An interesting scope combo.

[Peter Laidler]

Basic physics will put a stop to a scope of this weight being capable of reliable use. While the scope - like the SUIT - will pass the standard fastness test - or recoil test, with the Enfield layer or rest set at hard, the fact remains that the telescope will always recoil radially rearwards. It's physics at work. The telescope is good, the rifle is good but the cover is thin pressed steel, a third the thickness of a bit of car body steel

One of the old workshop notes I have refers to repairs to the cover in the event of it splitting - notice the reinforcing piece at the rear of the cover, below the actual mount part. To be honest, in all my time, I never understood the need for the little 'stops' at the rrear of the L1 cover! It's nt as though you could push the cover on too far! They were forever splitting - due to that nasty rule of physics again. Eventually, they were simply cut off and made good. Just like FN did at the start.

Worth bearing in mind that while the scopes are dated '67 or so, NI didn't start until late '69 and didn't start hotting up until mid '71(?) depending where you were based of course!!!!!

Information

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[mrclark303]

I suppose the pressing need for optics must have entailed someone looking through storage and dragging these out.

Certainly mine has very few signs of use, it certainly points towards the No74 MK1 being cancelled almost as soon as it was manufactured.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Just a wild guess from the Penal Colonies.

I suspect the little folded tabs at he lower rear of the L1A1 dust cover may be a hangover from the construction of the early X-8 series covers that retained the ability to use those various charger clips. With a "full-length" cover, as the rifle recoils, the cover cannot "slide forward"; with a "half-length" cover, the tabs were "needed" to stop such movement.

As the design advanced towards the "definitive L1A1", the recesses in the body, and the dust cover tabs never quite got scrubbed from the drawings, so, here we are today chatting about arcane details on vintage hardware. Chicken / Egg and "Tab / Recess".

[mrclark303]

Just a wild guess from the Penal Colonies.

I suspect the little folded tabs at he lower rear of the L1A1 dust cover may be a hangover from the construction of the early X-8 series covers that retained the ability to use those various charger clips. With a "full-length" cover, as the rifle recoils, the cover cannot "slide forward"; with a "half-length" cover, the tabs were "needed" to stop such movement.

As the design advanced towards the "definitive L1A1", the recesses in the body, and the dust cover tabs never quite got scrubbed from the drawings, so, here we are today chatting about arcane details on vintage hardware. Chicken / Egg and "Tab / Recess".

I would guess it was a rifle steering committee mandate....