Viewpoint - British Army Contract for L96A1 Sniper Rifle (by Gil Boyd B.E.M)

[ChrisF]

Heres pic of my M85 & M87

[Peter Laidler]

Just a thought while looking at the lower pic in thread 81 and before it gets pushed right back into the dim and distant past. But if you have one of the L96/L115 AI rifle boxes that is in a colour called 'WOODPECKER', a greeny/sandy/puke sort of shade then this was the colour that the chests were painted before going off to 'the desert'. There was/is a BS spec for the paint that we had to paint them in prior to being shipped out. If you happen to acquire one such in the future, then you'll know where it's been. The paint was sup[posed to be a satin finish but they all seemed to come out shiny when they were stood outside drying off!

[chosenman]

Like this one peter.

[Gil Boyd]

Thats the beauty

[Peter Laidler]

That looks a bit sandier than the woodpecker colour. It has a tinge of green in it. Maybe it's the photo........

[ChrisF]

Here's some more pics of my M85 rifle .








---------- Post added at 10:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 PM ----------

Pics of a stripped M85 & trigger mech

[phm87]

That is a fabulous looking m85 and it looks in fantastic condition. I would love to own one one day ( i wish) your a lucky man Chris.

[Peter Laidler]

I am nearing the end of transcribing the trials report for the PH sniper v the AI, BSA, Interarm and a couple of others. All labouriously hand written from old microfische

[Gil Boyd]

Well Done Peter. It will be worth it, because generations will continuously ask the same questions over and over again, and if, we between us keep the Parker Hale records accurate and safe everyone will benefit.
I would like to think that from your records, that I have been right for many years when I wrote the piece about the M85 losing the MOD contract to the L96, insofar that the M85 was the better proven weapon.
So much was not written about by the trials team when they evaluated the L96, and perhaps one day, history will show the hard slog it had.
Hey ho, I suppose that has been the British Army for decades!!

[Lee Enfield]

Here probably are a few of them...

Interarms W/Redfield scope PR.7096: Centrefire bolt-action sniper rifle - Experimental Interarms - Royal Armouries collections
Edgcumbe Arms PR.7090: Centrefire bolt-action sniper rifle - Experimental Edgcumbe Arms - Royal Armouries collections
Interarms w/Tasco scope PR.7097: Centrefire bolt-action sniper rifle - Experimental Interarms - Royal Armouries collections
Accuracy International w/Tasco Scope PR.7084 Centrefire bolt-action sniper rifle - Experimental Interarms - Royal Armouries collections
Accuracy International w/ S&B Scope PR.7092 Centrefire bolt-action sniper rifle - Experimental Accuracy International (about 1985) - Royal Armouries collections