Removing a Smelly forend

[Texas by God]

I was handed a clean up project SMLE with lots of rust. How does one go about removing the forend or forestock without damage? I have removed all the screws and trigger guard of course. Thanks in advance!
Best, Thomas.

[2152hq]

If you have all the screws & hardware off,,,,front and rear handguards, nosecap, handguard band, trigger guard & screw(s) and the inner bbl band screw.,,and the forend will not easily pull down and away, then it's probably stuck in position from dried grease.oil,ect and needs a little help moving.
**Do not attempt to pull the forend away from the bbl at the muzzle end and lever it off,,it needs to be pulled straight down as a unit parallel with the bbl.

Best way is to take a piece of soft wood and lay it along the top edge of the forend at the rec'vr and give it a couple of gentle taps,,both sides. Then a couple along side the bbl channel.This straight down push will assist in moving the wood away from the metal and break the grip betw the metal and wood from oil, grease and rust.The wood may have shrunk a bit over time also.
Once it starts to move, continue to pull the forend straight down and off the bbled action.

Always remove the SMLE forend first before turning the butt stock attachment screw and attempting to remove the butt stock.
The front end of the stock attachment screw is filed to a square shape and fits into the back end of the forend to keep it from turning.
Removing/turning the screw with the forend still in place can split the forend or in the very least crack it or damage the square socket seat intended to secure it in the forend.

When you do go to remove the butt stock, there may be a leather washer down in there on top of the butt stock screw head. That was to buffer the oiler and pull-thru cleaner from rattleing.
MAny are missing now on the old rifles and you only need to drop a large bladed driver in there to turn the bolt out (standard RH)
If you run into the stubborn washer down in there, take a stout wire (coat hanger works well),,straighten it out and bend one end to a L shaped hook. The leg of the hook needs only be 3/16" long and the L bend internal angle a bit more than 90*.
There's a small hole in the middle of those leather washers and what you're trying to do with the wire is snag the hook into the hole in the middle of it down in there and then pull it back up and out.
It usually takes a couple trys and an adj or 2 of the super secret special removal tool, but they come out pretty easily.
The stock bolt will back out but stay captured within the stock when the stock is removed from the rifle.

Clean the old girl up and put 'her back in service. They are great rifles.

[Texas by God]

This is exactly why I posted here. Thank you very much!

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[Texas by God]

It came off undamaged. Thank you for the advice!

[joatmon]

When I read the post name I thought "Wonder what made it Smell"
Aaron

[Texas by God]

Its Limeyness?
Apologies to our UK members!
Now I'm going to build a pvc bathtub to soak the rust-frozen barreled action in diesel for a week. We will see how this goes.

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[Texas by God]

The good-the bore looks great and the one brass I've fired looks better than any .303 fired case I've seen.
The bad- the pitting on the top of the front receiver ring and the rear sight is very ugly. I've ordered a magazine to replace the missing one. So; looks like I'll keep it, paint it & shoot it! It is a BSA 1916 Shtle and the stock is bubba'd but solid.

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[Red Elk]

TbyG,
Post pictures...!!!
I love to see these wonderful rifles rebuilt and shooting again. They are really great rifles, and can do wonders with some TLC.
Please keep us updated.
re

[Texas by God]

Sad that it came to this. It would have been a good basis for a rebuild. I wish I had some before pics. I think it was rested on wet carpet on the topside.
But I've only got 85 dollars in it and it seems perfect inside. I may shoot it tomorrow with j words. It definitely needs a new rear sight don't you think?
Best,Thomas.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170903/286c179b52f08218525f8b45f61101ab.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170903/e5bae9e9700242b3d71f2310ac40a0d0.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170903/7d9167a3f26521170e13c8ed20e753b8.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170903/f99db4ebb1a0372d9d3e5f9e71d88d48.jpg

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[Texas by God]

I'm told the barrel slug measurement isn't relevant but it is information and I'm happy it is .312"-quite happy.

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[leebuilder]

Seen much worse and they worked good enough. The rear sight looks like it has a good rust blue on it. I may shoot fine, as it was sighted in at some point during its life.
Be well

[Texas by God]

I hope it's sighted in because that sucker ain't moving. Tomorrow at sunrise I shoot.

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[Texas by God]

I fired 3 shots at 40 yds into 1-7/8" with two stacked. Best part is one shot hit the 1" targ dot! This was Sierra 180 sp over IMR 4895 @ 2000 FPS.

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[Texas by God]

Leebuilder- will a SMLE windage adjustable sight leaf fit my sight base? I want to put one on it if they interchange.

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[leebuilder]

I never changed the leaf the screws are usually seized or peened over. Some of the ajustable ones are pinned solid to. I get them with the slide bar and replace them that way. Windage can also be adjusted at the front sight.
Be well

[Texas by God]

The site I bought the magazine from has regular(like mine) and windage adjustable type slides. I like to have a centered front sight if possible. I will order & try the windage adj type. Thank you!

[Texas by God]

BRP had the parts and they're on their way. Nice guys.

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[Texas by God]

I got the sight and a friend installed it while I lent a 3rd hand. This is going to be much better!

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[leebuilder]

I use a crab clamp and punch. Just because it looks easy dosen't mean that it is.
be well

[Texas by God]

Ten four. It was a butt whoopn' there for a bit but we managed.