Mk1 rifle rests

[Ben]

I thought early ones were wood!

Nigel's book (not to hand) shows a very early British MK1 on the first MK 1 page and i'm sure the rails are wood. Eddy's Canadian carrier has the small pressed trays and rubber rails from memory. Perhaps it's a British/Canadian thing?

Ben

[Lynn Eades]

No Ben, its not a Brit / Canadian thing The British rubber rests are a higher profile than the Canadian ones. I'm not saying wood was not used. It may have been a rubber shortage thing. The steel tube on the MkII was an obvious answer.
For someone doing a restoration, I would suggest the wood as a good option. easy to do, durable and looks the part. A bit of polished Jarrah would be great!
I have posted on the differences, but can do photos if someone wants them.

Rich, I do have a used rubber step insert. Until you just mentioned it, I never knew anything about a "checker plate" (grip tread) metal step insert.
We are all learners.

[rob love]

The rubber rear steps from the early mk1 Cdn carriers were replaced in production with steel checkerplate. The rubber firing rests were also replaced in production with wooden examples. The rubber straps which were used on the various brackets to hold in stores were replaced with canvas straps. Even the rubber tube from the air cleaner to the carb was replaced with a combination of short rubber tubes and a length of steel tubing. All would have been to reduce the amount of rubber required. I seem to recall even the track return wheels having reduced amounts of rubber on them over the production years.

I have seen the wooden firing rests fully marked with the FMco makers mark, the date and the CTL part numbers. They were a factory item.

[RichardT10829]

Rob thats great news then....wooden rests it is then.

[Lynn Eades]

Thanks for that. 2 questions.
1. What was the wood? (because of course it would never had been Jarrah)
2 What was the finish on the wood? (paint,oiled etc)

[Ben]

I'd really like to see an original wooden rest if anyone has one. They must be one of the first parts to rot away if the carrier has been left outside.

Ben

[rob love]

Originally Posted by Lynn Eades

Thanks for that. 2 questions.
1. What was the wood? (because of course it would never had been Jarrah)
2 What was the finish on the wood? (paint,oiled etc)

The wood was painted flat green. I am wood type illiterate. I have no idea what the wood was. I have always used oak to replace it. If I recall, Brian Asbury had some NOS wood pieces, complete with part numbers.

[shaun]

it could be cedar wood as in "you take the paint off you SEE DA wood" - Joke !