Sight, tele, L1A1 Serial Number 26151

[Gil Boyd]

Knocked this out to help myself recently on buying an L42 hope its of help to others, I am sure I have missed a couple of important points like the Magazine

AIDE MEMOIRE AND QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE ON THE LOCATIONS AND AUTHENTICITY OF NUMBERS FOUND ON THE L42A1 Enfield Rifle CONVERSIONS
STARTING FROM THE BUTT TO THE TIP OF THE BARREL

1. THE BUTT PLATE COULD BE EITHER SILVER COLOURED ALLOY OR WAS COMMONLY BRASS AND SHOULD
INCLUDE A BUTT TRAP WHERE THE OIL BOTTLE AND PULL THROUGH COULD BE HOUSED

2. THE BUTT SHOULD HAVE A MKII SLING SWIVEL FITTED.

3. IN THE CONVERSION PROCESS FROM A 4T RIFLE TO AN L42A1 THE “S51” LETTERS OF
HOLLAND & HOLLAND MAY HAVE BEEN STRUCK ON THE RIDGE OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE
HAND GRIP IN ¼” LETTERS. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS EVIDENT.

4. THE SCOPE ISSUED TO THE RIFLE AT THE TIME OF ITS “PAIRING” WOULD HAVE HAD ITS
NUMBER STAMPED ON THE TOP SURFACE OF THE WRIST AND IN MANY CASES THE
ENFIELD EXAMINERS NUMBER WOULD HAVE STAMPED A “T” NEXT TO THE EJECTOR
SCREW SIGNIFYING A NO32 MK 111 TELESCOPE HAD BEEN FITTED AND HAD MET ALL THE
INSPECTION LEVELS. THESE MARKS ARE ONLY EVER EVIDENT ON NO4 RIFLES CONVERTED
TO SNIPER RIFLES.
The War Office issued instructions under(Army Council Instruction 399 of 1944, dated 31 May 1944) which addressed the fact that some
rifles had left the factories without the (T) designator marked on the rifles. Units were ordered to apply this mark locally to those affected
rifles. It therefore follows that not all were marked at unit level after these instructions were made."

5. A WOODEN BEECH CHEEK PIECE WAS FITTED TO ALL NORMAL LENGTH RIFLES CONVERTED
12 ¼” INCHES USING A 1 ¼” INCH WOOD SCREW IN THE FRONT AND A 1 ½” INCH WOOD
SCREW IN THE REAR.

6. THE RIFLE SERIAL NUMBER AS WE TRAVEL FORWARD WILL BE STAMPED ON THE REAR
FLAT OF THE BOLT HANDLE. THE PROOF MARK 19 T WITH OR WITHOUT CROSSED FLAGS WILL BE EVIDENT ON:
1) BOLT HANDLE
2) BOLT HEAD
3) RECEIVER
ALL 3 ITEMS WILL BE STAMPED ON GENUINE L42A1'S

7. LOOKING AT THE BACK SIGHT FROM THE REAR, THE REAR BATTLE SIGHT WOULD HAVE
BEEN GROUND FLAT TO ALLOW THE TELESCOPE TO SIT AS LOW AS POSSIBLE. AN 1/8”
“S” COULD BE EVIDENT ON THE FLAT METAL ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BODY TO
SIGNIFY THAT FOLLOWING CONVERSION THE IRON SIGHTS DID NOT NEED TO BE RE
CALIBRATED

8. THERE SHOULD BE A LETTER M MARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE REAR SIGHT AND 1250
STAMPED ON THE SIDE BUT AGAIN NOT ALWAYS EVIDENT

9. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE BUTT METAL SOCKET THERE SHOULD BE AN OBVIOUS OR FADED
YEAR OF MANUFACTURE AND SERIAL NUMBER AND THERE MAY BE PRESENT A “TR” STAMP BUT THIS DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING REGARDING THE
NO4T TO L42A1 CONVERSION. IN A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES THE ORIGINAL NUMBERS/ AND MANUFACTURERS MARKS ie M47C HAVE BEEN “FLATTENED” AND/OR
REMOVED, BUT IN MANY CASES THEY CAN BE FAINTLY SEEN IN THE METALWORK UNDER A MAGNIFYING GLASS.

10. MOVING FORWARD THE REAR PAD SHOULD HAVE TWO FLAT HEAD 4BA SCREWS AND
BOTH SHOULD BE STAKED. (A single stake mark on all screws suggests the rifle was newly
converted and not refinished) More than one stake per screw head, indicates the pad had been
removed or replaced, either for repair or overhaul.

