Here's something you don't see every day

[Lithy]

Yes, the SAF target Rifle saga was sad indeed. The Omark was the better rifle.

It's the closest thing we can have to an SLR nowdays and under our military rifle appearance laws is probably illegal too if push comes to shove.

[mrclark303]

Yes, the SAF target Rifle saga was sad indeed. The Omark was the better rifle.

It's the closest thing we can have to an SLR nowdays and under our military rifle appearance laws is probably illegal too if push comes to shove.

A sad state of affairs Lithy, but well done on on your L1 target rifle. I was offered one about 5 years ago and I wished I had taken it up now.

It might have looks only a mother could love, but it's an extremely rare inch pattern rifle.

[Lithy]

A sad state of affairs Lithy, but well done on on your L1 target rifle. I was offered one about 5 years ago and I wished I had taken it up now.

It might have looks only a mother could love, but it's an extremely rare inch pattern rifle.

Thanks mate. I've had it for years and never gave any thought about putting a picture up here.

I should imagine they would be very thin on the ground in your neck of the woods.

I do have a couple of much rarer Lithgows but they don't belong on the SLR forum.

[mrclark303]

Thanks mate. I've had it for years and never gave any thought about putting a picture up here.

I should imagine they would be very thin on the ground in your neck of the woods.

I do have a couple of much rarer Lithgows but they don't belong on the SLR forum.

Hi mate, this example was in the US, a mate offered it to me as I was exporting an L12A1 conversion kit at the time and could have added the rifle to the export documentation ... I know of only one other on the UK.

I decided not to go ahead .. What a regretful mistake that was!

Ah well, you can't have em all....

[Bruce_in_Oz]

"Yes, the SAF target Rifle saga was sad indeed. The Omark was the better rifle."

And it was at that point that the "Rifle Cubs" who were LEGALLY, (Defence Act 1910), the third level of the defence system, sold themselves and the rest of the country down the river. No more Rapid and Snap, as per service requirements.

THAT's why Jackboot Johnnie SPECIFICALLY repealed the 1910 Act in 1997..

Back in the final days of our fast diminishing liberty, I had a rebuilt L1A1 with a "Match" (Schultz and Larsen) barrel and all the rest of the rig "tighter" than you average "issue" rifle. With ISSUE F4 Ball, 5 inches at 300 yards was routine. The only thing I ever owned that would out-shoot it was a TRW M-14 that had the AMTU treatment (original, early 1960's TRW barrel) and which regularly delivered six inch groups at 500yards over a bench, (NM rear-sight). EXCELLENT feral pig rifle!

Ah, the "good old days".

NEVER forget, NEVER forgive!

[Lithy]

Yes mate, we all had to surrender many of our toys for the cause of public safety, but to be quite honest, I'm over it now. Those of us that live in the old Empire are all in the same boat and there is no sense in getting bitter and twisted over something we mere mortals cannot change.

I'm happy introducing younger shooters to service rifle shooting via our Precision Service Rifle competitions which run along similar lines to the British Civilian Service Rifle comps.

Rapids, snaps, sitting, kneeling etc. on figure targets is still good fun even without semis.

[muffett.2008]

Actually Bruce, it was not the end, just a change in format.
The Rifle Clubs maintained Rapids and Snaps, just slightly different and the Omark with it's large loading port was the go to Rifle.
The Snap match became the Gordon Highlander, still at 300yds, a 22" disc half black, half white, the disc appeared at different positions over a 2m frontage.
The Rapid was shot at 600yds, the Deliberate was at 800yds, all matches were teams, no spotters after sighters except the Deliberate.
These shoots became the Dominion matches shot throughout the Commonwealth countries.

As for us old diehards the Army Rifle Association kept us belting away with semi autos until we were too old to serve.

[nzl1a1collector]

Just found on that auction site, unfortunately they wont ship overseas

Thought I would post the photos here for posterity as these are never seen.

British 4 x L1A1 Rifle Transit Chest






I don't suppose someone wants to send it to me in little old NZ?

[browningautorifle]

That looks like the chests that arrived here. They sold too.

[nzl1a1collector]

Found an image of the Canadian Packaging. This is from an article done on CAL C1 production from the "Manufacturing News" September 1959