The differences between British and Australian L1A1, SLRs.

[mrclark303]

Kev, if you ever get the time, you need to sit down and write the definitive history of the inch pattern rifle mate, your knowledge and collection are jaw dropping!

[Peter Laidler]

I've been telling him this since time began.......... Looking at the body locking catches is interesting as we were forever having to tack weld the axis and actuating pins. We used to wait until we had a box full and then take them to the welders shop where one of the torch-jockeys would do his thing. What spring did the little 'S' relate to? Was it the actual catch spring? We had a similar mark as I recall, but it was marked on the side of the TMH

[Flying10uk]

Thanks for all the information chaps; this has been a fascinating thread.

[can14&]

Anyone know why Canadian c1 but plates are so hard to find? I have a consecutive numbered pair of c1s.
I also have Oz L1A1s

[browningautorifle]

Ours didn't get out into general circulation. Parts for the most part weren't released. Apparently Blake Stevens bought all the parts LB had as scrap and then when Diemaco put the FNs into war reserve, he sold them all his spares at individual value. Still, those didn't make the street. Now they all went to the smelter so there go your buttplates. The odd one shows up on CGN but that's it.

[Peter Laidler]

I seem to recall that our butt plates were made from sintered alloy, made at Qualcast in Birmingham - part of Birmalloy I think. What was the difference between a Canadian one and a UK one? At Wetter, the big combined Can/UK Base workshop in BAOR the L1's that went through were a mixed bag of both and no mention is made of butt plates differing. I'm sure that they fitted!

[nzl1a1collector]

[browningautorifle]

What was the difference between a Canadian one and a UK one? I'm sure that they fitted!

There's the pics...ours were stamped steel and had one single screw holding them. UK had the same inner but you have two screws like the LE butt. It would interchange but you needed the center screw.

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, got that. We had a couple of Canadian C1's at work and never thought to look either! Can I assume that the butts interchanged or did the sling attachment method preclude interchangeability?

And while we're here......... You started on that book yet KtK?

[browningautorifle]

The butts changed readily. Our sling swivels could just as easily been for LE, with the plate and two screws. Yours went into the wood and the buttplate screw held it...the little wood screw and the return spring tube end held ours on same as yours.