Parker Hale Barrel/gas block on an ex NZ rifle

[nzl1a1collector]

The 3 slots were introduced a lot earlier than the examples shown. They first appear in the 1971 edition of the IPL and it only lists the 3 slot as an option. The 1982 edition of the IPL lists both the 3 and 5 slot versions (The 5 slot not being Illustrated).

The Indian Flash Eliminator is conformation of this as its known as the No.2 and the example shown is dated 1974. I guess India has paid England royalties for it?

[Peter Laidler]

The 5 slotter was only ever declared obsolescent so you could continue to use it so long as stocks remained. Off the subject a bit but at Ordnance, on a parts that were declared obsolescent, the part number would be linked to the current part number so that Ordnance could/would run down their stockpiles of obsolescent parts before they'd run into the current stocks.

The early date is interesting as I only remember the strengthened FE's coming on stream in the late-ish 70's. But maybe it's down to that

For example, if an Armourers shop ordered 10 3 prong FE's or plastic handguards under part number B1/1005-99-960-1234, that part number would cross reference with the old 5 prong FE or wood HG's of B1/xxxxxxx5678. So you'd get 10 of the original FE's/HG's until they were gone and then the new ones would trickle into service. But in reality, Armourers shops didn't deal with the main Ordnance Depots, they'd order parts from the local Ordnance Depot attached to the Garrison or area (say Ludgershall or Weyhill) who got parts from the Regional Ord Depots (say, Thatcham) who got parts from the Command Ord Depot (say Bicester) who got parts from the Base or Central Ord Depots (Donnington or Old Dalby). So depending on what stockpiles they had, depended on what you got.

Incidentally, GPMG FE's were another one that would split like it was going out of fashion but they didn't bend like bananas but just crack and slowly bend

[mrclark303]

The Indian Flash Eliminator is conformation of this as its known as the No.2 and the example shown is dated 1974. I guess India has paid England royalties for it?

I wouldn't bet on it Kevin! I wonder, as if this was a UK only mod, would Fn have to be consulted or indeed paid in any way for additional post production modifications?

[Peter Laidler]

I have a funny feeling that the contractual manufacturing IPR's only lasted for 25 years. Thereafter we couldn't manufacture new but were free to continue parts manufacture. The GPMG was different and caused a lot of headaches and heart-aches later due to 'IPR ball squeezing' as it was called later............. when we needed more. But that's another story..........

[enbloc8]

Yes, the First Pattern broke here & there regularly. It was a much weaker design than the Later three Slot variants. I guess with the amount of pressure exerted to the slimmer 'Finger's of the first patt. It work hardened in those areas. They became Brittle & just fractured!

The later three slot variants were a vast improvement & I never encountered a fractured one of those!

One of the posters over on The Other Site, a fellow from Australia, posted pictures a few years ago of some ex-war-reserve L1A1s that had been held back from scrapping in the early 2000s and were used by the local fish & wildlife service for feral game culling. Of the few that were in active use at the time, I recall that one had had the prongs milled off of the flash hider. He said that their attitude was "they're gonna break anyway, especially with the level of use they get, so just deal with it now".

[browningautorifle]

If they were used as a hunting rifle they wouldn't need it at all.