Prototype 7.62x51mm Sterling rifle

[Brit plumber]

There appears to be a number of fittings on the body, and no stock or sights. Could it be for some sort of specialist role? AFV, Ship mounted?

[TRX]

There are two different weapons in the pictures. Both appear to be missing various small parts - sling swivels, sights, etc. One has lugs under the back, apparently to mount a Thompson-style stock. That one also has a cast or machined section in the recevier over the mag, while the other is a tube.

[Vincent]

I think that someone has correctly ID'd the mag as from an L4 (7.62 mm Converted Bren). One was not supposed to use L4 magazines in SLRs but my boss did for years without a problem.

Well, you learn something every day. Thanks.

I've been using them in FALs for years and didn't know they were made for converted Brens.

[Vincent]

Here's a page from a 1985 ICA article that shows one of the prototype 7.62mm rifles in the Sterling "Keep" at Dagenham.

The full article is to big to upload.

[Vincent]

Here's a picture from the article.

[Kev G]

The blurb states it a FAL mag but its defo a L4 mag.

L4A1 mags were FAL, they had a FAL locking lug.

[Peter Laidler]

They might FIT the FAL but they weren't made for the FAL because they will continually misfeed and jam after the first 3-4-5 rounds, they were for the original L4A1 Bren

[nzl1a1collector]

The magazine on the Stirling is a Metric type 30 round magazine, it's most likely either a X3E1 or X3E2 magazines, these were interchangeable with the X2E1 20 round magazines used on the X8 Series of trials rifles.

The X3E3 I believe was a 30 round FAL type mag with an 'inch' front lug, the X3E4 was the trials version that became the standard 'L4A1' magazine with an inch front lug.

Are L3A1 and L3A2 marked magazines for the L4A1 Bren available? and

Has anyone seen or have a X3E3 or X3E4 marked magazines?

[Kev G]

they were for the original L4A1 Bren

I thought that was what I said ? :-)

KiNZ I have only ever bumped into the X3E1 mags for the L4A1,I hope someone has a few L3A2 mags etc out there somewhere (cheap !)
Look forward to replies to your post.