Synopsis of some rifle Army Council Intructions 1940-1943

Comments at another web site has prompted me to dig into my files of ACI's I copied on several visits to the pattern room. I trust that these will suffice to settle future and past issues. Army Council Instructions are publications of changes to material and personnel processing to be done immediately and may find their way eventually into the List of Changes. Comments are paraphrased.

1943 dated ACI 869 Split or broken legs of No.1 rifle hand guards will be repaired by removal and smoothing of both legs to match attached sketch.

1941 dated ACI 2066 Breaking down of Rifles No.3 (Pattern '14) Rifles with damaged bolts, plugs, bolt breech, ejectors Mk II and strikers MKII will be sent to Weedon for breaking down into useable parts.

1941 dated ACI 2128 Outer surface rifle components normally browned (blued) upon repair will not be browned but painted Khaki green. Back sight and front sight will not be painted.

1943 dated ACI 1550 Some early US and British No.4 magazines rear lips of case foul in the receiver recesses. 0.20" material removed from the front of the rear lips as read from the rear of the mag case. I wonder if this is the cause for the "B" mark on cases and sometime seen on Savage rifles???????

1940 dated ACI 1444 For rust protection of rifle barrels and associated components in lieu of annual mineral jelly application, affected components will be painted Khaki green or several other makes of paint. This will be carried out AT ALL STATIONS AT HOME OR ABROAD. This is not just for jungle operations.


]Complete Xerox copies of these ACIs are available on application to the Imperial War Museum Library. I do not know what the current price schedule is.

Excellent info, that's the sort of thing we need to be privy to. It ends many arguments and hanging questions.

Indeed. And of course which of these were later revised or cancelled? Painting of barrels for example? We don't see many examples of that so presumably at some point that was cancelled.

Speaking of which, is there an ACI for the application of Suncorite or similar finishes and when did it come into force?

Also, were the ACI the initiator of changes in procedures or more often a reflection of what was already in practice in the manner of the List of Changes?

Why rifles are painted green, handguard ears cut off, No.4 mag alterations , etc.