Rock and Roll with an L1A1..............

[jeff hamerstone]

Hey Pete; While we are on the subject my L1A1's serial number is
UB59 A33163 . Do you have anyway of checking the number to see if it has
any record or history ?

[m4carbine]

I keep hearing the term "SEAR CUT RECEIVER", there is no such thing, its the ejector block that has the only cut in it to accept the "Safety sear" (auto sear), no cut in the receiver!

I am not exactly sure how different an L1A1 is from a metric gun, but in a
MM gun you:
A) Grind the semi notch off, on the safety flange of the selector.
B) Knock out the ejector block and mill the relief for the Safety sear,
Re-install ejector block.
C) Add bullets, safe direction and have fun.

I know this to be true because I have done it, more that once, Class lll/SOT manufacturer.

[Peter Laidler]

Hi again Jeff. Only thing I can tell you is that yours is a BSA made gun from 1959 and that it was a 'new order' gun from BSA. Previous to this, BSA were given a 'transfer order' that originally went to Fazakerley. Alas, Fazakerley were, er ...., a 'trouble prone facility' and never produced a complete L1A1. These 'transfer order guns' were apparently 6 figure numbers dated 1958 so commenced UB58A xxxxxx and I had UB58A-121585. It went like a steam train or as we used to say, '.......banged like a toilet door'...., only we didn't use the word 'toilet'! This 'transfer contract' wasn't a very well known fact.

Once into the system your rifle could have gone anywhere. Britain had HUGE orders to fulfill for her own army had had to be fulfilled within 10 years (completed in 1968) so the rest of the Commonwealth went to Lithgow. Don't take the next bit as gospel, but it cost a little more to produce the L1A1 in Australia than in England (I presume, due to unit cost) but the UK subsidised the extra cost for the other Commonwealth armies to buy from Australia so that they could re-arm at the same price.

Hi again M4/Marty. I am only familiar with the UK/Australia L1A1's, having worked on about a million of the bloody things! What about a photograph of the Military and commercial ejector blocks side by side so that we can all see the differences

Great thread, let's keep it going................

[jeff hamerstone]

Pete; when i said saw cut receiver I was refering to the term meaning the BATF in this country only allowed "parts kits" for rifles legal to buy only if the receiver was cut in half with a chop saw. Now they have decided to allow only parts kits that have been cut with a cutting tourch, and you only get the small part of the receiver wher the barrel screws in. As for inch & metric receivers, I have put L1A1 kits on metric receivers, this allows you to use metric mags which are more plentiful. what you have to do is rethread the barrel use the existing spacer adn mkae sure the head spacing is right , it is really quite simple. DSA is now coming out with a L1A1 with the correct markings (I'm thinking hard on buyinh one to build. I prefer the 1st design forarms over the 2nd design. but they are real hard to get over here, do you have any outlet to those?

[jeff hamerstone]

Please ecuse the typo's on the previous reply I'm at work hoping my boss didn't catch me so I was rushing

[jeff hamerstone]

Pete ; what does BSA stand for

[Peter Laidler]

BSA = Birmingham Small Arms. A reliable commercial gun maker who come to our aid whenever the need arises

What do you mean by the 'fore-arm' that you need?

[jeff hamerstone]

Pete; Im looking for a pair of wooden forearms or handguards that have the oval shaped vent holes, (I believe they are called the 1st design) they are slimmer than the other style that have the round vent holes. I have a nice pair of the handguards with the round holes that I don't want, If you have the ones I'm looking for I would like to buy them, trade or whatever. I also have a lot of other parts. I'm not real good at posting pictures but sometimes I'm able (by luck) to accomplish it.

[John Sukey (Deceased)]

Well Now would someone PLEASE tell the folks at the BATF that!
Even with the safety sear intact, you STILL have a SEMI-AUTO RIFLE!
The SKS has a safety sear, the M1 Garand has a safety sear, BUt the safety sear in an L1A1 designed to keep the rifle from firing untill the bolt is locked, is EVIL!

[jeff hamerstone]

Yep John go figure; In the great state of Pennsylvania USA you can ride a motorcycle without a helmet legally but if you get caught not wearing a seat belt in your car you get a ticket. BUREAUCRATIC BULL****!!!!!!!!!