How many gas trap rifles are there in this photo ?

[RCS]

All the rifles in this old 2014 photo are Springfield and all have solid butt plates.

The "quiz" how many gas trap rifles are there in this photo ?

[Pederson]

I sense a trick question here but I’m gonna say three (3)

[jak]

I say 4. The 2 on the chair with the gas trap cylinders and the 2 standing on the left with the angle cut op rods.

[kevin h]

I'm going to go with Brad on this one and say 3 as well.

[m14brian]

I'm gonna say 3 as well. What do we win?
m14brian

[RCS]

There are "three gas trap rifles" in the photo, all rifles are pre 1941. All the stocks are early with the solid butt plate, but there is one stock that is Winchester. It is in the front row standing on the far right with a sort of red color. It is kind of rare to find because it has the Winchester proof circle P with serif and another second firing proof stamp with a non serif P in circle. while the stock still has the original unmodified no trap configuration - I have never seen a Winchester no trap stock with two firing proofs except this one. My photos show details of this Winchester stock.

[Arnhem44mad]

I was going to guess 4 so would have been wrong but they are beautiful!

Scott

[CCyooper]

When did they start enlarging the lower screw hole?

[RCS]

It appears to me and the stocks that I have seen, Winchester started using the larger bottom screw hole with the factory production trap door butt plate on the WRA WB stocks. photo shows original no trap, modified stock and later Winchester large bottom hole on factory trap door butt plate - all stocks are WRA WB

[Bubba1]

I believe Springfield started enlarging the bottom hole in 1941 but am unsure if it was Spring or Summer.

[RCS]

I found data on two Lend Lease rifles with SA GHS long channel stocks, serial numbers: 380xxx and 391xxx both have the smaller diameter bottom screw hole in the stock. I am sure you could expect overlap with the small hole to large screw hole. Most data sheets will not have this information

[CCyooper]

Thank you for the information. Regards

[RCS]

I did find a short channel SA GHS (readable cartouche) stock, stamped 36 in the channel with the small bottom long screw hole. It is on a spring 1942 rifle. This had to be an overlap period concerning the size of the bottom screw hole. Most rebuilt SA GHS stocks have the large bottom hole too - but not all