Use of the L42 in the Falklands Conflict

[chosenman]

I’m currently working on a book about a century of British military sniping and in the course of my researching all manner of items I have spoken with many people, a great many of whom were snipers back in the day. An item I was keen to get to the bottom of is the SF bracket for mounting the S&B scope on the L42. When the L96 ran into trouble 14 maintenance advisory group carried out a feasibility study of mounting the S&B on both the L42 and L39 and for the L42 modified two no32 brackets and had two commercially manufactured brackets produced. They recommended the use of the L13A1 S&B regardless.
Prior to this the SAS produced their own bracket of which ITDU were completely unaware of and is available today in very small numbers of which all are unpainted for service. I spoke with a forma SAS sniper who recalls the brackets and he says they were never anything other than a trials and development item.
I have encountered two brackets identical to the SAS brackets that were painted black and do indeed look like they have had a service life but having spoken with a number of RM’s and SBS I can not find anyone who recalls them. I would suggest the L13 did not serve a single day on the L42.

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[30Three]

Thank you all for a very interesting thread. The wealth of knowledge shared on this forum is first grade stuff; much appreciated.

[55recce]

I am pretty sure the L42 dumped in the stream story did not originate in this thread. I think I read it in a book somewhere before joining this forum. As I recall the rationale was a fogged up scope and a bolt action rifle being pretty much useless in the close quarter night battles that almost exclusively dominated the Falklands campaign. The story went on to say that the person responsible acquired an Argentinian FAL and found the full auto option to be very useful (as did a few others).

I have been unable to find this story again as it only occupied a few lines and I have about 90 books on the Falklands war. Still seems pretty unlikely to me, but it does seem that at least a couple of people here must have read the same book at some time....

[Gil Boyd]

The snipers were all issued SMG's as their secondary weapon, so not sure why you would want to hang yourself on completion of the task, having slung your L42 away. Each Battalions HQ formation would have taken it in and given him a spare SLR if it was wrecked, otherwise the one I have now used by 2 SCOTS and written off at the time would never have made it back to the UK for a full service!

[mossin]

Here are the markings on my L42 transit chest from what I gather it should have been in the Falklands as the unit was the Scots guards and the sniper who's name in the box was there

[DanL96a1]

Here are the markings on my L42 transit chest from what I gather it should have been in the Falklands as the unit was the Scots guards and the sniper who's name in the box was there

Hi mossin L/Sgt Colin Coull Scots Guards mentioned in the book “victory in the Falkland” and “amongst friends : Scots guards” I’ve seen l42 chest with yellow paint saying 2SG in black marker pen.

[Gil Boyd]

Dan/Mossin,
Nigel did not think he went south with them. But memories are memories after 36 years and he could be wrong of course!

[mrclark303]

It's hard to visualize any situation in which a British Army Soldier would throw away his issued firearm, let alone a highly trained Sniper...

The only situation I could conceive is if he was compromised and his weapon was U/S, thus he was forced to drop it and pick up an alternative to defend himself.

I have never really understood the point of full auto on a light barrel standard Fal ... Rounds 1 and 2 on target, then 3 to 20 fired into the clouds!

[55recce]

How about you are getting shot at and are holding a useless weapon? I think that would be sufficient motivation!

However, I would like to respectfully point out that I am not endorsing this story. Merely suggesting that its origins are in a book somewhere and not the imagination of a forum member.

[Gil Boyd]

55recce,
Having trawled here is the thread from elsewhere on the site where it was mentioned:

DanL96a1
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01-07-2018 @ 01:25 PM

The book referring to the Falkland conflict, and the L42 being dumped in the stream is “Out of Nowhere - A history of the military sniper” by Martin Pegler on page 289 references 278. I agree with Peter and with Gil, not handing in a rifle you were issued with, broken or not is the worse kind of crime in the MOD armed forces.

As Peter correctly states the L42 had done two life times, 1945 – 1992 in the case of my the L42’s.


Who has this book, and can check as to which unit or individual is alledged to have chucked it away please!!!

Simon,
I am sure will corroberate the fact that there is only one of the L42's showing as written off/missing off his list during the Falklands War, and that is Nigel Ayres rifle of 2 Scots, who was hit in the back on Tumbledown Mt and his L42 action took a direct hit. I know that as I have that rifle now and he got to shoot it last year.