NZ contact L2A1

[mrclark303]

Evening all,

I managed to locate and buy the old spec deac ex NZ contract L2A1 that eluded me a few weeks back.

Pleased as a dog with two appendages really, it's a very rare beast here in the UK indeed. She needs a bit of tidying up, but she's got full matching numbers and it's all there.

In fact during my years of collecting all things inch pattern here, I have never seen, nor heard of any examples sold or avalable for sale.

The only examples encountered are Malay or Singapore contract, or on occasion, mix and match rifles built up from parts.

The only other examples of the Australian or NZ service spec L2A1's I have seen are the live examples at Warmenster.

Anyone know of any others in the UK, there must be some?

This example fills a gap in my collection and sits alongside my deactivated ex Malay contract UK (pre 88 ban) civvy example.

Pics when I get a chance gents.

Cheers John.

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.

[Woodsy]

Attached is a picture of my live NZ L2A1 (now since sold when I reduced the size of my collection). A very small number were released to NZ collectors by the NZ Army Museum via commercial arms auctions, and the funds were used for the museum operating budget.

[mrclark303]

Attached is a picture of my live NZ L2A1 (now since sold when I reduced the size of my collection). A very small number were released to NZ collectors by the NZ Army Museum via commercial arms auctions, and the funds were used for the museum operating budget.

Very nice indeed, were you allowed to let her "sing" or did she have to stay semi or not be fired?

[Woodsy]

Very nice indeed, were you allowed to let her "sing" or did she have to stay semi or not be fired?

NZ law allows licensed collectors to own live MG's but not shoot them (except for blanks at an organised 'theatrical event'). As a licensed gunsmith I am permitted to fire MG's with ball ammo for 'test & evaluation' to ensure they are safe and 'fit for purpose' as required by NZ consumer protection legislation. I addition, I also do pre-deployment weapons training courses for the NZ Army, covering foreign and other 'non-issue' MG's.

Frankly, I do not think much of the L2A1 as a light machine gun. The body is not sufficiently robust to withstand full-auto fire without developing problems. After their initial issue to the NZ Infantry in Vietnam they were soon relegated to second line units as defensive weapons (eg. Artillery). The L4 Bren was much preferred, although the M60 was issued to NZ Forces in Vietnam only (the M60 was never adopted by NZ except as door guns for the RNZAF). The Vietnam issue was only to retain compatability with Aussie and US troops.

[mrclark303]

Thanks for that info Woodsy, I have never had the pleasure of shooting an L2, but it is somewhat awkward, unlike most other areas of the inch pattern Fal, it really doesn't come over as particularly well thought out, bit of an evolutionary dead end if you will.

I guess the "all things to all men" temptation was too strong at the time, a bit like the similarly poorly thought out British L86A1/2. At least we in the UK had the good sense to stick with the Bren at the time.

---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------

The 'stop in hole' you mention. Is this the little hole just ahead of the change lever radius (photo 1)? I don't remember this on our L2's although I only saw and fired a few. Is this a commercial afterthought? As Woody says in thread 17, it was really a heavy rifle as opposed to an LMG.

Yep, a UK pre 1988 semi auto ban civilian modification Peter, stop pin added and longer trigger plunger. I am surprised they didn't just replace the L2A1 selective fire safety with an L1A1 example.

I guess this was the cheapest route to make it a UK legal Semi automatic at the time.

[browningautorifle]

Are the long straight mags NZ or Canadian? I didn't think anyone but us did that. I liked the slightly curved mags better. These didn't always work well, they had a flat spring instead of a wire. Long time since I carried one of those...with the bipod held up with a hose clamp to keep it secure.

[mrclark303]

Are the long straight mags NZ or Canadian? I didn't think anyone but us did that. I liked the slightly curved mags better. These didn't always work well, they had a flat spring instead of a wire. Long time since I carried one of those...with the bipod held up with a hose clamp to keep it secure.

Hi Jim, the unique gas blocks, straight magazines and bipods were made by Canadian Arsenals and shipped to Lithgow.

Kev has brought me up to speed on the nitty gritty of the L2, it seems that almost the entire inventory was exported to the UK post service.

From there, some shipped back to NZ and some shipped to the US (I would guess Europe too).

Now it seems (going by the ex NZ L1A1's that came this way) they were all Birmingham proofed before dissipating to the four winds, my L2 wasn't, so I wonder if it couldn't be proofed for some reason and was chopped.

My example was deactivated by the well known dealer Ryton Arms back in 1995 according to the documentation. I might enquire if they would be prepared to divulge how many they had, I can but ask.

I would love to see a breakdown of were they all dissapered too. Like I say, I have never seen another one here.

[mrclark303]

Here's a very quick (and very poor) phone picture of mine, taken last night, better pics when I have a chance. she came with the correct Lithgow pull through and oil bottle, plus a long Australian 37 pattern type sling, L2A1 specific perhaps?

[browningautorifle]

, the unique gas blocks, straight magazines and bipods were made by Canadian Arsenals and shipped to Lithgow.

That makes more sense then...

[Woodsy]

The NZ L2A1's were all made by Lithgow. All Lithgow L2A1 used the straight 30 round magazines. The curved magazines were for the L4 Bren gun, although they were fully interchangeable with the L1 & L2A1's. NZ purchased a total of 375 L2A1's from Lithgow (Army 325, Navy 50), the bulk of which were obtained in 1962.