Slaz 45

[Lithy]

The jury is still out on the method but we've had some fun trying.

[Son]

The jury is still out on the method but we've had some fun trying.

Yep- gotta agree with that!

[Peter Laidler]

Ours is JUST like yours. We got a Lithgow L2A1 rifle packed in it from BOD Newcastle, through the diplomatic channels a few years ago. MoD to MoD if you like. Looking at it now, it would appear that two rifles went in tip to toe, bolts inside and the top packing piece slipped in and was shaped to reflect thes. With horsehair matting to protect the rifles.

That's answered a question I always wanted to know. We have a Hi Turret Australian sniper too. Now we've got the box for it! It's amazing what you learn here!

[Peter Laidler]

Just been taking a second look at that 'yep, gottta agree with that' photo and I don't agree Son. I simply don't think that as pictured, they'd get past the inspectors because while the rifles look secure when the telescopes are sat on top, don't forget, when the chest is upside down, the rifles are sat on top of the telescopes. And the blanket stackers in the Ordnance Depots and especially the wharfies, are none too careful about what way up is correct. Then the rifle sits on top of the telescope. Even though it's padded, once the rifle lands on it with a thump, it's good night nurse!

I firmly believe that the rifles will be chocked top and bottom. Just my opinion. What say you wild colonial antipodeans

[Terry Hawker]

Peter, as usual, is no doubt correct. It seems pretty obvious that there would be another set of chocks above the rifles, but these taller than the existing pair to prevent movement inside the chest. I suspect the existing chocks are probably the top set, with the missing, taller chocks on bottom, with blocks on one side of each, thus creating more protected space for telescope storage, while securing the telescope case in the end of the chest, much like the arrangement inside the No. 15 chest for the No. 4 (T). That's my opinion, anyway.

Terry

[Son]

I totally agree on the chocks going all the way to the top of the box.
In the pic from Lithy, he has the rifles with bolts inward, the wrist of the butt is sunk into the cut out in the blocks and the foreend is sitting on the pad on top of the opposite block. This puts the butt against the block at the end, (where we both believe the scope case will sit) above the level of the felt and has the rear scope mount touching the floor of the box.

In my pic, I have the bolts outward. The foreend goes into the cutout in the bottom blocks, the grip part of the butt sits on top of the pad on the other block. This leaves thew barrel parallel to the floor of the box with the rear sight mount well clear of the floor. I think we need to make a pair of blocks with the same fitment, only on the bottom, tall enough to reach the top of the box. The blocks are the exact length of the scope case away from the ends by adding the same fittings from the ends of the box, onto the blocks, the scope cases can be held securely by the felt pads on the blocks and the pads on the lid. Nothing moves anywhere.

In the pics I have the scope cases packed up with a rag to where they would sit if the missing blocks had the same fittings as the ends of the box.

The two blocks in my case, the right side one is jammed in and hasn't been out- maybe never. I do think these are the bottom blocks, and stay the way both Lithy and I have them.
In the middle pic below, the drill round is pointing at scratches on the floor of the box that are the same width as the forsight protector ears, looking to me at least as if the nosecap went that way, putting the foreend down into the cut out in the block. The butt sits close to the top of the box, almost against the block o0n the end that we suspect holds the scope case almost on it's edge.

[Lithy]

I'm waiting for the paint to dry on the second set of blocks I had cut out of craftwood.

Anyone got a source for 1/4" thick navy blue felt?

[Peter Laidler]

Is it felt? It looks like that old horsehair matting to me. Should be available from any good saddlers as it's still used in good quality saddles - so I've been told!

[Jollygreenslugg]

I really didn't think too well on the day of the Lithgow trip. I brought my matching box up, but it slipped my mind, being under a blanket in the back of the car. I'll get some decent shots of it tonight. It is the same type of box and it came to me from the owner of my HT. It was used to deliver two HTs to the town of Junee where I live in 1960, and it still has the shipping sticker on it. It was used to store barrels and timber over the years, but as it is still original, it may give some clues as to how the rifles were stored.

The gent concerned has a photographic memory, so I'll take two SMLEs and the box to his place and see if he can show me how they were strapped in for transport.

Cheers,
Matt

[Lithy]

Where is the AV cable Matt?