11. JUST IN FRONT OF THE EJECTOR SCREW COULD BE THE LETTER “T” STAMPED AS AT 4 ABOVE BUT MAY HAVE BEEN REMOVED ON THE CLEAN
UP

12. MOVING FORWARD ON THE FLAT OF THE ACTION ON THE LEFT SIDE THE LETTERS
L42A1D71 WITH A PUNCH MARK EVIDENT ON THE UPRIGHT OF THE D SYMBOL THIS IS
THE ENFIELD LOGO AND DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE FALSELY.

13. MOVING FORWARD FROM THAT THE FRONT PAD SHOULD HAVE THREE RAISED HEAD
4BA SCREWS THIS PAD WAS SWEATED ON, ALL OF WHICH AGAIN SHOULD BE STAKED
CLEARLY AGAINST EACH SCREW.

14. JUST IN FRONT OF THE FORWARD PAD COULD BE A SMALL SYMBOL WITH A CROWN
WITH BNP UNDER IT, THIS RELATES TO THE BIRMINGHAM PROOF HOUSE.

15. DIRECTLY BELOW THE WOODWORK AND IMMEDIATELY IN FRONT OF THE MAGAZINE
HOUSING SHOULD BE A SLING SWIVEL.

16. WITH THE SCOPE BRACKET FITTED ONE CLEAR NUMBER SHOULD BE EVIDENT IDENTIFYING
THE RIFLE NUMBER. THERE MAY BE OTHER NUMBERS ON THE ALLOY BUT CROSSED OUT
SHOWING PREVIOUS RIFLES IT WAS USED ON.

17. THE SCOPE MOUNTS WILL NORMALLY BE STAMPED IN CONSECUTIVE NUMBERS
EG: 630 AND 631

18. THE UPPER DRUM OF THE TELESCOPIC SIGHT WOULD HAVE AN “M” MARKED ON IT
TO SIGNIFY IT IS IN METRIC MEASUREMENT

19. ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CHORDEL BARREL JUST IN FRONT OF THE FORWARD SLING
SWIVEL SHOULD BE THE FOLLOWING LETTERS AND SYMBOLS:

CROWN OVER BNP 7.62 X 51 4680 BAR CROSSED SWORDS WITH LETTERS VC EITHER SIDE
THE BARREL FITTED TO THE L42 ON CONVERSION WILL BE A HAMMER FORGED HEAVY BARREL WITH A "SNAKE SKIN" APPEARANCE.

20. THE FORE SITE AND PROTECTOR SHOULD READ THE INITIALS PH FOR PARKER HALE

[Simon P]

RWS Engineering has one for sale, looks very nice but can not afford there £12K asking price:

Full Bore Rifles - The Devizes Gunsmith

[Gil Boyd]

I think that particular L42 will be gathering dust at that price sadly, the brush is missing in the plastic container.

[bigduke6]

#9 Gil, needs to be put right regarding the TR.

[Gil Boyd]

Roger that worded it slighty different, hope that reads right now

[chosenman]

Gil, ref point 11. I've looked at a fair few L42's and the original "T" next to the ejector screw is never always there I think it's hit and miss and depended a lot on how close it was to the surface area that had to be prepped for the L42A1 designation. If too close then it was bead blasted or ground off.

[Gil Boyd]

Worth starting this list, as it will hopefully give us most of the important checklist for the L42 when considering buying a real one, with everybody's useful additions and amendments.

That is of course if we trust in all the engineers doing their bits consistently over the past years, which we know they didn't.
Thanks and will amend at anytime if anybody has any other further views

[vintage hunter]

a couple other points that you may wish to correct to avoid confusion are:
#1. Base plate should read Butt plate
#6. S/N stamped on rear of bolt face, should read s/n stamped on rear flat of bolt handle
#7 the small ''s'' is not always present. (Or so I'm told)
#14 &19 regarding BNP proof markings. I believe the only ones that will have these are the ones sold in or exported back to the U.K. Mine has no U.K. proof markings at all except the 19T markings it's supposed to have, only import marks.

[chosenman]

Might be worth mentioning the 19T markings and as obvious as it might sound, the hammer forged heavy barrel with its "snake skin" appearance.

[Gil Boyd]

Amended and thanks for that, as I said it was just a quick guide I knocked up for myself when I went to buy an L42, and I am sure others on the site will glean the salient points should they need to use it in the future. Take on board the Import/Export markings of the BNP but this then contradicts Ian Skennertons book, or maybe I misread it!!

Chosenman,
Good point don't know why I missed them off my list above I have them written down............. well spotted. I hold the Mulled Wine responsible as I get into the silly season ha ha!!