gery

[Balder]

Gentlemen,

I'm not sure if I understand this correctly, was it only the disc on the rifles that was phased out or did it include the BREN as well? My 1942 Enfield-made Mk I has the brass disc, but I am not certain if it has the original stock.

Regards,

Balder

[Kev]

Hi Balder,nice Bren.Saw it on Gunboards the other day

The text refered to all weapons including Brens but there would have been some time lag while existing stocks of butts with pre machined disc inlets would have been used up.

The butt on your Bren looks to be Australian ? Has your Bren been FTR'd in Australia in the 50's ?

[Balder]

kev said:

The butt on your Bren looks to be Australian ? Has your Bren been FTR'd in Australia in the 50's ?

Kev,

A very good observation, what differences are there between British and Australian stocks?

[Kev]

British butts were walnut,latter on reverting to beech or alternatives.These are usually (apart from very early examples) fitted with anti-crack spliices inlet into the wrist of the butt.Australian butts made of coachwood don't seem to have suffered cracking so no splices are usually found on them apart from armourers repairs.

The FTR'd Brens from Australia are in very good condition,yours looks to be a good example

[Kev]

Butt anti-crack splices (thats what I call them anyway !)

[Balder]

Kev,

Thanks for the information, interesting. Another good example of the usefulness of the Internet. I'm including two pictures of what I guess must be "splices" found about an inch from the front end of the buttstock. Some metal parts on the stock are marked MA, but according to The Splice Theory the wood is British?
Anyway, thanks! Sorry about the picture quality, the best I could do right now.

Balder





Edit: Just noted your response, seems to be the same principle.

[tom]

Hi Kev
could you please put up LoC B2853 as it gives some details about the Disk and DD(E)SK 0406 which covers the splices, which they refer to as "walnut wood slips"

ATB

Tom

PS whos for the beer tent near the diplays field at midday on Saturday at Beltring?

[NZ L1A1 Collector]

Butt ID disks were used by the New Zealand Air Force up until the 80's, this L1A1 rifle is fitted with one.




The reinforcements on the Bren Butts are known as "SLIP PATCHES"

[Kev]

SLIPS,SLIPS,SLIPS ! Thanks for the reminder.

Kevin are the NZ SLR butt discs ever stamped with a rack number or any info ?
I have never seen an Aussie butt disc on a Bren with anything more than the odd 7 pointed Lithgow star.

[Kev]

Tom.LoC and DD(E) relating to slips and butt discs -

Drawing below DD(E) SK 0406 is dated 30/9/40







See you there Tom

[woodsy]

My original condition 1941 Lithgow SMLE and 1944 Lithgow Bren do not have discs. It would appear that the Aussies dropped them when the LOC came out. I bought 1,000 L1A1's off the NZ Gov't Stores Board in 1988. Only a small number had discs (Air Force) and they were marked according to the station of issue and had rack numbers. Several other rifles had rack numbers painted on the underside of the butt in red (Navy?). All of the Army ones had the carry handles removed and a black neoprene filler washer fitted in place. The Air Force and Navy rifles were generally much tidier and still had the carry handles. The only one I have left is in my collection and is a 1959 rifle in original condition with the Army number N^Z 43. Apparently only the first 1,000 rifles received from Lithgow were so stamped. Have a pint for me at Beltring!