Show your ShtLE Mk V

[Peter Laidler]

I know I go on about the real world in real Armourers shops but here's another example of how things really worked. And really, truly sorry if you discover that your L1A1's have suffered this tale of woe and now contains an unreal part.......

In the late 70's, after production of L1A1's had totally ceased it was discovered that there was a shortage of foresight blade locking screws. They always got a bit of a pasting with constant use during zeroing with the tender range controllers shearing the screw heads off amongst other things. No new supplies had been ordered due to an oversight and dues-out were scheduled for a year ahead due to contracts with alternative manufacturers and specifications being met and agreements with FN and.............. So a bright spark suggested that instead of having rifles waiting un-repaired for a year and all that that entailed, why couldn't Ordnance just modify the SCREW, retaining, lever locking catch. It was simplicity itself and I won't go into it but basically it involves cutting the extended shank off with a hacksaw and..... There were 17,000 of said screws in Ordnance.

So that's just what they did. Everyone was happy. Likewise if you have a modified lever locking screw in the gas block, it's how we did things in the real world..........

Re the top rifle in thread 12 Paul. That grenade sight isn't a UK pattern Paul. It looks too much like the India pattern to me. Could this rifle have originated from India?