L42 To good to be true.

[303 Collector]

Or is it?
I have just been offered this L42. No bracket or scope but it does have an empty transit chest.
I only have these 5 pictures at this time. Its a bit of a journey to go to see it but based on what you can see is it the real deal? Just to make it more appealing its a conversion on a MK1 Savage.
Its number is 2C0520.

Information

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[vintage hunter]

I don't recall ever seeing a front pad ''window'' that large before. They're usually all but invisible with the pad on. Probably ok but let someone with more experience than me be the judge.
Scope number on the wrist is suspicious too, don't believe there were any legit Mk.3/L1A1's with serials that high. It's easy to see that a previous number has been sanded off.

[Peter Laidler]

The serial number should tell you something. CO indicates Charnwood Ordnance. Have you ever heard the phrase '.....straight as a corkscrew?' If something is too good to be true, it usually is!

[303 Collector]

Confused of Sussex.
Peter is 2C0520 a typical Charnwood serial number or is it a early MK1 Savage serial number?
I thought the rifle had a few issues but wanted an expert opinion just in case.

[CharnwoodOrdnance]

Hi Peter glad you are keeping well. Just a little info for you and everyone here that is not a serial number sequence we ever used. We never had a reason to make any L42s we had hundreds of then from all makers BSA Savage etc. I hope this helps with this rifles authenticity or not of course
Cheers

The serial number should tell you something. CO indicates Charnwood Ordnance. Have you ever heard the phrase '.....straight as a corkscrew?' If something is too good to be true, it usually is!

[Peter Laidler]

Hey, that's got me thinking........ I was looking at the (2)CO part instead of the 2C-xxxx part!!!!! Maybe you ought to have put the serial number into the enforcer help section and see what Simon says. Yiou don't say what the 'issues' are. Incidentally, it has got an 00 bolt head. That's not a mistake. It was a relaxation in standards to allow certain barrels to be used during conversion plus a few other things......

[Simon]

I'll check the serial against my data for you later this evening and see if it's listed.

I'd be interested to see some close ups of the side wall and pads and the butt socket by the cocking piece.

Cheers,

Simon.

[CINDERS]

Can the serial for the scope on the wrist 34288 be traced to confirm its existence as further provenience just a thought.....

[Peter Laidler]

No32 telescopes didn't go up that far Cinders. Some of Charnwood Ordnance concoctions had their own serial numbers commencing CO - hence the confusion

[Roger Payne]

Scope production never got up to 30,000. It looks to possess original parts - the body pads look genuine (the front pad looks typically very late), the rear pad has been off & on again, or at least its screws have. The cheekpiece looks to be from a very early converted (4T) rifle (note the extra 'notch' at the bottom front not usually seen on most 'pieces - I've seen a few like this now, & some were made from birch rather than beech). If it is an early H&H conversion of a Savage Mk1 then don't necessarily expect to see the D6E examiner's stamp in the usual place. The serial number is not in my copy of 'the list' but mine might be incomplete. I'd be interested to see what Simon says when he gets a chance to have a look.

More clear photo's of the body pads & the milling of the body for the front pad would be nice, as would the back of the body/bolt guide way area (you never know, someone might have added a bogus D6E!!), & the under side of the body showing the mag well machining to accommodate the 7.62mm magazine, or lack of it.

Hope this helps.