Most expensive L42 A1

[ONESHOT]

Ref your (L42 ) Iin 1972 ) We Took Over Chelsea Barracks London From the Irish Guards . I Was a member of The 2"nd Battalion Grenadier Guards .Very shortly after we were posted to British Honduras Now HONDURAS.
During my time there I.took a Snipers Course. The weapons We used were L42s . Connsisting OF FOUR boxes From chelsea Barracks and previously used by the IRISH GUARDS I Yours could Be one of them judjing by the markings . Unfortunately I did not keep any numbers Allan

[newcastle]

Not necessarily a bubble. Just a realization that in the last year the US gvernment has screwed the Mislurp pooch royally and is stopping ALL exports of mislurp rifles. Ask Brian Dick about this, it was on a thread here recently I think too. So basically our wonderful communist leader Barry has done for the sales and prices of potential exports from the USA what he did for sales of AR-15s IN the USA just by getting elected. It really bothers me that we can't do anything about him for another 2 years and that probably NOTHING will ever be done about that. History shows that relaxing gun laws once they are enacted just doesn't happen.

[DanL96a1]

Oneshot that’s very interesting as my L42A1 was an Ex “5 Coy Irish Guards” Rifle, was converted in the 1970’s, It was reported to have been a part of the HDDC possibly at purbright as 5 Coy I understand was a recruitment depo. The “story” was that they might have done a snipers instructors course as part of that company?

[Brian Dick]

Newcastle, The ban doesn't encompass "ALL" milsurp rifles. It encompasses milsurp rifles in calibers 7.62 and 5.56 NATO. Read my posts again. Brian

---------- Post added at 12:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 PM ----------

The figure of 1080 rifles converted to L42 isn't an estimate. It's the actual production figure as released from MoD. These figures were classified up until a mfew years ago. Maybe Peter can elaborate.

[Peter Laidler]

We have that figure of 1080 too. But some disagree for reasons best known to themselves. L42's......., rare or what!

Re DanL and the L42. The snipers were all trained at Warminster then. But now, Warminster and Brecon. Sniper instructors are culled from the various regiments under SASC staff. They are taught to teach, then go on to teach the students. Probably the best course in the Army

[newcastle]

DO you hav e any ideas about how many of teh L42s are still around now Peter? We can't do anythign but guess at any bubbaed or chopped or stolen in civilian life, but were there casualties recorded during the service life of these rifles whihc must have been 20 years or so??

[DanL96a1]

Peter many thanks for the information defiantly the best in the Army, but only after the people who train them in the SASC!! Especially back then…

[hopmanhenk]

right now there's one for sale in germany for 4200euro's. (just the rifle, the scope and the case)

[newcastle]

Problem with a 7.62 No.4 which you trim the wood on, is that there could be a step donw in barrel outer diameter to accomodate the older .303 front sight, which is hidden under the wood but becomes apparent when the wood is taken back.

[bearhunter]

I've been looking in Canada for an L42 or an Envoy for 35 years. I saw one, a few years back. Way beyond my financial limits. I bit the bullet and opted for an AIA B2 10. It's everything I hoped it would be.

At a show, 5 years ago, I picked up a barrel wrapped in waxed cloth. It had some illegible marks on the outside. When I opened the sleeve, the barrel inside had a heavy profile, was chambered for 7.62x51 and was threaded for a Lee Enfield action. The original length was 26 inches. On the muzzle, is a straight section to mount a sight, .690 od and 1.090 long, the rest of the barrel is tapered to a chamber area which is 1.140 in od. There wasn't a knox on the barrel so I really had no idea what it was from. To make a long story short, I cut the chamber area off enough to get rid of the original chamber and rechambered it to 30-40 Krag, cut new threads and fitted it to a Bisley Works AGP, Martini Action. The steel in that barrel was tough to machine. The reamer was new so that wasn't a problem.

Looking at it, I'm wondering if I didn't screw up an L42 barrel. I've only seen one in real life and don't remember the contours or length of the rifles barrel. If it is, that's probably as close as I'll ever get to owning an L42.