Singapore Police Lithgow .22 dedicated L1A1

[desperatedan]

So the seller of Faz L1A1 and '75/'80 L42A1 fame pops up with something 'very rare' yet again

I wonder if the kit barrel liner is permanently fixed or removable in which case do I need a permission for just .22lr or both that and 7.62?

[mrclark303]

So the seller of Faz L1A1 and '75/'80 L42A1 fame pops up with something 'very rare' yet again

I wonder if the kit barrel liner is permanently fixed or removable in which case do I need a permission for just .22lr or both that and 7.62?

The jury is still out Kev, but the evidence is certainly pointing in one direction!

[bigduke6]

The jury is still out Kev, but the evidence is certainly pointing in one direction!

Not the direction I’d be going if I had £4k burning a hole in my pocket…..

[mrclark303]

My guess would be a .22 liner bonded into a 7.62mm barrel.

Judicious use of a Pantograph machine might possibly be involved, who knows....

Only Kev can give us chapter and verse regarding the apparent Lithgow.22 factory builds.
I've never heard of such a rifle in all my years of studying the breed and
I can find zero reference in Ian Skennertons 'SLR Australia's Fal' or for that matter, in my Collector Grade The Fal Rifle, the complete history.
So .....

[nzl1a1collector]

I've had a look at the photos, that there is of them.

I've compared the markings on the one shown in the original post with the markings of my SPF 6067 Rifle (7.62mm) Assembled in 1963 and looked at a number of other SPF rifles markings and ALL are 7.62mm rifles. The SPF number is a census number, they same why New Zealand originally applied the N/|\Z marking. Census numbers tend to be applied by the crate or rack and have nothing to do with the factory serial number for example if you look at the list below, the dates of manufacture are all over the place in comparison to the SPF number. Armourers have enough to do, without the headache of applying a census number, hence the general rough application of the hand stamped numbers........ sounds like a job for the apprentices.

SPF 473....... AD70 (7.62mm)
SPF 4111..... AD67 (7.62mm)
SPF 6067..... AD63 (7.62mm)
SPF 6093..... AD70 (7.62mm)
SPF 7264..... AD68 (7.62mm)
SPF 7675..... AD70 (7.62mm)
SPF 7751..... AD67 (7.62mm)
SPF 7784..... AD69 (7.62mm)

I've never come across an Australian Lithgow made .22 L12A1 Rifle, They didn't make any such thing.

if you look at the markings you can clearly see how Lithgow roll stamp their markings, they DON'T use Serif's on their '1', its just a 'l'. The 'F' doesn't match either.

As Peter pointed out there are instructions EMER/EMEI Instructions dealing with what to do with a rifle with a stuck L12A1 barrel. Its possible a workshop in Singapore altered some rifles for the SPF, but I would expect to see some form of marking from the workshops. The L12A1 didn't come arrive till about 1966/67, I can't see them being used by the SPF for a decade, a bit like New Zealand and Australia. Realistically they didn't see the kits until the late 70's and were restricted use. I can't see the SPF getting them earlier.

[browningautorifle]

I wonder if we should save the example for future reference? Stolen from "Enfieldguns"

[Sapper740]

I seem to recall your stories of rock'n'roll C1's and .22 kits out on the prairie Jim!

I assume you were laying waste to the local wildlife with a C2 Jim, or did you pop the giggle lever and short plunger into your C1?

Oh dear. As soon as the Statute of Limitations has passed I may have some stories to share.

---------- Post added at 03:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:34 AM ----------

Not the direction I’d be going if I had £4k burning a hole in my pocket…..

Not with that scoped Territorial Rifle for sale at around the same cost.

[desperatedan]

When you look closely at the photo of the 'L12A1' I think you can make out some signs of apparent work to remove the original L1A1 designation. There are a couple of witness marks - a radius at the left end of the serial 'flat' and what looks like the sharp corner/edge of the end of the top of the charging handle slot has some rounding (although could be wear & tear?).

I've got a mint ex-SPF Lithgow L1A1 and have had a quick look and it's not showing the same marks

Photo of mine and the L12A1 to illustrate what I mean.

[browningautorifle]

the Statute of Limitations

I'd think you're safe, you escaped down south. Those have been out of service since...87?

---------- Post added at 07:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:48 AM ----------

some signs of apparent work

One would want to measure the thickness of the body side at that area for comparison.

[mrclark303]

So here's the markings of an SPF Lithgow from my collection, as additional reference.

I've still yet to see SPF marking on the receiver on any other example?