What is the difference between a L2A4 and a L2A3 sterling?
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What is the difference between a L2A4 and a L2A3 sterling?
Interesting question as there was only one(?) prototype of a supposed L2A4 gun. And it was going to be the Fazakerley made variant of the L2A3. That's the easy answer though........ The Fazakerley 'pirated' gun was secretly named the PIONEER or the XLxx something or other. Mind you, there were several versions of this theory. Some papers call the Canadian gun the L2A4 while others suggest that the L2A4 was going to be the UK version with the L1A1 rifle bayonet fitting. So you take your choice.......
Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
It does sound like ours.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Looked at registrations and that is what they call my British L2A3s. Some numbers KR43422 KR43424 Have others but you get the point
All the KR guns were definately Mk4's. Sterling did mark them as L2A3 by the designation so that buying nations could be assured that what they were getting were in fact the UK Military Sterling SMG
So I think the question should have been what's the difference between a Mk4 and L2A3.
There were in fact a couple of L2A3's over-marked L2A4 BP. As were some MoS drawings but nothing became of them. Sterling nipped that in the bud PDQ! There is no difference between an L2A3 and a Mk4. The L2A3 was simply the military designation of the commercial Sterling Mk4. I think the original Q was asked because some of the import papers to Canada described them as L2A4 guns. Not so. It';s an L2A3 - or a Mk4!
What does KR stand for?
Kenton Redgrave, Sterling ManagerQuote:
Originally Posted by can14
Why was he blessed to have this series of guns named after him? Guns are nice,
He is described elsewhere as Managing Director, so I assume he was a member of the Sterling group's Board of Directors, and the manager at the same time. Rather an influential fellow within the company I would suspect.Quote:
Originally Posted by can14
By the sounds of it Can14, there's a nice little book that you ought to be reading. It's all about the Guns from Dagenham. It will have answered all of the questions that you have raised and MANY more.......
I've been lookin for your book for years now Peter, the only books I can find available are in the $500 + range. I wish they would do a reprint. There's obviously a market for them. Do you retain the rights to the book or do Collector Grade have them?
Collector grade have them. Why not suggest another reprint especially in the light of the recent heavy upsurge in interest. The affable Blake now has a lot of new info too especially relating to the L34 that was restricted first time around.
When we had access to the registry data I noted that there were many L2A4's registered in Canada...I still have hope that some of them ARE L2A4's rather than the typically ineptly miss-described items usually found, such as yours seem to be.Quote:
Originally Posted by can14
There certainly should /could be real L2A4's in Canada...the original tool room guns and the manufacturer test samples assembled at CAL with CAL, Enfield, Faz & Sterling componants.
Could there be some at CARDE?
I can find them here at the annual gunshows with book dealers, new. Every so often I'll upgrade and buy a new addition to the library that way. They're still expensive though, just not as bad as on Ebay...Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
Numerically, there were 6 different variants of the L2A4 as defined. The only one I could see really taking off was the simplified Canadian casing with the remainder coming from the UK. The casing was really simple in manufacturing terms because it came already exactly punched with all the holes and slots from Accles and Pollock for just over £1 per 1000 casings which was an easy target.
Just need to clarify that..... the punched casing cost £1+ a few pence EACH if Sterling purchased 1000 or more. Which they were constantly doing
OoooooH! I would love to read more about the L34.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
The new OSS (Operators Suppressor Systems) flow through suppressor uses the same concept as the L34’s spiral diffuser. It has some other advances, but the basic concept is the same.
There are some Canadian L2A4 registered, because some came with the KR guns and went to Ontario.
This post has renewed my interest in my Sterlings, They were just up on the shelf. Now, to find all the
other stuff that came with them. Sterling had a good sales pitch, spare barrels,slings,magazines,etc
Never know "when you need a piece of kit" The Crown (of Canada) , saved these guns because we
can't shoot them anymore, so spares are in a box somewhere. Sterling sent me a small box of instruction
books also.
I have a feeling in my bones that these supposed L2A4 guns you speak of were in fact L2A3 guns incorrectly logged down as L2A4's. I could be wrong of course but..........
How surprising that would be in our system...with it's comedy of errors.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
They were real Canadian made guns. What ever the marking Canada put on them. Mine are British
Regarding your book, the price everyone wants for one is more than I paid for the gun!
Blake used to have a good supply of Canadian Inglis HP and Canadian C1sterling parts and other hard to find stuff. Bought lots from
him. Given time, he could find it.
I was wondering are cut up deacts ( American parts kit ) legal in the UK ?
just the main body no internals
There was a guy darn saf who was selling Sten parts from cut up kits. You could get anything except bolts and barrels.
Interesting link...
Interesting...... One or two errors. Some parts of it a direct copy from somewhere else! But that said, a reasonable all-round 'ready reckoner' type of precis. One point that must be mentioned, the photos. This is a good example of why you MUST always describe photos fully and accurately.
Sometimes it’s best not to say anything and let the imagination fill in the blanks…. But I fully agree on the Sterling pictures.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
The Sterling article has been around for a while and reposted on several sites. FIREARMS CURIOSA The “In-depth” title is funny, but it has a few small interesting bits of info I don’t remember seeing anywhere else. I wonder why there’s no mention of the Mk7?
I haven’t found much info on the CETME C2 copy. Did find some better pictures here.