Wanting a Replica L42A1

I want a replica L42A1. Historical imitation doesn't matter much to me. I'm just looking for a look-alike in 308 that is (or can be) scoped. This would be my "walkabout rifle" (that is my backpacking rifle) and occasional target shooting gun.

Buying the real deal doesn't appeal to me because I intend to use it, whereas the real thing should sit in a transit case and be admired every once in a while.

What would be my best bet to get one without spending more than $500-600? I sure wish an AIA Model 10 B1 were an option.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/w...compressed.jpg

I haven't been able to find 308 conversion parts, but I was thinking an already sporterized Enfield with conversion parts (barrel, extractor, bolt head & magazine) would be most viable option. I don't know how common they are though, and how much they go for...

So what options are there?

500 to 600 US dollars as a goal. I am afraid your goal will be difficult if not impossible in today’s market.

A No 2A1 extractor can be had at Numrich for about 25 bucks. They will work on a No 4 7.62 conversion.

A 7.62 magazine is over 150 dollars alone. Maybe a bit less for a sterling magazine, but a real No4 7.62 L8/L39/L42 Mag would a bit more not under 200 and likely a bit more. Last one I saw on Gunbroker was priced at 500, but I do not think it sold at that price. They are not common; there are more 7.62 conversions than magazines around.

Hammer forged barrel L42 barrel. Well the best bet I can think of is to buy one of the old L81A1 7.62 NATO barrels and have a gunsmith redo the breech end to fit the Enfield. The last barrel I saw was 250 and it had a fair amount of breech wear. Gunsmith will likely charge at least 100 to 150 to recut the thread , fit to an action and cut the extractor groove. If he is not familiar with the Enfield and has to do the research on the threads and like it will be more.

Sarco has the No 4 T scope bases, screws and drills taps, which will fit any generic No 4. I think the price for that is around 75 to 95 dollars last I checked

The cost of the scope mount that fits to the bases and hold the scope is around 125, though you can buy a set with the scope, MKIII reproduction, scope can, scope mount and maybe even the scope bases with required screws taps and what not for around 650 when Sarco runs a special, which they do at times.

You will need a No 4, BSA manufacture ideally. You might want to consider getting one with an intact forend, middle band and rear forend and a rusted out barrel, as getting a set of wood that is not Indian is rather expensive as well these days. A decent uncut front forend No 4, even with a rusted out barrel is around 200, at least on the east coast.

If you are reasonably proficient with wood you can modify the wood work to L42A1 standards, I have done it myself. But it is a task of many hours of hand work.

In any case you see you are going to be in the bag for a lot more than 500 dollars, more like 900 at the low end for the rifle excluding scope and mount.

If you want a 308 field Enfield, buy one of the Navy arms No2A1 jungle carbine conversions. They are cheap and will do what you want for likely 350 dollars. There are some cheap scope mounts that can fit for less than 100 dollars. There is a pistol scope mount that will make the rifle pretty close to a scout rifle. Not an L42A1, but a nice rifle to take into the fields especially if you are carrying it for a few miles. A complete L42A1 is a wee bit heavy to haul around as a camping gun, they are heavy.

I see... Well, I think I'll just pass then. As a lefty, I wouldn't want to pay a lot of money that isn't properly configured.

Thanks for the info!

On the other hand, you could take a tip from a thread on this forum a mnth or so ago and simply get a cheap 7.62 barrel threaded for the No4 or 5 body, breech it up. Get/convert yourself some No5 woodwork. Mount a decent telescope onto a Brian at BDL Ltd mount and have yourself a good looking, cheapish to shoot, virtually do-it-yourself 7.62mm No5 that's a tough as old boots(?) and ideally suited for what you want. You won't win toooo many prizes for accuracy but as a back-packer/game shooter, as good as anything

I think you could definitely do this project. There has to be a Sporterized DCRA No4 in 7.62 around somewhere. That would make a great start! If it's what you really want then why not? For the scope I would use one of the repro ones that Warren has gone through. They are excellent. Also if I was doing this I would aim for more like $1600. If it's a camp gun or one you plan on carrying in the bush a lot then manufacturer of the rifle and parts won't matter as much. Best part about building one of these would be that it's yours, it's one of a kind. Go for it!

