Custom order C1A1?

[browningautorifle]

The cutouts obviously did differ on the older/earlier rifles. I just can't remember when the narrow dish took over from the pantograph type of cutout. It was before 8L, maybe 6L? Or earlier? The accuracy of earlier rifles wasn't in question. I had a 2L series that was stolen by a good friend that ran the rifle team. He would come into stores and go through all rifles testing for tight and straight and...well, this rifle would group 5 rounds under a quarter at 100 yds. Yes, that's right. And he had the nerve to take it... Contrary to the belief down south, the FN shot every bit as well as it's contemorary NATO brothers. All series numbers included, not just the late ones. Of course as they got worn, not so accurate...

[enbloc8]

Contrary to the belief down south, the FN shot every bit as well as it's contemorary NATO brothers. All series numbers included, not just the late ones.

Oh, I don't doubt that...my C1A1, a Frankenrifle of Canadian parts assembled on an Imbel receiver, shoots every bit as well as my M14!

[enbloc8]

The "FAL Bible" compilation of R. Blake Stevens' three FAL books includes a reprint of a bill of sale for several C1A1s that were sold to members of a rifle club in 1972.

Took a look at that bill of sale...a new-production 8L from Canadian Arsenals Ltd. cost $225.00 in 1972. No idea how to convert that through inflation, but that can't have been cheap.

[boltaction]

Well, my Dad bought a new 4 door Mercury Meteor Rideau in 1972, no power windows and no a/c, but had the .302 V8 engine, and it, new, was $4000 that year..................

Ed

[browningautorifle]

Two years later, I enrolled at the wage of $330 per month. Basic wage in the military. Gas was .25 per gallon in Canada. That's how much it was.

[Lee Enfield]

I don't know anything much about variations of the C1 as there is little info out about them, but this one was originally built in 1960, with no modifications certainly since the late 1960's. So, I think the receiver is as it was built, FWIW. Does anyone want me to take photos of the internals or the receiver when cracked open?

Ed

Ed,
Can you take a picture of the top of the action with the bolt and top cover removed?

And the right side and bottom of the receiver ring and barrel?

Is the serial number matching the lower?

Thx D

[Peter Laidler]

Out of interest, did Canada sell many NEW C1 rifles and variants to Foreign military forces as did Britain (very few) and Australia (many).

There was a strict licensing agreement that FN had tightly sewn up that allowed it for dependant nations with a shared military allegiance to buy or be supplied.

[browningautorifle]

As far as I know Peter, we were hogs with our rifles. Only Canada. There are others here I expect to join this discussion but I'm certain we didn't sell any. Not like the C7. That's why when you talked about working on CDN rifles in workshop in Europe it surprised me.

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, yes but in Germany, there were a lot of shared Ordnance and workshop facilities, such as the big workshops at Werl and the huge Base Workshops at Wetter. Canadian Centurions went through there too. Ammo was also pooled to so you'd see Canadian ammo in use - was it IVI manufacture?

Australia offered the cheapest prices for allegiant nations to buy L1A1's so they got the business and the profit and so I'm lead to believe, the largest sales too.

Off the subject slightly now......... but David Howroyd from Sterling told me that as a result of Australia taking a huge slice of the what they called 'off-sales' of L1A1 rifles, Enfield wouldn't allow Australia to make/convert Brens into L4 guns as they'd undercut Enfield at that too! Whether that's absolutely correct is a bit of a ? but certainly Aust. wasn't permitted to use the Enfield Bren to L4 patents. On the other hand, when Lithgow wanted to use the Sterling magazines in the little F1 gun, Sterling just said '........ be our guest just so long as they are wholly and strictly for your own use and there are absolutely no sales abroad' The Aust Govt abided to it to the letter

[browningautorifle]

The 7.62 you saw in Germany may have been DA in the earlier days and IVI later on. The DA would have been preemo stuff...