Are the genuine (no reproduction) L42A1 7.62 magazines relatively rare to locate and therefore command a high price? One is currently for sale in Australia and is asking $400 (Australian) which sounded excessive?
Printable View
Are the genuine (no reproduction) L42A1 7.62 magazines relatively rare to locate and therefore command a high price? One is currently for sale in Australia and is asking $400 (Australian) which sounded excessive?
That does sound excessive, $400 = £216 at todays exchange rate they go for around the £150-180 (180 being for a new over here) you can find cheaper but would need to search, and a few of them about second hand. They are standard 7.62x51 Enfield mags that were fitted to Enforcers/Envoys/L39's and loads of No4 conversions so saying it's for a L42 maybe upped the price.
Yes prices are quite high here in the uk for the CR 1470 stamped military ones. £120 - £170 I've seen I think in recent years, although sometimes they can be had cheaper if you keep your eyes peeled.
CR1470 is the barrel for the L42A1. The magazines are marked CR141A and all of mine were made in 1965, I am led to believe for the abandoned L8 conversion programme.
The last one I bought cost me £5 after fortuitously spotting it in a box of .303 magazines. Fortunately, the seller didn't know any better.
You can thank JWH for this and his buy back.Quote:
Originally Posted by 4004757
The 7.62 No 4 mags are not all that plentiful in Australia, and command premium prices usually.
I went back through my records and found that in 1984, AJ Parker were quoting me 28 pounds for a 7.62 Enfield magazine, while 7.62 Sterling ones were 22 pounds. In 1985 Jansa Arms in Sydney were selling 7.62 Sterling mags for $35 while SMLE mags were $14.50. By the late 1990's Lawrence Ordnance in Sydney had 7.62 Enfield mags for $140. (I thought they were way too dear then... should have bought more :))
Today prices for 7.62 mags are rising quickly - I've seen Sterling mags advertised recently for $250, so at that rate an Enfield one should be about $320.
Tis often said - "you didn't pay to much, you just bought too early"
Where are the original dies?
Don't know about the original dies, but I was offered all the tooling that Charnwood used in getting the repro mags made. I declined. I shall need to live till I'm 143 as it is with all of the restoration & replication projects I've accumulated!
You could go into business employ lots of people to do all the R & R projects plus some make lots of money pay tax then sell at a huge profit retire and walk the fields at leisure.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Roger Payne
Cheers for the advice Bindi. You should be a life coach! I've managed to do the ('take early retirement) & walk the fields at leisure' bit..............I just bypassed the 'make lots of money' part......
When I wake stretch then say who will I annoy the sh*t out of today you can bet life is good. I can say money is not every thing it just helps a little but life is good very good. I owe Anti biotics. :super:Quote:
Originally Posted by Roger Payne
So (apart from the good advice given already) how realistic is the Indian 7.62 mag approach (or is it just a potential pain in the rear end)?
The OP just queried the cost of the mags not saying he wanted one or more. They are out there just pricey because of the legalities in some States.
Money can't buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you're being miserable.
Fitting a 2A1 magazine in a No 4 works well. They charger load, feed and eject better than a Sterling mag. Cheaper, too - about $75 landed ex USA for a good repro one.Quote:
Originally Posted by villiers
So, I suppose, that´s the way to go. India must have tons of them!
After working all known hours & watches (when at sea) and mainly nights (still do), It does take it out of you, but starting job share last year a few months before xmas, has certainly had a change for the better, money is tight but quality of life plus quality time with the daughter......... priceless, also gives a chance to get through some projects.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bindi2
Anyway back on track, Anyone in the UK looking for the 7.62mm mags just look at Gunstar or Guntrader, sporters in .308/7.62mm come up now and again with the mags in question, not all are cheap but there are a few bargains to be had, you need to remember also we just got over the festive season, some folk selling are open to silly offers as they overspent......
I look at those Enfield mags like this............ If they were made in the mid 60's era of almost agricultural press facilities then moving on 50 years, to press out an identical magazine now should be simplicity itself. It just needs a bit of initial investment in some tooling. Just like remanufacturing anything from MGC kingpins to telescope and IIW brackets to lenses.
Just needs someone to get started. But difficult, it ain't!
That's the expensive bit and if you manage to sell a 100 a year not exactly a good profit margin..... (I,m saying a 100 hundred as I,m not sure what the demand is) but I can't see it being that much......... of course if it was labeled 7.62mm sniper ............Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Not sure what the owner of Charnwood did with the mag tooling. It might even still be available..........!?
A little birdie told me that it was THE factory tooling Roger! But one part of the final product was a weak. And they didn't get the foot operated marking die
The principal economics of new mags are just the same as the MGC kingpins, brackets and lenses of which I can relate to one small part. You won't get a financial return on the first run. It's the second that gives you your money BACK and the third that returns a profit. You just have to hang on in there. The drawback with shooters from what I've heard, as opposed to MGC owners, is that generally speaking, shooters expect yesterdays prices for tomorrows stuff
Exactly.... Classic cars etc no problems, sniper stuff or very rare items a limited audience but willing to pay, Enfield 7.62mm mags, "how much" .....Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Don't get me wrong I,m all for the cottage industry but sometimes you can't even break even and suffer a wage loss......
As you say its the second and third run (if it gets to that) that will pay dividends...
As Onassis put it: "Money cannot buy taste, but it can buy people with taste" :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan de Enfield
I hope someone finds the tooling and puts it to use, even if it has to sent somewhere where labour is cheaper.
I'll enquire if it is still available......