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I'm still working to complete my CES, piece by piece. Does anyone know of a source for original chamber sticks? And of course, an original IWS bracket.
I've looked at the Canadian repros and they look nice. But I'd prefer an original if possible. I've had two real ones in the past, one sold with my former rifle and my other sold to complete the CES for the rifle in the NRA museum.
Thanks in advance.
David
As a matter of interest the repros were made using the original drawings. One was also test fired on an L42 with an IIW at the test range here and was perfect in every way. Can't get more 'original' than that. As I understand it, even the paint was sunkorite!
I'm looking to complete my cleaning kit for the L42. Do I need an Enfield combination tool or one for the L1A1? Thanks in advance.
The comb tool was not issued with the kit BUT because the cleaning kit was the same(?) as the L1A1 rifle, they all seemed to be issued with a complete as issue L1A1 cleaning kit!
David, did you try Fulton's for your chamber stick?
I did send them an email last week but received no reply. I keep hoping they will send me an email back.
Thanks
---------- Post added at 10:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 AM ----------
Peter, thanks. I'm more used to working with US equipment and see a little wire screen in the L1A1 kit but no bore brush. Was that in the kit as well or did they somehow use the screen?
Try Here for a Chamber Cleaning stick:
British, Armourers Chamber Cleaning Sticks for .303" & 7.62mm Weapons.
Thanks Simon. I actually bought one out of Canada but is appears to be an Israeli stick. I'm going to wait to find a British marked and dated one, or at least a PH version. The stick I have will be used, so not a total waste.
The L1A1 cleaning kit had a chamber brush that screwed to the combination tool but chamber ckleaning for the L42 was with the chamber stick although you could use the brush and comb. tool. The wire gauze/mesh thing used to be part of the kit when it was used with the old .303" rifle but I seem to recall that the use of this ferocious gauze was outlawed for the rifle but continued for the Bren Gun. That's the reason you will often find cleaning kit tins where the little window/envelope slot in the lid of the tin has been removed. There was a small-arms instruction in the late 50's/early 60's that the use of the gauze was to be discontinued and the window part of the tin removed by unsoldering it.
The gauze was one of those three man jobs that recruits would take great delight in doing but it really was like, well.......... It was absolutely ferocious! DO NOT EVER EVER use it on an L42. If you have some in the tin, take it out as it shouldn't be there. The edges were diamond hard as you'll see from the hardening colour if you look at a new piece. While they might scrub a barrel clean, it scrubs it knackered! When I was doing my Military Training after my apprenticeship, the Mil Trg instructors were STILL cleaning out the L4 7.62mm Bren barrels that way, even though the barrels were chrome lined! Nobody thought to tell them and I certainly wasn't going to!
Sorry to go off at another bit of a historical tangent but that's another bit of useless Enfield info
Thanks Peter. The US kits simply had a bore brush and slotted pullthru with thong or attached to the buttstock cleaning rod. Plus a chamber brush on the combo tool. I was wondering how the Brits kept their bores clean without a bore brush. That piece of wire screen did not seem to be a good idea.
I've got a ton of the Israeli chamber sticks here in both beech and plastic. If anyone needs one for practical use, let me know. They're a bargain @ $10 each, your choice!
I made an interesting discovery the other day, opened up the butt trap on my L42 and out comes the oil bottle, pull through and the wire mesh. I hope the last Brit sniper this rifle was issued to didn't shove that thing down my bore just for sh!%s and giggles before turning it in to be withdrawn from service.:D
I used to have piles of those screens with other accessories at the shows. I'd always throw one or two in with a sale of other Lee cleaning items with express instructions that it was for collecting and not using purposes only. I never could imagine dragging one of those through a decent barrel!
After finally getting hands on some I can't either. Wish I could get hold of a couple 8x10 sheets though, it would come in handy on a job I have coming up next week.
I'd bet they would sell like hotcakes in Colorado and Washington State right now Brian.
Can anyone put up a photo of a modified cleaning kit tin with the inner window part removed. It was simple to unsweat and chuck in the bin - or if you were the arms storeman, just rip it out with your teeth
Never thought of that David! Jeez!!
Some pictures of the examples I could find. One on the far left looks like it was not issued with the little window and has a 1973 date and Cat No. stamped into the back. Contents are whatever was in the containers when I received them.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Yep.............. That's the one C-Z. I'd sort of forgotten that little bit I mentioned earlier where the little window bit had to be removed by unsoldering. Some were made without the window pocket and some had just the plain window pocket space left clear. Thanks!
That sharp angled point on the steel pullthrough weight was actually a scraper to help clean the carbon and fouling from the L1A1 and L4 gas affected parts. I expect you all knew that anyway!
Which of those two tins on the right were issued for the No5.
Strictly speaking it'd be the one with the brass weight on the pullthrough
Anyone looking for a L42A1, see link below, price makes my eyes water a bit....
Enfield, Lee 7.62 L42A1 Sniper Bolt Action Second Hand for sale. Buy for 11,995.
I understand its back with its original seller and now not available........not my story to tell I'm afraid, but they took a punt which didn't happen, thankfully!!!