With thanks to Advisory Panelicon member Peter Laidlericon, an excellent new article has been added to the Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here).

"The fore-end and handguards of the L42" (click here)

As Peter describes it … (or how to turn a silk purse into a sows ear)

This is the first of two fascinating articles by Peter. It's accompanied by his own detailed photo montage and provides a armourer's inside technical look at the No.4(T) to L42 conversion program, undertaken in several tranches at Enfield between 1970 and 1981.

Peter's follow up article, "The L42 and 39 Fore-ends" (How to put matters right!), which he says "will take one of the bodged and split original fore-ends and show you how to do a proper, old time REME Armourers repair.", will be also be published in the next few days as well.

Article Extract .....

These show the front or muzzle end of the converted No4 fore-ends for the L42 rifle. They’re pretty well self explanatory and the thinness of the wood is clear. Is it any wonder that as soon as the sniper tightened his sling on his arm, the wood would just crack …, then crumple! Who ever authorized such a ridiculous state of affairs and the two beech fore-ends are brand new and unused, straight from Ordnance!


(Click PIC to Enlarge)
Regards,
Badger
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