Viewpoint - British Army Contract for L96A1 Sniper Rifle (by Gil Boyd B.E.M)

[Peter Laidler]

Good question about the mag capacity Simon and the simple answer is that I don';t know..... Nor did anyone I asked! However, there were in fact THREE magazines for the L96 and two different magazine springs. There was an early (?) 10 round magazine that would take 11 rounds that had an outrwards partial protruding rib at the bottom and then a definbate 10 round magazine with the same configuration and another 10 rounder without the little rib. Please excuse me if I have the sequencing wrong as I don't have mine handy. I know that this was subject to a trial when the mag length was reduced to make it distinctly 10 rounds and I had the info on microfische. At this time the stainless mag springs came in. All were interchangeable.

But the good question and my pi55-poor answer illustrates the point about trials and procurement that seems to go above some peoples understanding of what life is about in the real world. Even for a simple change in magazine format and spring, there was a trial before it could be accepted. Anyway, that's why you can find three different types of L96 magazine.

Another example of a 'simple' change was the rear butt spike. It also housed the rear sling loop. To be honest, the butt down-spike was one of those things that was there, taught on the course in lesson 3, but thereafter the butt spike was shoved back into the butt and not used. BUT, because when it was pushed back in and screwed up with the split taper, it fouled/upset the sling loop. So an Armourer suggested that a sleeve be slid down that would allow the useless butt spike to be pushed back tightly into the butt against its spring and tightened up via the taper...... oh, I won't go on..... b) allow the sling loop to swivel. Great and worked a treat! It was adopted but before future production could be altered it had to go before the trials team and the......... and the.......... and on and on it went up to Andover and then Abbey Wood and Jeeeees. But that's just another example of how it REALLY is.

So when you read of how your mates uncle's friend who knew someone in the cookhouse in Aldershot who's brother said........ I just roll my eyes skywards and occasionally bite my tongue. But sometimes I don't bite my tongue. Anyway, it's still xxxxxx raining here. It's like the monsoons have followed me back!

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[Gil Boyd]

Peter,
one criticism..........Jeesss is spelt Jeeez

[Nigel]

On the subject of scopes - looking at a May 1990 Guns Review article on the M85 and also looking at the Parker Hale Hand books - it appears that it came with a Tasco 6x44 with bullet drop compensating elevation turret.