7.62mm L4 series........

[Longshaor]

My goal is an L4 clone for my reenacting unit.

I've got a small stockpile of L4 magazines, so that's not an issue. And as long as Sarco produces more barrels than they have kits, that problem is sorted as well. Which just leaves the breechblock. And I don't care if the gun is 100% authentic on the inside!

Information

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[scoobsean]

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I have a Historic Arms L4 clone. It has the L4 mag. I had to change the butt stock, carrying handle and bipod to the correct ones. It has the South African barrel so the flash eliminator is not correct, but other than that it looks good.

[Peter Laidler]

The bipod sleeve (the part the rotates on the gas cylinder) is wrong too. You could re-profile the mid section of the barrel to suit if you were so inclined. An L4 type flash eliminator should be easy to obtain and fit. Then you'll have an externally almost perfect L4

[scoobsean]

The bipod sleeve (the part the rotates on the gas cylinder) is wrong too. You could re-profile the mid section of the barrel to suit if you were so inclined. An L4 type flash eliminator should be easy to obtain and fit. Then you'll have an externally almost perfect L4

Would re-profiling the barrel be safe? Do you happen to know the measurements involved? I have ordered a correct bipod sleeve and flash eliminator/sight housing.

[scoobsean]

Is the bipod sleeve not the standard mark1 fitting? This is how I bought the bipod. I have a mark2 bipod too. Should it be a hibrid of the two?

[Peter Laidler]

Hopefully KevG will put up a photo! But basically, the L4 bipod sleeve has a steel shroud that extends rearwards over the gas cylinder vents. Simply to shield the brighter flash that comes from the 7.62mm blast venting from the gas cyl.

Off the subject - sort of for a minute....... This was a bit troublesome on the Navy L4A3 and 5 guns because the ferocious blast was directed rearwards onto the blast plate which was a separate part on the ex Mk2/A3 and 5 guns. The blast plate was meant to be fixed solidly to the gun body (through the medium a tapered cross-pin) but the blast could cause it to work loose. The inspection standard was relaxed by the NOD so that slight looseness was acceptable providing that......... And off it went on and on and on.

Now where is KevG with the photo.......?

[scoobsean]

Hopefully KevG will put up a photo! But basically, the L4 bipod sleeve has a steel shroud that extends rearwards over the gas cylinder vents. Simply to shield the brighter flash that comes from the 7.62mm blast venting from the gas cyl.

Off the subject - sort of for a minute....... This was a bit troublesome on the Navy L4A3 and 5 guns because the ferocious blast was directed rearwards onto the blast plate which was a separate part on the ex Mk2/A3 and 5 guns. The blast plate was meant to be fixed solidly to the gun body (through the medium a tapered cross-pin) but the blast could cause it to work loose. The inspection standard was relaxed by the NOD so that slight looseness was acceptable providing that......... And off it went on and on and on.

Now where is KevG with the photo.......?

I googled some photos and see what you refer to. Is the cone welded on or does it just slide on before you fit the bipod? Seems like an easy piece to loose if not fixed to the gas tube or bipod.

[Peter Laidler]

Sleeve machined round and tubular shroud brazed all round. The L4 type bipod sleeve was approved for fitting on all Bren guns after May 74 subject to a WSE notice being issued....... Don't worry about the technicalities!

[TactAdv]

.......stolen pictures, for discussion.

-TomH

[Peter Laidler]

That's the one. Thanks Tom. You can see that the factory conversion to L4 didn't waste anything! The actual sleeve was turned down to accept the shroud part. Even the old .303" barrels were stripped of the gas blocks and re-used on 7.62mm barrels. You can occasionally see the former makers mark or logo. The foresight blocks were also utilised on the new fluted flash eliminators. Backsight leaves were also ground down .014" and new 7.62mm markings were engraved (or were they rolled?)

Depending on the size of the buying nation chequebook, the Mk2 butt slides were slimmed down and contoured to Mk3 spec too.

There was a drawback to the shrouded L4 type bipod sleeve. It simply wasn't as robust or tough as the old sleeve (Pic 3, top left). The sling loop part was machined off during the conversion but it was THIS loop that prevented the gun tipping over onto its left side. On the L4, all that prevented the gun tipping was the flimsy shroud that interfered with the barrel. A few bashes against the barrel and the shroud would collapse......., followed by the gun!

Pic 1 shows what I mean about the bipod sleeve shroud. It directed the ferocious blast of spent gas onto the blast plate - that's the plate, just behind the shroud. The plate is sandwiched between the gas cylinder that's retained by the visible taper pin and the body. Originally the blast shield should be TIGHT but the relaxed NOD directive later stated that a slight amount of movement (which is never defined of course!) was permissible but the actual GAS cylinder must remain tight.

I was told by one of the RSAF 'Lockies' that the conversion also entailed the use of threaded Mk3 type gas cylinders. This is incorrect and not possible.

Interesting thread