Enfield L1A1 on a Lithgow cut receiver??

[mrclark303]

It's difficult to be precise from that photograph but it looks like the serial on the upper begins UE80.... but hadn't Enfield stopped production of their own new L1A1s by the late 1970s?

So could it be that it's a Lithgow supplied upper but used by RSAF and so numbered accordingly by Enfield. I thought I'd read somewhere that the UK had to buy in Lithgow made rifles/parts in the 80's as RSAF had ceased production (plus Parker Hale making barrels and other parts at that time as well)?

The more I look, the more interesting this one gets mate!

There's also a UE80 on the Mag well, it's in exactly the same place as a few of mine (a UE62 UE63).

As far as I know Enfield made a final top up batch of rifles in 1966.

Though Lithgow supplied several batches of Rifles to the Mod, these were complete, serial numbered batches, less furniture.

5 in 1971 followed by small batches in 1973 again in 1975.

Interestingly, AD8000616 to AD8000621 are listed as being supplied to the UK in 1980.

I wonder if this is one of the 5? Perhaps the Lithgow serial was removed on the right?

I initially thought it was a lash up, now I'm beginning to wonder, where's the resident L1 guru Kev?

Love to know what he makes of it.....