NZ contact L2A1

[mrclark303]

Attached is a picture of my live NZ L2A1 (now since sold when I reduced the size of my collection). A very small number were released to NZ collectors by the NZ Army Museum via commercial arms auctions, and the funds were used for the museum operating budget.

Very nice indeed, were you allowed to let her "sing" or did she have to stay semi or not be fired?

Information

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[Woodsy]

Very nice indeed, were you allowed to let her "sing" or did she have to stay semi or not be fired?

NZ law allows licensed collectors to own live MG's but not shoot them (except for blanks at an organised 'theatrical event'). As a licensed gunsmith I am permitted to fire MG's with ball ammo for 'test & evaluation' to ensure they are safe and 'fit for purpose' as required by NZ consumer protection legislation. I addition, I also do pre-deployment weapons training courses for the NZ Army, covering foreign and other 'non-issue' MG's.

Frankly, I do not think much of the L2A1 as a light machine gun. The body is not sufficiently robust to withstand full-auto fire without developing problems. After their initial issue to the NZ Infantry in Vietnam they were soon relegated to second line units as defensive weapons (eg. Artillery). The L4 Bren was much preferred, although the M60 was issued to NZ Forces in Vietnam only (the M60 was never adopted by NZ except as door guns for the RNZAF). The Vietnam issue was only to retain compatability with Aussie and US troops.

[mrclark303]

Thanks for that info Woodsy, I have never had the pleasure of shooting an L2, but it is somewhat awkward, unlike most other areas of the inch pattern Fal, it really doesn't come over as particularly well thought out, bit of an evolutionary dead end if you will.

I guess the "all things to all men" temptation was too strong at the time, a bit like the similarly poorly thought out British L86A1/2. At least we in the UK had the good sense to stick with the Bren at the time.

---------- Post added at 12:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:56 AM ----------

The 'stop in hole' you mention. Is this the little hole just ahead of the change lever radius (photo 1)? I don't remember this on our L2's although I only saw and fired a few. Is this a commercial afterthought? As Woody says in thread 17, it was really a heavy rifle as opposed to an LMG.

Yep, a UK pre 1988 semi auto ban civilian modification Peter, stop pin added and longer trigger plunger. I am surprised they didn't just replace the L2A1 selective fire safety with an L1A1 example.

I guess this was the cheapest route to make it a UK legal Semi automatic at the time.