change flash hider from FAL to L1A1 on my Century rifle

[1903Collector]

If I understand what you mean I wanted to post my collection pics from 2 years ago in my display room in my house in Denton, TX, but couldnt as I am not a contributing member.

OK, long explanations to follow:

The pics I have are when the collection was at 78 long arms. Its 84 long arms now covering WWI, WWII (virtually complete for the 8 primary belligerents - France, UK, USSR, USA/ Italy, Finland, Germany, and Japan ), and Cold War. My theme is all battle rifles, carbines and sniper rifles and the US long arms collection is to have every manufacturer, the lowest SN I can get, and all "as issued" for part type and manufacturer. I am still working on rifles from as many WWI and Cold War countries as possible. I think Ive got the main cold war rifles, but there are so many WWI belligerents and rifles...!

I dont know if Ive mentioned this but am currently preparing the collection for indefinite loan to the Texas Veterans Hall of Fame Museum in Denton, TX. I recently completed the correct slings, bayonets, and scabbards and have just about finished with the correct frogs (still missing 3, but Im trying to order what appears to be EXCELLENT replicas from HVSavage, but no response to my quote request email yet). Ive been active recently on this forum because of my work to prepare the collection. Aside from going thru all my storage, some of which I hadnt looked at in 7 years. Ive got 49 (27 are US '03s, Carbines, Garands, a Stevens Trench Gun and the venerable 1941 Johnson) in my WWII collection and 15 in the Cold War collection, but the WWI collection is still a bit anemic at 20 (as of today...I just ordered a Lebel 1886, found a frogged bayo and Ive already got the sling). Ive also acquired a few other additional WWI rifles very recently (1918 Enfield No1 MkIII*, Eddystone M1917, Steyr Mannlicher M.95 long gun, and the aforementioned Lebel 1886...the last two will not arrive for another week or two).

If I cant start a thread with the two year old pics of my collection I will certainly try to do so once the museum display is complete, if not from pics Ill take just before the move from my house to the museum.

About the museum, I meet with the museum director tomorrow to start developing the display design and plan the construction necessary. Im pretty excited about it. Ive always lamented that so few have ever seen my collection even when I had what I considered a rather nice display room and set up. I just hope the collection display will help draw visitors and raise funds for the primary intent of the museum of honoring our vets, past and present, retired or KIA. I was at the 2021 induction ceremony and dinner early November and it was a BIG DEAL! Congressman Burgess, the mayor of Denton a few celebrities and about 10 retired and active Generals attended and many were speakers! Honestly I was pretty impressed but humbled as I never served. More of that later as my grandfather's and father's history is storied and 'almost famous'.

Ive also got the help of Judge David Jackson of Jackson Armory (its a nationally known antique, C&R and rare collector's firearms store, you may have heard of it, and Randy posts sales thru GB as Jackson something or other, or Jacks County (David has a ranch there)). I was just there yesterday. It is a small place with virtually EVERYTHING from small cannons, blunder buss thru 19th century, WWI, WWII, Cold War, Wild West, ancient edged weapons...you name it. And they are all on display behind the counter, along the walls, on round lazy-susan stands, and in display cases and ALL are offered for handling! I got to fondle a 1919A1 BAR and a REAL Sturmgewehr! I walked out in a daze!

Despite my Grandfather's, My Dad and his brother, and even my mother's dad's military pilot service I regrettably did not follow thru and become a USAF pilot. Aside from wearing corrective lenses, I had my head up my *** thru high school, university and more or less until my 30's (when it was too late). In 1975 I quit the USAF ROTC unit at the University so I could grow my hair, avoid being an outcast in uniform. It wasnt a good time to be in uniform with the VNW just ending (not unlike how Afghanistan ended) and the general anti-war/anti-military atmosphere in the country at the time) in favor of sex 'n drugs and rock 'n roll. Im just a nerd ex-mech design engineer who put his savings into surplus military firearms instead of a 401k who still regrets to this day not getting a commission as a pilot in the USAF. As I mentioned, I would have been a third generation US Military pilot.

My dad retired a Lt. Colonel, USAF, USAF Reserve, and Air National Guard. Now, my grandfather (Army Air Corp/Army Air Force, and finally Air Force pilot) was a bunkmate and friends with Lindbergh and graduated from flight training with him in 1924, class of 1924M at Brooks, or Biggs...I cant remember. We have a number of short letters from Lindy to my Grandpa. He was friends with Eddie Rickenbacker, flew for him at Easter Airlines pre and post WWII, and is mentioned in a couple books as an aviation pioneer, early US Air Mail pilot, and depression era barnstormer. He was an early Eastern Airlines Chief Pilot, and reported to General Rickenbacker in London as a Lt. Colonel responsible for planning and executing the towed glider missions for D-Day!

Ive been asked why I collect military firearms. My answer..."because I cant afford to collect surplus military airplanes!"

[browningautorifle]

I wanted to post my collection pics, but couldn't as I am not a contributing member.

No, you should be able to post something here, whether on forum or in your profile...

the venerable 1941 Johnson

I had two, one as issued and one was a parts gun, shooter. No bayonet lug and trashed stock. I sold it and bought the bayonet for the Johnston instead... Long time past now.

[nzl1a1collector]

The 'L1A1' Flash Eliminator is in fact one from an Indian 1A1 Rifle, and is the Flash Eliminator No. 2

[browningautorifle]

The 'L1A1' Flash Eliminator is in fact one from an Indian 1A1 Rifle

I asked about that too, the threads inside will be different to anything inside the imperial version. When I converted an Ishy to CDN I had to refinish the existing FH and use it...

[M94/14]

If this is a left handed threaded barrel and the L1A1 flash hider a right handed thread, do I try to turn the barrel thread (cut cross threads), or ??? I thought I read that there may be left handed thread L1A1 flash hiders available?

All of the Belgian (metric) style FH'ders I've worked with have been L.H. thread. That way they didn't need the little "Donut Washer" and pin as used with the FH'ders on the L1A1 rifles to prevent loosening during firing.

I've not run across any L.H. L1A1 Hiders over the years.

Maybe just me, But I always thought the Belgian style unit looked better, To each his own I Guess...

[Bruce_in_Oz]

L1 A1 muzzle thread is 9/16 x 24, RH.

FN also made a whole bunch of "export" models of the "Metric" FAL some of which actually looked like the L1A1. The one I had in the early 1980s had a "L1A1-ish" flash-hider and olive-drab hand guards that looked a lot line a synthetic version of the lsecond pattern L1a1 type L1a1 components. The butt was black. It may have been a "bitzer". It also had the safety sear removed and a steel washer welded in its place. It shot OK, but I sold it to pay for an Australian-built L1A1, a couple of years later.

[1903Collector]

All of the Belgian (metric) style FH'ders I've worked with have been L.H. thread. That way they didn't need the little "Donut Washer" and pin as used with the FH'ders on the L1A1 rifles to prevent loosening during firing.

I've not run across any L.H. L1A1 Hiders over the years.

Maybe just me, But I always thought the Belgian style unit looked better, To each his own I Guess...

THanks for reminding me that a R.H. thread required locking. The next thing I have to worry about IF I try to change out the FH is whether it was soldered to an untheaded sporter barrel!?!?

---------- Post added at 12:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------

do yo mean the FH from my pics? If so, thans for the ID...I had no idea how to determine that.

[nzl1a1collector]