My Enfield holy grail.......

[David TS]

......has been completed today with the addition of the little bullpup fella at the bottom .

From the top:

1944 .303 Daimler Bren. Obviously a deact, but I had the unique pleasure of shooting it on full auto last year before it was deactivated .

1944 .303 BSA Shirley No 4 (T) sniper rifle.

1960 .308 BSA L1A1 SLR, converted to straight pull.

198*? 5.56mm Enfield L98A1 Ensign (the export version of the Cadet GP rifle).

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

The previous owner has had the good sense to get rid of the cranked 2:1 lever that was said to aid primary extraction. Absolute horse manure theory because you cannot have primary extraction on a rotating bolt weapon!!!!!!!

The name 'Ensign' was never an officially adopted nomenclature. It was the Cadet GP rifle or simply the L98. But VERY rare in private hands and they ain't makin' no more as the A2 version is a self loader. I know of a couple plus one in NZ. Look better with a flash eliminator perhaps. Nice looking Bren gun there......

[David TS]

Peter

Thanks.

You know where the Bren came from, it was your intro to David T

[PrinzEugen]

How'd you track that down then David?

[CINDERS]

Hi David,
What year is you Shirley mines a '44 with a Mk III Kershaw 32.

[David TS]

How'd you track that down then David?

The L98? Near on three years of keeping my ear to the ground, and being in the right place at the right time .

[Buccaneer]

1960 .308 BSA L1A1 SLR, converted to straight pull.

I was under the impression that in the UK you could not "convert" these rifles to straight pull, I thought they had to be re-manufactured using a new barrel and other parts that had not been used in the original rifle, breech block ect. If I am wrong please let me know as I would love to own one in that condition

[CINDERS]

Yes agreed DavidTS took me 20 years to obtain the 10th ALH (Australian Light Horse) collar badges to match the hat badge I have I think that is a reasonable time to wait until a good enough pair came up I mean it was I think 1912 when they changed to the 10th ALH reason being they are an apposed pair and very rarely come up together as a set and then it has to be in the condition you wish. Yeah 20 years of keeping my ear to the ground and trolling auctions and papers and fleabay

[Peter Laidler]

Re Buccaneer and thread 7....... The spec submitted by the builders of these straight pull L1A1's was subject to a bit of discussion and passed by the Home Office as legal. Quite how is/was a bit questionable but was apparently approved on the back of an appeal finding - or so I was informed. On that basis, they are perfectly lawful. I think that this is a case of just accept the decision for what it is, don't delve too deeply, don't ask too many questions or rock the boat!

The line of thought is that there are simply too few in number to warrant a change in any legislation. This is only what I was informed while I was acting as an expert witness involving another but slightly dissimilar case. But as I always say, I could be wrong!

[David TS]

On the back of Peter's comments, a sample from the batch of original rifles built/imported by Gavin at Anglo Custom Rifle were examined by the Forensic Science Service at the time (before they got disbanded) on behalf of the Home Office, and passed as S1 legal. I have a copy of the original email, and a copy resides in my firearm certificate wallet in case I am ever challenged on it!

As Peter also says, I don't question the why's or wherefores, I just thank my lucky stars I have one, and smile every time I shoot it!

Buccaneer, they do come up from time to time, just keep your ear to the ground, expect to have to make a quick decision, and expect to pay around £2k for the privilege!