L42A1 question

[snipershot1944]

Hi. I'm the new owner of L42A1 serial number AT5746. The rifle was one of the Navy Arms lot and was one of several hand selected for Navy Arms staff members. It is with chest, tin, strap and some paperwork. One tag, dated 25/07/90 indicates it was in the hands of the 6th (QSO) Gurkha Rifles. An air shipping sticker on the chest indicates it was also in the possession of 5 Royal Irish BFPO 803. If anyone can shed any light on the history of the rifle,nets I'd appreciate it.

Thanks
David

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.

[chosenman]

Hi, Snipershot. If you have the NSN the Royal Armouries will be able to tell you something useful. Unfortunately it is hit and miss to whether the NSN is ever scrawled on the chest and it is this that can provide some info on who it served with and where it may have been in the world.

[snipershot1944]

It would appear that the first unit is 6th QEO Gurkhas.

[Gil Boyd]

David,
If it helps I was on a course with a lad from the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles and he was a cracking shot too. They disappeared as a Regiment in 1994 and were I believe amalgamated with another Gurkha unit.
One thing I can tell you is, if you contact ANY QM's Department within the Gurkha Rifles they will bend over backwards to assist you in your search, and unlike other UK units their record keeping is outstanding, as I found out for an elderly neighbour of mine who worked with them in Malaya during the troubles int he early 50's.
They located his service of attachment to them and duly presented him with his own ceremonial Kukri. So I have to speak as I find, very professional, but sadly that comes of having not a lot to do anymore now Hongkongs gone for them and they each do their respective jobs to 110% to keep busy but also to ensure they stay employed here.

[chosenman]

Snipershot, Gills suggestion must be worth a shot but don't get your hopes up. Don't want to take a great **** on your fire but I have been where you are now and I've sent countless emails and made many, many phone calls and I am no closer to gleaning anything further from what I knew about the rifle when I started. I am very fortunate to have a rifle that was in my old battalion during my service and I contacted our sniper platoon sergeant from back in the day and he couldn't shed any light from what records he still had. My biggest tool was the NSN which confirmed it was in the hands of 3RGJ and returned to Donnington in 1988, this is when we received our L96's.

[FlightRN]

Good Day Chosenman,
Can you please clarify what you mean by "NSN"? When I hear NSN, I think of a NATO Stock Number or National Stock Number which is a 13-digit numeric code that identifies all the 'standardized material items of supply' within the NATO or US DoD Logistics system.

If there is a number (NSN?) on my transit chest that would help ID the last unit it belonged to, I'd like to find it.

Thank You,
Michael

[Gil Boyd]

The NATO stock number or NSN will be on the black label on the inside of the lid of your box as shown in photo one

[DanL96a1]

Snipershot maybe if you post some pictures of the chest, it would allow others who might be able to give you more information? I understand that BFPO can be found online, this might give you another lead on its journey….

[FlightRN]

Good Day,
Thank you for the info. I'll have to look on the transit case to identify if there is another sticker that identifies a unit as opposed to the NSN which ID's the item as a L42A1.
Regards,
Michael

[DanL96a1]

Snipershot maybe if you post some pictures of the chest, it would allow others who might be able to give you more information? I understand that BFPO can be found online, this might give you another lead on its journey….