L42A1 (new to me), Rare Maltby Conversion

[Gil Boyd]

No real chance of bottoming that one out I'm afraid, as the lists from Leeds Armoury only give the final Enforcer/Envoy number ie 099 etc no original serial numbers appear to be recorded on anything I have access to.

I suppose there was no need for cross referencing at the time of conversion, they needed a number and it made sense to numerically start afresh.

Suffice it to say, if yours was an Enforcer it would be fairly clearly marked in some way. I don't hold the Envoy lists.

[Troglodyte]

No real chance of bottoming that one out I'm afraid, as the lists from Leeds Armoury only give the final Enforcer/Envoy number ie 099 etc no original serial numbers appear to be recorded on anything I have access to.

I suppose there was no need for cross referencing at the time of conversion, they needed a number and it made sense to numerically start afresh.

Suffice it to say, if yours was an Enforcer it would be fairly clearly marked in some way. I don't hold the Envoy lists.

That in itself is useful info. Now if I could find out where replacement bolts came from, that might support (or invalidate, depending on the answer) my admittedly wishful hypothesis that the bolt (since it is NOT from another L42A1 or an Enforcer but IS correctly proofed for an L42A!) was mated to the receiver during overhaul, and the system was simply boxed and shipped for disposal after the orders arrived, without wasting time renumbering the bolt or refinishing the scope mount, since it was headed for the chipper anyway.

[Roger Payne]

The bits of abrasive paper are a common finding - they were used to 'tighten up' a loose fitting rear guard. Same principle with the barrel band.

Seen a lot over here on rifles formerly used by target shooters. Any self-respecting armourer would probably have a fit....

[Troglodyte]

The bits of abrasive paper are a common finding - they were used to 'tighten up' a loose fitting rear guard. Same principle with the barrel band.

Seen a lot over here on rifles formerly used by target shooters. Any self-respecting armourer would probably have a fit....

Thanks. Guess I’d best toss the paper, then!

[Troglodyte]

Reassembling the triggerguard, I seem to be missing the lock washer and seating plate that are secured by the king screw (swivel small arms sling).

Should I have these?

[Roger Payne]

Have a look at the inletting for the trigger guard on the underside of the forend - at the front, where the front trigger guard screw passes through, there will probably be a steel plate set into it. If there is, you don't need a collar (the tubular spacer), assuming that was one of the things you were referring to. To the best of my knowledge you still need to have the little spring washer.

[DanL96a1]

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=4098
This might be of some help?

[Troglodyte]

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=4098
This might be of some help?

Thanks. I have a hard copy courtesy of Brian Dick--it shows the parts in question, but my rifle lacks them. Was interested in learning how close to reality the catalogue is.

I have a lock washer, unsure if I can even find a seating plate. All of the other parts, to include the little spacer tube, are already present.

[Roger Payne]

I gather the 'old method' of using the collar was still considered acceptable, too. If you have any trouble accessing a collar or spring washer pm me.

[Troglodyte]

Didn't have the benefit of the photo's initially, but just had a peek. I wonder if the rifle has spent time in Germany since its release from service? I think it is all genuine, but I do wonder if the scope bracket & scope have been re-matched to the rifle in its civvy life. The font of the scope number on the butt looks very Germanic to me. (After they were released a lot of L42's ended up on the German market). The rifle serial on the bracket has also been stamped over the black paint, causing some flaking, not before it was applied. I mean no offence to Troglodyte, as I am pretty sure he has a genuine L42, & of a 'rare manufacturer', as it were, but I do wonder who exactly matched the scope & bracket to this particular rifle. She's a peach, regardless, & I'd certainly give her house room........

Since reading this post, I have found three or four more internet examples of L42s with the scope number marked on the butt in the same font.

I've also since sent the rifle off to Brian Dick for servicing, to gain the peace of mind a "clean bill of health" gives. Brian has confirmed that the scope was not collimated with the bore of this rifle (he corrected this problem before returning the rifle to me).

I believe the foregoing solves the question of the origin of the "Germanic" font--it had to have been applied post-service, and this appears to have happened with several other L42 rifles as well.

I hope the others have since been correctly collimated as mine was, so they can be enjoyed to their full potential.