Mk3 Sterling Video

[Vincent]

Interesting film clip.



I have not seen this reamer before.

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Peter Laidler]

Do I detect the cocking handle to be back to front before the blown sand test? Have a look. It's the pattern gun that used standard No4 foresight blades for cheapness and standardisation. Alas, shortly after this innovation, a REME Craftsman earned himself a large reward for designing the adjustable blade we all now see.

That tool is the standard body GO gauge. Used after the spot-welding and induction brazing operations to ensure the free running of the breech block

[Vincent]

A GO gauge! Thanks Peter.





Yes. The cocking handle is back to front.

[Peter Laidler]

The adjustable foresight eliminated the use of the various height foresights (ex Lanchester stock incidentally......) and ended the manufacture of the No4 type foresight Mk3 guns that some nations wanted to use. Now they got the standard gun.

[tankhunter]

I am assuming by the buttstock pressings. That these guns in the film, are L2A2's, & NOT the later L2A3's the final production design?

These buttstocks, with their distinctive side bar pressing ribs. will NOT fit any L2A3 versions. This is because the position of the Trunion on the receiver, is further back than the later L2A3 variants. Sterling's claim that 'All' parts in current production (L2A3) will fit any of the earlier marks of gun'. Was not QUITE correct in that sense!.....

There were indeed MINOR differences between the L2A3 & L2A4. But these were of no real consequence, and true enough on Sterlings claim there. That all parts were fully interchangeable. The obvious differences were: Foresight Protector shape, Trigger Profile, Rear sight has a 'wing' on the outside of it's protector. To change the sight position. This was eliminated on the 2A3 & changed with finger & thumb movement. But you could if you wanted to, swap them over. The same went for the trigger group, as a complete unit. ALL marks of breech Bolt were fully interchangeable, if needed/wanted to. to get you out of trouble anywhere in the world. To keep the weapon 'Running' in emergency conditions......A truly remarkable design, & one of my Favourate SMG class of weapon to fire!

[Peter Laidler]

When you say L2A3 and L2A4 in para 3, line 1, thread 5. There was no L2A4*. Or from reading it, do you mean Mk3 and Mk4

(*there was one gun marked L2A4 but that was the first Fazakerley production test-run gun made and it was erroneous)

Sterling did continue to manufacture Mk3/L2A2 butt assemblies as what they called '....needy stock' for nations that requested them but like Tankie says above, anything else could use current Mk4/L2A3 parts. Nigeria (or was it Ghana) returned 500 or so Mk3 guns to Sterling for total refurbishment in the early 80's and it was simpler and economic of course to refurbish them using Mk4 butts. So the trunnion blocks were un-picked, re-positioned and Mk4/L2A3 butts fitted. Problem solved. These guns returned to the UK early in 2001 as part of a part exchange deal

[Lee Enfield]

When you say L2A3 and L2A4 in para 3, line 1, thread 5. There was no L2A4*. Or from reading it, do you mean Mk3 and Mk4

(*there was one gun marked L2A4 but that was the first Fazakerley production test-run gun made and it was erroneous)

Sterling did continue to manufacture Mk3/L2A2 butt assemblies as what they called '....needy stock' for nations that requested them but like Tankie says above, anything else could use current Mk4/L2A3 parts. Nigeria (or was it Ghana) returned 500 or so Mk3 guns to Sterling for total refurbishment in the early 80's and it was simpler and economic of course to refurbish them using Mk4 butts. So the trunnion blocks were un-picked, re-positioned and Mk4/L2A3 butts fitted. Problem solved. These guns returned to the UK early in 2001 as part of a part exchange deal

Several years ago when we had access to the information in the Canadian firearms registration system there were about 20+ sterlings registered as model "L2A4" in private hands.

Unfortunately all we can do is speculate as to what they really are as the registry is so full of false info as to be useless.

[browningautorifle]

the registry is so full of false info

Remember, the mistakes are our fault and our responsibility to have corrected...

[Lee Enfield]

Remember, the mistakes are our fault and our responsibility to have corrected...

and yet, when we make the effort, nothing get corrected...

At the end of my inspection we had several guns with no matching certificates, and several certificates which could not be matched to the firearms. Luckily reading the "additional data" contained in the registry (but not available to owners of course) matched most of the "outstanding firearms" by description at least.

I never did receive corrected nor additional certs for the "corrected" & "extra" firearms...it's a good thing the LGR registry 'went away'.

Some (most??) dealers had thousands of "missing" guns registered to them...of course identical (serial number & description) guns were registered to other people (sometimes multiple other people) too...

[browningautorifle]

and yet, when we make the effort, nothing get corrected..

You are correct Sir! There were some dandies too...