Lithgow L1A1 Factory Skeletonized Rifle

[Promo]

Coming from Malaysia, picked from the parts bin of the large stock gun dealer were a total of three factory Skeletonized Rifles of Lithgow made L1A1s. I took all three home with me for knowing a good friend (and also fellow member here on this board) will need at least one of them. For letting him have one of the three he was kind enough to carefully clean the two samples that I kept. Took me until today though to find the time to do pictures.


Attached are pictures of the rifle that I would had kept anyway. It is serial SR58, so a pretty early sample. I know next to nothing on L1A1 rifles, but been told that this one still has the "early handguard" (yes, I know aside of the cutout cuts some parts broke off).


Both are missing the trigger guard and the pistol grips. I hope to find two of them one day so that they will be somewhat "complete" again.

[Promo]

Separately in a second post pictures of rifle SR513, so "late" compared to the other one. Note how some cuts are very different from the first rifle, as well as placement of markings (upside down).


Oh, the red paint on the stock - this btw is the Malaysian method of marking something "FOR DISPOSAL" .

[Peter Laidler]

We did lots of these as apprentices. Brens, Sterlings, Sten guns and revolvers. I often wish that we'd done No8 rifles too. At least I would have understood the dark arts about what actually happened inside the trigger mechanism. Instead, I just learned it by rote, like some masonic text, that I could just quote chapter and verse at exam time. So mote it be as they say!

[browningautorifle]

We always taught mechanism of the FN with a rifle with body cover removed and piston spring removed. Then a second rifle stripped beside us... We learned all the functions so it became a story, if you needed a lesson plan to teach it you'd soon be lost in the massive description. A friend and I pushed to get eight of the FN C1 cutaway rifles in the Battle School in Wainwright Aberta for us to use since they were available, then they sat in stores because no one knew how to use them. That was about 1985, wonder what happened to them? They were correctly marked and perfect condition. No pics exist.

Both are missing the trigger guard and the pistol grips.

I might be able to find one or two here, let me know if you think we can get them from here to you without being arrested? I can try at least...

[mrclark303]

Separately in a second post pictures of rifle SR513, so "late" compared to the other one. Note how some cuts are very different from the first rifle, as well as placement of markings (upside down).


Oh, the red paint on the stock - this btw is the Malaysian method of marking something "FOR DISPOSAL" .

Absolutely stunning Georg, a rare catch!
The inverted markings designate post 1970 production I think.

Kev Adams will confirm.

---------- Post added at 10:11 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:09 AM ----------

We always taught mechanism of the FN with a rifle with body cover removed and piston spring removed. Then a second rifle stripped beside us... We learned all the functions so it became a story, if you needed a lesson plan to teach it you'd soon be lost in the massive description. A friend and I pushed to get eight of the FN C1 cutaway rifles in the Battle School in Wainwright Aberta for us to use since they were available, then they sat in stores because no one knew how to use them. That was about 1985, wonder what happened to them? They were correctly marked and perfect condition. No pics exist.



I might be able to find one or two here, let me know if you think we can get them from here to you without being arrested? I can try at least...

Were they CA manufactured examples Jim, as per the Lithgows, or Army workshop created like the UK

[browningautorifle]

Were they CA manufactured examples

They were Canadian Arsenals made C1s...I expect done in house as part of the contract.

[mrclark303]

Here's a UK example Georg, interesting to compare the cuts to the Lithgow Factory cutaway.

[Promo]

Here's a UK example Georg, interesting to compare the cuts to the Lithgow Factory cutaway.

Thanks! Is this a pattern room sample due to the perfect pictures?

[mrclark303]

Thanks! Is this a pattern room sample due to the perfect pictures?

My photoshop work Geog. I used to do a lot of commercial photography.

[nzl1a1collector]

Nice to see some other SR rifles.... The 'SR' means Special Rifle. They were produced in batches by Lithgow and put into Storage. You will need to make the damaged/missing parts as there are no spares for these rifles and the loss of the Pistol grip is typical with these rifles up for Army disposal. You will also need to made the sectionlised magazine and bayonet scabbard

There are basically tree factory versions:-
Early, done circa 1960
Late, done post 1969 in a couple of batches
Bi-Centenary, limited to 34 rifles in 1988

SR21



Bi Centenary