L1A1 Marking ID help please

[Kev G]

I am trying to ID a marking on some early one piece SLR firing pins.

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/04/slrfp-1.jpg

The marking is a sort of stylised 'f' that is etched on.

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/04/fmarkfp-1.jpg

Can anyone ID the mark please or give any info ?

Many thanks KG

[Peter Laidler]

I would say without a shadow of doubt that they're from Fazakerley. Being late 50's or early 60's production I think that the two piece firing pin was probably modification 1 or 2.

[Kev G]

Thanks Peter,any idea when Fazakerley went over to using this mark ?

ATB KG

[nzl1a1collector]

Thanks Peter, that's good to have it confirmed as Fazakerley, I have seen other parts with the same stylized etched marking.

[Peter Laidler]

They won't have been using it for long as they quite justifiably had the rug pulled from under them before they got too far with L1A1 production. I seem to recall that the biggest part they got around to producing was trigger mech housings and even then there were thousands rejected that had to be rectified at BSA when they took over from Faz

Incidentally, the Government were so frightened of the consequences of the workers taking over the factory that the Security 'arrangements' at Fazakerley involved an Armed Police there

[nzl1a1collector]

Maybe this etching mark was used on parts in which stamping 'F' was impractical?

[frostie]

I would say without a shadow of doubt that they're from Fazakerley. Being late 50's or early 60's production I think that the two piece firing pin was probably modification 1 or 2.
I think it was Mod Number 4 as this had to be stamped on the inside of the butt plate trap along with mod number 7 This was to save stripping the weapon down just to check the modification had been done.

[enbloc8]

They won't have been using it for long as they quite justifiably had the rug pulled from under them before they got too far with L1A1 production. I seem to recall that the biggest part they got around to producing was trigger mech housings and even then there were thousands rejected that had to be rectified at BSA when they took over from Faz

Incidentally, the Government were so frightened of the consequences of the workers taking over the factory that the Security 'arrangements' at Fazakerley involved an Armed Police there

How interesting...did any Fazakerley-marked TMHs make it into service? An idea I had once was to create a "Fazakerley" L1A1--find as many examples as I could of genuine "F" marked parts, then assemble them on a US-legal semiauto receiver and an unmarked replacement TMH with custom UF markings. Alas, the L1A1 parts supplier I was planning to use--who had engraving services available and probably could have made the requisite markings--took his own life. End of idea.

[Peter Laidler]

Fazakerley marked TMH's......... yes. Many hundreds went over to Australia with a lot of the L1A1 plant and we saw them on early Lithgow built L1A1's. Someone said that similarly, hundreds went to BSA who corrected them and used them to augment their initial production together with the parts that Fazakerley had finally, after a great deal of teeth pulling, cajoling, bribing and threatening, got around to producing. You'll easily identify Fazakerley TMH's used at Lithgow by the barred out UF57 logo and those used at BSA where the F of the UF has been overpunched to read UB.

Strange that early in #5 of this thread there is mention of the Armed security police there. Then lo and behold, later someone turns up trumps with one of their rifles.

The workers at ROF6 Fazakerley wouldn't use new L1A1 machinery......, insisting on only using the old No4 and L2 Sterling machinery to make the new rifle. To use the new machinery they insisted on being paid more AND having their work status upped to more skilled category.... Anyway........

[enbloc8]

Wow...the more I hear about ROF Fazakerley, the more it sounds like a study in industrial stupidity on the order of the US Navy's Newport Torpedo Station, creators of the infamous Mark 14 torpedo.

[tankhunter]

The early one piece firing pins are still VERY usefull in thier original form.

I use 'em all the time as pin punches!........:lol:

[Peter Laidler]

Hey enblock8, your torpedo jockeys were mere amateurs when it came to industrial suicide and anarchy when compared to those maestros at Fazakerley. Believe me....... the stories that filtered down to those who were in the know were the stuiff of legends

[LesterH]

I stored HMS Olympus, an Oberon class submarine. Just before her deployment to the Falkland Islands in 84. Their firarms locker only contained two Sterling SMGs and three Browning High Power pistols. I asked the stupid question, Why do you need all this 7.62mm link? Then to be taken into the small officers mess to see the two GPMGs, stored in some ones bunk! These were their only AA defence. The Sub LT told me they were going to do a shallow water job! The rest was hush hush! Strange thing was the war was over?

[browningautorifle]

I use 'em all the time as pin punches!........

I have several, including one for Minimi and GPMG that I use for that very thing.

[enbloc8]

Hey enblock8, your torpedo jockeys were mere amateurs when it came to industrial suicide and anarchy when compared to those maestros at Fazakerley. Believe me....... the stories that filtered down to those who were in the know were the stuiff of legends

Peter, I'd love to hear all the ugly details...I'd even bring the beer and cigars! :lol:
:beerchug:

"Industrial suicide" is a grim fascination of mine...be it Newport Torpedo Station, General Motors, or ROF Fazakerley.