deactivated L85A2 ??

I've not seen any deact A2 rifles out there, as I've said before, even our SAT range rifles are A1s made to look like an A2. Last time I looked there was still an LSW in there.

Cleaning kits are another thing...... I know a surplus dealer who was pulled in over SA80 cleaning kits a good few years ago, at the time they had never been released for sale, lucky for him he had kept everything and still had a load boxed up, it seemed they had been auctioned off but by mistake.......

Through all of this SA80 palava among other things, it's always wise to remember that an accused person doesn't EVER have to prove ANYTHING. It's the prosecutors that have to prove EVERYTHING. And you don't have to prove where you got something, they have to prove that you obtained it unlawfully. Add to that, they've got to prove that there is a loser too - a PERSON who owned something before it was lost.

Slightly off topic:

as regards folks having military kit for contract purposes, I recall reading that there was such a thing as a "MOD permit" or so it was referred to in the article I read on Churchill's STEN. As in the 1937 revision of the 1920 firearms act full auto arms were made illegal unless sold for use on a ship, there was no police issued firearms permit for a full auto to any individual (Dealers had exceptions).

In the case of Churchill, I seem to recall that his permit dated from WWII, and that it was never revoked even at his death in 1965. At some time later, around 1974 (not quite sure, am going from recollection) the issue came up when his house/estate had a Lancaster, a Sten (not sure of Mk but it was a II or a III) and at least 2 pistols still in it, the full autos issued on the so called MOD permit. I do not recall how it was all resolved, but I know the permit was pulled.

In any case is that perhaps the route for some surplus L85A2 parts is companies making spares. A certain number might fail to pass inspection, be set-up pieces or over runs. In time they are just scrap and so sold off, even if not supposedly not available for sale.

Secondly , in the US prior to the decision that all arms to be destroyed had to go through full destruction at Aniston, the standards used varied from service to service and the non controlled parts (i.e. those that could just be thrown in the trash and junked ) varied quite a bit, especially on parts in reserve units/workshops that were obsolete.