L1A1 Single Shot "UK" spec?? Any ideas?

[David TS]

David,

I got my wood from the USA and it looks sweet, I am however looking for a carry handle , Can you help

Steve

Steve

If you got your wood from the USA and it is repro, I hope you got the stuff that allegedly fits, rather than the stuff that allegedly doesn't

Wood carry handle is a bit rocking horse sh1t.....

The only ones i have seen are costly.....

SAF Lithgow - Product Detail - Carry handle British (wood)

[Peter Laidler]

Carrying handle......... All you really need is a naff wooden carrying handle just for the bits. Machine up another wood handle bit, fit the priginal metalwork and you're away from the blocks........

[OxfordAndy]

Well.....had the variation approved. So now in touch with Gavin again to finalise everything! Hoping he still has some from the first batch as not really looking for another long wait. Must say, this one gets me fired up almost as much as getting the No4T!

[tailz]

I spoke to Gaving during the week and the next batch are due in weeks 17-19 ( next week is week 16) I am beside myself with excitement at the thought of mine arriving

[David TS]

Took them out for a play today .

Due to a logistics cockup I bought high mounts for the SLR scope, only found out a couple of days ago when the Picatinny top cover arrived that they fouled the woodwork so I needed extra high, which arrived three hours after I left for the range today .

Never mind thought I, I'll shoot it on irons anyway......

I was the only one of two that wanted to zero, and everyone else was itching to start, which was late anyway because someone forgot the radios and had a 20 mile round trip to go back and get them........

Consequently zeroing at 100 was done in a bit of a hurry, and the irons only go down to 200 anyway!

I couldn't get a consistent shot, and put this down to a virgin barrel, a virgin SLR shooter, and the fact I haven't been on a full bore range for 40 years!

Never mind, sort it on the firing point......

We were paired up and took it in turns to shoot five each. We started on 300.

The SLR was inconsistent on elevation, and I couldn't work out why....then I realised the recoil was bouncing the rearsight off the 300 setting up to 600 on every shot without me noticing (so I had been attempting to zero it at 100 with the backsight at 600 ).

I had to pull it back every time, but it was at least then in the black.

After lunch we moved back to 600, and that's as far as the backsight goes, so at least it stayed there this time.

Most of the time it was in the black again.....

Conclusions?

Boy, does it kick with a wooden butt, solid aluminium butt plate, PRVI 175gn ammo, and a thin fleece on! .

It's great fun to shoot.

No extraction problems.

It attracted a lot of attention!

It's pretty much a waste of time shooting it on the standard irons (particularly at 600). The foresight blade is wide and covers pretty much of the target, and the rearsight aperture is like the Channel Tunnel .



And so to the Enfield .303......

I didn't get the chance to shoot it in the morning, as I was concentrating on the SLR and shooting in pairs there wasn't that much actual shooting time (and I'd left the .303 bolt in my car anyway ).


After lunch was 600 yards, so straight in the deep end - standard blade foresight, aperture rear sight, I haven't shot a .303 for 40 years, I don't think the rifle has ever been shot, or not much; and since it went into store in 1954 it has been sold to the USA, repatriated, stripped and put back together again; and the sights hadn't been calibrated .

What a peach .

I shot 5 shots and my partner spotted for me, and I adjusted the sights by guesswork, consequently the first five were a bit all over the place but most were on the paper.

The second 5 shots were (not in this order) a vbull, a bull, an inner, and two outers .

I left it at that....if it ain't broke don't fix it......

And then the range time was up, so that was that for today.

When I got home the extra high mounts for the SLR had arrived so the scope was on in 10 mins.

Can't wait for the next outing!

[daryldiane]

Interesting David, I have heard from one who used to use the wood furniture SLR's that they did kick especially with the normal butt, apparently the longer butt was better, I suppose the rifle is tighter in the shoulder.
I had no problem with the plastic butt, but will still try wood furniture, looks so much better.
Didn't have trouble with the irons moving foward, though as I said before the sight picture was pretty difficult.
Did you get your piccatinny from Gavin, or from the USA? Looking foward to results with a modern sight.

[OxfordAndy]

The SLR was inconsistent on elevation, and I couldn't work out why....then I realised the recoil was bouncing the rearsight off the 300 setting up to 600 on every shot without me noticing (so I had been attempting to zero it at 100 with the backsight at 600 ).

I had to pull it back every time, but it was at least then in the black.

David

Would you say that the backsight problem was due to poor fit/finish or wear on the fitted part?

[Peter Laidler]

Backsight clicking up to 600 yards can only be due to a weak spring in the cursor slide. PM me

[David TS]

A few pics of the scope on.......



Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20x50, doesn't look quite as daft as I thought it might.......(but others may disagree ).

[OxfordAndy]

David, the more I see your rifle....the more I want one!! Looks great!

Prepping some "upgrades" already (although I've yet to order!!). Found a nice set of 1st Pattern L1A1 furniture with a brass buttplate....I notice yours has steel.

Does anyone know when the transition took place or were UK rifles always steel?