Results 1 to 10 of 71

Thread: Rock and Roll with an L1A1..............

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size

Threaded View

  1. #1
    Advisory Panel
    Peter Laidler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    03-24-2024 @ 09:52 AM
    Location
    Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The home of MG Cars
    Posts
    16,507
    Real Name
    Peter Laidler
    Local Date
    03-28-2024
    Local Time
    10:13 AM

    Rock and Roll with an L1A1..............

    There have been a few myths about converting an issue L1A1 rifle to the select fire role. It wasn't THAT simple for the average soldier to make the L1 series of rifle fire automatic, believe me.

    The first method was to try to rotate the change lever around to the 'A' position but this was impossible due to its shape and by being prevented from going past the shaft of the 'PIN, axis, trigger' protruding from the left side, just to prevent this. You could try to cut it short, but it was deliberately hard, just to prevent this so grinding it would be the only option.

    You could try to completely remove the change lever but it was held in place with an akwardly placed split pin. However, even if you DID manage to get it out completely, with your thin screwdriver and snipe nosed pliers, you were stuffed again because;
    the trigger will NOT rotate far enough to the rear to enable .... blah blah... because the PLUNGER, trigger (behind the 'PLATE, grip pistol') is deliberately too long to allow it to be pushed in far enough. And if you DO try to press it in further, the guide hole in the GRIP pistol is too short AND the 'SPRING sear and trigger' (interchangeable...) becomes coil bound as I seem to remember it.

    There was a method, using a matchstick between the rear bent of the SEAR and the rear step of the trigger, but that meant taking the trigger assembly OUT........., and you can't do that without taking the LEVER, change out..... and that's retained by that bloody akward split pin. AND, if you did manage this, on the range without being noticed, you would have a rifle that only fired automatic. Try explaining that away to the range conducting Officer when his fire order was something like '...5 rounds application - at the target in front - , in your own time, - go on!

    You COULD have a select fire L1A1 rifle, but it would have to be an Armourer that did it for you or a VERY astute and mechanically minded soldier, believe me.

    First, you'd have to copy the L2 change lever profile, then remove the trigger plunger an grind .2" from the inner end...., yes, grind it because it's very hard, for that reason! Then you've got yourself a what we Armourers called a 'big Iron'! And when a standard L1A1 lets rip on auto, it REALLY does let rip. But to be truly honest, they shake themselves to bits. For example. The gas cylinder lasts for about a day, due to it continually splitting along the weak flat area where the PIN, fixing, gas cylinder prevents it from unscrewing. Even our L2A1's were little boys trying to do a mans job. They were just heavy rifles......., and not even accurate heavy rifles. There's only one gun that can be a section machine gun and it's not a heavy rifle....., it's a BREN gun
    Information
    Warning: This is a relatively older thread
    This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

  2. Thank You to Peter Laidler For This Useful Post:


Similar Threads

  1. Rock-Ola initials.......
    By dbarn in forum M1/M2 Carbine
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 03-08-2009, 08:16 PM
  2. Lower band roll pin size?
    By 218bee in forum M1 Garand/M14/M1A Rifles
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 03-04-2009, 09:31 AM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks