L39A1 with CR141A Magazine

[Merlin266]

I have recently purchased a L39A1 that has a CR141A magazine fitted. I have read articles stating L39's normally come with a No4 magazine that usually act as a loading platform for the 7.62 cartridge. The rifle I have, has had material removed from the reciever body (illustrated in the lee enfield story) that allows the magazine to be used, was this work common practice for the L39 A1 rifle?

Information

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[mcnuttwa]

My understanding is that the rifles were issued with the No4 magazine and no Iron Sights.

The units would purchase the iron sights and very often made modifications to the rifles in order to allow the 7.62 magazine to be used.

One of my L39s has this modification, the other does not.

[Thunderbox]

L39A1s are all machined to accept 7.62mm magazines, but the rifles themselves seem to have been issued completely "bare" of sights and magazines - less for a Parker Hale Matchmaker foresight tunnel (presumably older rifles has the FS11 instead).

Units/clubs had to supply their own sights and mags, which is why presumably many opted for cheap and easily available .303" mags as single-shot loading platforms.

The bottom L39A1 in the picture is completely unused, and is still in the state it was received from the Donnington depot.








Incidentally, the co-produced "7.62mm CONV" rifles appear to have been sold complete with sights, 7.62mm mag and No8 butt already fitted. The magazine is numbered to the rifle in the same way as the one on the Enforcer or Envoy. As these rifles (which are part of the L39A1 production) were a separate commercial arrangement with the ARA, it seems they were sent out with a full specification of parts.

This is an unused "7.62mm CONV" with matching numbered 7.62mm mag:

[Peter Laidler]

My experience is that they were machined to accept the 7.62mm magazine and were issued with a(?) magazine. This is backed up by the EMER and disposal instructions which states that all private or PRI (PRI= unit purchased using official MoD funds but retained as accountable by the unit) should be removed and the rifle will be returned as a UOI or unit of issue. And that includes the magazine. But it doesn't state WHICH magazine............. The parts list shows a 7.62 mag but the EMER supplement states that it's a 303 mag used as a loading platform

[Merlin266]

Here are a couple of pics of my rifle, anyone explain the N stamped into the butt?

[Brian Dick]

T-Box and Peter are correct. They were all machined for the 7.62 magazine including the XL39E1.

[vintage hunter]

anyone explain the N stamped into the butt?

N=normal length butt stock

[Merlin266]

N=normal length butt stock

Cheers

[Peter Laidler]

The butt patch is interesting as it's not undercut as we usually did them. But nice to see the two hardwood pegs. A butt patch at the heel of the No4 and Mk5 Sten gun was either a very shallow butt patch like that shown or a very deep butt patch because if it was the 'usual' depth of 3/4 to 7/8" or so it'd finish along the line of the butt plate screw or thereabouts. You could end up with a nice patch but as soon as you put the butt plate screw back in, it would lift the patch......

Yep done it too! After that I always did them deep so as to encompass the butt plate screw and be done with it!