Unknown Enfield marked muzzle attachment

[stencollector]

I picked this up in a box of parts last year. Most of the parts were from the British MAG58, along with a few parts from the M1919 GPMG. But I have not been able to find any information on this muzzle attachment. I thought it was some form of a grenade launcher, or a much longer flash hider than I am used to seeing. Can anybody identify what it fits and what it's function is?

Information

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[ActionYobbo]

looks like a its burner for an LPG heat gun

[stencollector]

I don't know about that. Did Enfield make heat guns in 1986?
Here is a shot from the receiving end. You can see the green buildup from the copper residue.

[Lee Enfield]

Would that slip over an l1a1 or mag58 flash hider?

[Peter Laidler]

Simple......... it is the fume extractor from the L8 and L37 et al tank derivatives of the GPMG. I seem to think that there was a small tube part in the kit that extended backwards to the gas block area and the venturi effect draughted the exhaust gasses forwards and out of the tank. The ex tankies here (jonnyC?) will tell you that the gas from the co-ax machine guns are more overpowering than the main armament. Mind you, they fire a lot more rounds than the main armt!!!!!!!

Tankie and Skippy.......?

[stencollector]

Thanks Peter. I suspected it was something in the MAG58 family as the threads were about the size and it has the little cross pin to hold it.
Coincidentally I have a dewat L37 downstairs, but I think I prefer it looking like a regular MAG58.

I did a google search on the L37, and only found one shot of an example with that fume extractor.

[Peter Laidler]

Interesting..., that was photographed at Warminster. We still had some FN/lLiege made GPMG's that were BL 65A prefixed 1965 dated. Still going strong and already twice as old as some of the blokes on the SF course! The UK had to purchase a quantity of Liege production guns made to the UK spec as part of the manufacturing licence. There were VERY few changes to the original FN spec permitted and each change cost a kings ransom. The irony was that the strengthened bipod legs and re positioned butt sling swivel were immediately incorporated into BL spec guns!!!!!!

The reason why............. Is anyone really reading this stuff......? Anyway...... The reason why they insisted that we but a quantity of UK spec guns from BL was that overseas buyers who wanted UK spec guns, they could have them because BL could immediately get into production. They didn't like our stellite lined barrel idea. Nor did we...., it was crap!

[stencollector]

What was the issue with the Stellite liners? I have read where they had a little bit of an issue with "floating" on the 50s, and also were subject to gas burning between the liner and the barrel at the CofR.

[browningautorifle]

the Stellite liners

The US used them in the M60 and found besides them being all but impossible to machine, they would rust out from the corrosive gasses getting between the barrel and liner. That was their reason against. Cost was huge too...

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, you've both got it dead right. Remarkably, I found a few old stellite lined barrels that were being used as BFA's. They were horrendously expensive and the liners were made by a small firm in Swindon. Nobody really understood why they bothered because the actual barrel part of the L7, excluding the gas block and back end stuff, were pretty cheap as I seem to recall. BUT once again, FN wouldn't allow manufacture to be outsourced. Sterling said that they could do them but the licensing terms said manufacture by the licensee. They certainly had it all sewn up, believe me. Major Maurice Fogwell* was the MoD 'overseer' during its introduction and told me that he was always under pressure because of the tightness of the licensing agreement.
* Another Pom who went to SVn to ascertain the value/suitability of the first AR15's that we were issued with and the later first M-16's.