For 1600 dollars you have a much better chance of being able to complete the project and not have to make compromises. I think a very nice Kreiger barrel made to any internal spec (.305 to .308 groove diameter, .295 to .300 bore diameter) can be had for about 315 dollars in blank form, under 500 for a complete fitted to an Enfield action chambered and the extractor groove cut.

The cheapest UK 7.62 hammer forged barrels have seen are the L81A1 ones surplused here in the US of A back around 2004. These were made by Parker Hale around 1989~91 and came out of Australian service. The external profiled is identical to that used by Parker hale in their T 4 target rifle, made from about 1969 to the early 1980s. As they are threaded for the 98 K action, they need to be re-threaded for the No 4 action to work. Unfortunately they are rather pricy these days, around 250 and highly sought after by those that want to make K98 sporters.

As for the sported DCRA rifle: Having shot one and built up a second one with parts, these rifles depend on the wood work for accuracy. The bearings on the forend really matter. You may find that cut back wood work into a L42A1 format will not allow these rifles group well, the barrel needs either center bed or front pressure to group at long range. To get them to group at the middle/short ranges, in my experience you have to both center bed them and front bed them as well, spending a bit of time and multiple trips to the range to get it right. That is with L2A2 ammunition, with a 144~146 grain bullet, not common sporting cartridges.

The Australians found a service weight 7.62 barrel will group reasonably well when cut down to 21 inches (length of L1A1 rifle). Not sure about what sort of barrel damping (via wood work) was required but I think I can find the old report if you decide to go down this route.

Lastly, the idea of finding a sported 7.62 Enfield based off of a L39A1, Envoy, L42A1 or other hammer forged Enfield barrel is pretty much nil. The reason is if the barrel is at all nice, someone who can work wood is going to rework a set of wood to set it up like a L39A1 clone and even as a clone it is a 800 dollar rifle, if the barrel is in nice shape (less sights). Here in the US of A hammer forged Enfield barrels are rare items, always attached to an action as priced as such. The barreled action sans magazine is around a 750 dollar item. The Ida of getting one cheap is given the internet, very unlikely.

Save your $$ bide your time and get the real thing and use it. That's what they were made for. At least you'll know what you have And years down the road when you tire of it and decide to move it on you can at least get your initial investment back with no problems. The same can't be said for a one off project gun that may or may not shoot straight when you get done assembling all the parts. Probably couldn't run fast enough to give one of those away.
There's nothing in the book that says an original has to sit in it's chest only to be taken out occasionally for admiration purposes. I hunt with my original No.4 T's every chance I get, I sit there admiring it till something comes along to shoot at. Like this...... Just my .02 worth.

the Q is, why not simply have a 303? it hits hard enough.

Price of ammo & in-store availability (when there's no panic buying, that is!).

I've never fired 303, but I imagine the recoil might be less?

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Originally Posted by vintage hunter

Save your $$ bide your time and get the real thing and use it. That's what they were made for. At least you'll know what you have And years down the road when you tire of it and decide to move it on you can at least get your initial investment back with no problems. The same can't be said for a one off project gun that may or may not shoot straight when you get done assembling all the parts. Probably couldn't run fast enough to give one of those away.
There's nothing in the book that says an original has to sit in it's chest only to be taken out occasionally for admiration purposes. I hunt with my original No.4 T's every chance I get, I sit there admiring it till something comes along to shoot at. Like this...... Just my .02 worth.

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Totally Agree. Moose - L42 Mule - 44 Long Branch T Antelope - Lithgow HT cheap off the shelf ammo and me with a lot of rust on the trigger...

These rifles are going to the field this year.

