No.15 SA Chest

[Micheal Doyne]

At the range today some one was chatting at he had seen No15 chests modified whist in service to accept rifle with scope fitted. I’ve never come across any evidence of this, so I was a little sceptical, but then I’ve only seen a few. Has any one else any info to share on this topic. My main reason for asking was I’m thinking for knocking a chest up for my rifle and one with scope attached would be convenient, but I’d prefer accuracy over convenience.

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[Seaforth72]

I have owned a fair number of No.15 Mk.I chests along with the rifles and have never seen or even heard of one modified in service to hold the rifle with the scope still attached. I do not think the army would have done that as there would then be no room for the issued scope case.

If such a modified chest exists then I suspect that it was modified by a civilian owner.

Given the increasingly high market value on the No.15 Mk.I chests, I would not recommend modifying an original chest, though building a custom chest is up to you.

Note that these chests are heavy and as far as I know were usually left in Quartermaster stores as they were used for storage and for shipping, but were not taken into the field. British sniper Arthur Hare for example described turning his rifle into the QM at the end of WWII and he did not have a chest.

[GeeRam]

At the range today some one was chatting at he had seen No15 chests modified whist in service to accept rifle with scope fitted. I’ve never come across any evidence of this, so I was a little sceptical, but then I’ve only seen a few. Has any one else any info to share on this topic. My main reason for asking was I’m thinking for knocking a chest up for my rifle and one with scope attached would be convenient, but I’d prefer accuracy over convenience.

Nope, I've not seen one, or heard of it being done either, and as pointed out above, it would totally defeat the whole point of the chest in its service use!

And I'm not understanding why you think it would be more convenient?
Unless you are in the fortunate position to have lots of guns and have a proper armoury room so don't store your guns in conventional gun cabinets, I can't see when you'd ever put the rifle in the chest. In all the years I've had my 4T, the only time in my ownership its been in the chest was when I collected from the RFD i bought it from, and the only time it's likely to go back in it, will be the day that I sell it. It's a nice to have thing if it came with the rifle, and contents like mine did, but, if I didn't have it, I wouldn't be that bothered about getting one......well not a non-original one. They are heavy and awkward, and take up a lot of room.

[Micheal Doyne]

Thank you GeeRam and Seaforth., I thought that was likely to be the case. The only reason I could see is if one where going to regularly fire it directly from it’s chest.

And to you point GeeRam, I am lucky enough to have an all be it small strong room, so yes those that have a chest live in their chests. Also I like the look of them so I transport my L42 to and from the range in his chest.

[GeeRam]

Also I like the look of them so I transport my L42 to and from the range in his chest.

I admire you for that level of anal commitment.......however barking that idea is

I get the hump if I have to move the ruddy empty thing around from its permanent location, I can't even begin to imagine putting the damn thing in a vehicle and taking it to a range (on top of my sanity being questioned by my fellow club members)

[Micheal Doyne]

Oh my sanity is rightly questioned already! Particularly when they shooting away with AIs and I’m their with my Snider, the l42 is a modern as I go.

[Roger Payne]

I know what you mean. I'm often the only saddo on the firing point with a rifle that has some wood on it & no bipod....

[GeeRam]

I'm quite lucky, in that its only in the past year or so, that we've had an intake to our small club of newer younger club members that were not initially interested in old milsurps or old target rifles.........and were looking at ghastly modern black plastic contraptions......
However, as they had to do proby on our one and only club rifle, which is a 60's or 70's target conversion of a P14 with 7.62 heavy barrel and cut timber, they have come around slightly to appreciating them and wanting something made out of an old tree and all put in for at least one 303 slot on their FAC app in addition to a 7.62 slot for a plastic fantastic.

And likewise, a L42 would be about the only post 1945 rifle I'd want to own (not much chance of that though) even though my GSG StG.44 is technically modern albeit a copy of a pre-45 design, and it does have a small piece of tree in ts construction. It does attract a lot of attention on the range though.

[Roger Payne]

I've got one of the GSG Sturmgewehrs as well. Love it. Mind, I've been around long enough to have owned one in 7.9 x 33 that worked (pre-Dunblane) albeit the selector lever had to be welded to self-loading (& safe) only. Our late treasurer who was a '2 sighters & 10 to count' man (he never shot more than twelve rounds per shoot - why could one possibly want a rifle with a magazine?!?) went very quiet very quickly when a pal of mine shot five bulls in five shots at 300 with it.

Sorry.....wandered off topic a little. Apols.

[Micheal Doyne]

That is a great off topic!
I also have a GSG StG44, it mostly used for rabbit so has acquired a suppressor and optic.