Sight, tele, L1A1 Serial Number 26151

[Gil Boyd]

Simon,
My apologies if I'm a bit slow here or missed something, but in all of this Lee Enfield fiasco in its history of numbering anomalies and weird locations for such numbers, the one cohesive thing you could bet your shirt tails on was invariably the wrist number matching the scope, because afterall that is what it was all about............a perfect match.

Clearly this would have been right at the time, and lots of changes could have varied that in the meantime. Was the AR-1018 stamped on the wrist band evident? if it was , one has to assume the two were parted somewhere in history for whatever reason.

Could it be as simple as, one of the rifles that went to the USA and parted company there with its scope on sale to civvy RFD's, which a number did?

[Simon]

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin.

I heard about this rifle about six months ago and at the time the finances weren't in place for a potential purchase, however a couple of months down the line I made a few more enquiries. The story goes that the rifle came into the RFD as part of a collection following a bereavement. It was in it's chest but the scope and bracket where missing and when he enquired the widow told him her Husband had sent it away to be fixed but had no idea where to!

As I'm thinking of buying the rifle albeit sans scope and bracket I thought it might be worth a punt on the various forums to see if anyone new of the scopes whereabouts. What has completely baffled me is that you've got that scope number recorded as a standard 32 mkIII.

Having viewed the rifle and checked out the serial number against my data I can safely say that it is a genuine bona fide L42. Unfortunately having now seen the scope serial 26151 clearly stamped on the wrist and chalked in the chest lid and you recording that number as a 32 MkIII I don't know what to bloody think?

[Peter Laidler]

Next thing is to check with all of the scope repairers then. The other scenario would be that with a thick dollop of paint over many years, the scope number has been misread, say, from 25451 to 26151. It does happen and such a mistake would have no consequences in the great Ordnance scheme of things as it's the rifle serial number that is the identifiable and accountable item.

Not only do I have the scope numbered, it is also recorded against a No4T too AND against its registered number. I am not a number collector at all so being recorded in my database indicates that it's VERY probably been across my bench, work or wherever since I started a small book of numbers back in the 60's!

[Gil Boyd]

Simon,
Was this rifle perchance via Bob?

[bigduke6]

Simon,

Apart from stating the obvious, if it didn't go direct to the scope repairer's, Peter, Vallysniper or Warren, (no offence if I,ve missed anyone but if I have speak up) then can only have been dropped off at a local dealers or RFD to ship to the repairer maybe via someone else ? Other thing to consider, did it get to the said destination?

I would look for the deceased's club etc if he was in one (maybe just a collector),and ask a few members and go from there.

Seasons greetings.

[Simon]

Some good points there Gents, however way I see it now though is I've got little if no chance at all ever finding the missing scope now for a couple of reasons!

1) The fact the scope number on the wrist appears incorrectly marked, this means I can't look for or quote a specific scope number.

2) Call me an old cynic but if there is no record of where the scope went or as it would seem a correct serial number why would anyone step forward and say "hey I've got that scope" when it could very easily be disposed of for a considerable return?

BTW the second comment is not aimed at any of the "scope repairers" referred to above it's merely a reflection of the way things are these days, sadly.

[Peter Laidler]

As a matter of interest I have a scope here sent for repair some 9 years ago and it's still here, awaiting payment. From an earlier transaction whereby I used to use the 'send me the money when you're ready.......' sort of business - with the same person (yep....., still waiting for that too.....), this one will stay here. But with storeage charges now................

So some honest Johns WILL admit to having them Simon. And the whole world knows that 26151 is on the missing - wanted list. I'll enter it on my list accordingly. But it's already there as a Mk3!

You could just buy the rifle priced accordingly, get a DRP bracket that it could quite possibly have been fitted with during the last days of the old L42's and get a Mk3 scope. Have it converted (ooooouch!) fitted/collimated PROPERLY by someone who KNOWS what he's doing and there....., you've struck oil

[bigduke6]

it's merely a reflection of the way things are these days, sadly.

It certainly is, It was a shock this year to find or maybe to help a forum member the true origins of his rifle, of course he is happy with it, but the fabricated story behind it was not needed and I'm sure he would just of been happy with the truth......

[Simon]

Peter,

To be honest for the kind of money we're talking about I'd be daft not to buy it, scope missing or not. Once we've got the silly season out of the way it'll be mine and between you me and everyone else here I've already been in touch with Rog regarding the very thing you suggest.

[PrinzEugen]

As a matter of interest I have a scope here sent for repair some 9 years ago and it's still here, awaiting payment. From an earlier transaction whereby I used to use the 'send me the money when you're ready.......' sort of business - with the same person (yep....., still waiting for that too.....), this one will stay here. But with storeage charges now................

I sympathise with the fixer in these cases. After all, they've spent many hours repairing the things and then the person concerned can't be bothered to pay... There was a gunsmith near me, sadly closed now, which had two rifles, a sterling conversion no4 and a no5 a few years ago. The smithy had done his work on the rifles and they were in his gun room, and had been so for a number of years. The interesting thing was both had been drilled and tapped and sitting atop genuine brackets were two genuine no32 m3 scopes! I did check on the status... but sadly in the week before the gunsmith closed the owner reclaimed said rifles. (I think they'd been there for 5+ years)