My advice: find a No4 Mk2 rifle that is cut down, sporterized or shot/rusted out in the bore. Rebarrel using whatever barrel takes your fancy: lots of retired target rifle barrels are available that are still perfectly good for your purpose but not up to grade for target work. You'll probably have to have the threads cut and you might as well have the shoulder cut for breeching washers and have the smith/machinist make you a few of those at the same time. Canam in Canada has 7.62mm extractors. Mags are available here and there. For a scope mount, get a reproduction of the Soviet PU mount and machine the back flat to fit the side of the No4. This is the only scope mount system I am aware of that will allow you to simply screw the base to the receiver and then collimate the mount/scope to the rifle bore and then remove and replace the scope without appreciable loss of zero.

For a lefty this is a lot of work and expense for a rifle that still won't suit you like a LH rifle will. A Savage of some type might be your best and cheapest bet.

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

For a scope mount, get a reproduction of the Soviet PU mount and machine the back flat to fit the side of the No4.

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Have you got your mounts mixed up Surpmil, isn't it the PE/PEM mount ?

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Originally Posted by bigduke6

Have you got your mounts mixed up Surpmil, isn't it the PE/PEM mount ?

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Don't think so.

If you're thinking of the "LSR" PE mount it has windage adjustment only. The PU (short, later scope) has elevation and windage adjustment, in fact it even has cant adjustment: you file down the two lugs on the back of the 'bracket' until you have the the windage correct, and if your cant is off you file whichever one will correct it. You can just see the two lugs in this photo on the left side bottom. Not much left of these two though.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...53pid151-1.jpg

Elevation is adjusted with the two grub screws and once you're zeroed it should stay that way, especially with the aid of a bit of Loctite. And obviously the scope can be removed or replaced without losing zero. Pretty damn clever.

More than clever I would say, never knew that mount was so versatile, I,ve been looking at a German, LSSR/SSR mount or the Russinan PE to use on a SMLE, but think I may be tempted by one of them.

Hey......... I've got an even BETTER idea.......... Save all that machining, filing and cutting and...... and....... Just go and buy one of the superb, made from a block of steel, three point fixing, solid, built like a brick outhouse, works like a charm, never been known to come loose etc etc picatinny dovetailed rails from someone who sells them in South Carolina (there, that's satisfied those who dislike any commercialisation or well deserved promoting of their wares.....). Put this on the bloody rifle. Now get a picatinny slide/slip on/off female rail on your telescope and there you have it. A rifle with a rail with a scope that you can take on and off. AND at the end of it all, when you're old and don't need/want to shoot anymore, the rifle can be sold off, untouched.

And it won't be as high/tall as the russian scope. But if you want/need to raise your head or profile a bit just add a cheek rest.

Where there's a will, there an easy AND a cheap way

Quote:

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Originally Posted by bigduke6

More than clever I would say, never knew that mount was so versatile, I,ve been looking at a German, LSSR/SSR mount or the Russinan PE to use on a SMLE, but think I may be tempted by one of them.

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Well, they're made for a rounded receiver so you'd just have to mill or file down the lower of the two lugs on the back of the base a bit. https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...ews01JPG-1.jpg

There are quite a few civilian derivatives of this system around now, and some have a screw to adjust for windage instead of the "file-down" lugs, but you lose the cant adjustment with the screw.

The Yugoslavs made some variations on this system as well into the 70s and 80s. Nothing better has come along since AFAIK. A good sized coin to tighten the locking screw and you're ready to go.

Thanks Surpmil, I guess its one of the reasons we see more Nagant snipers than normal? there are a lot over here ( described as "original"). I will give one a go , only headache I will have is the holes already on the receiver, need to make a template of these and use for the backing plate, I could lower the mount also as I don,t have the charger bridge. anyone know about the PU repro scopes?

The scopes seem to be pretty sound, originals or repros. If you find the 'bracket' too high it might be possible to cut some out and use those lightening slots as guides to re-align the pieces for silver-soldering or a bit of careful TIG welding! I've heard there are a few people using them on No4s around here as a "bush rifle". Strong, simple, pretty cheap and easy to set up. Let us know how it turns out if you go ahead with it?