NEW(S) to me FAL, L1A1 tools...

[skiprat]

a couple of photos of two tools I found at the war and peace show, I've never seen the type before!
the ridige bar type is marked Enfield (E over stamped D) 1961 9600048, the thin sheet metal one has no markings..

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Hey, skippy, you're giving your age away.......... They were just tools designed to make removing the extractor from the L1A1 breeck block difficult. Pic 1) You put the hollow end over the end of the firing pin head then put the pin at the other end of the tool into the hole in the extractor plunger then screwed the allen bolt in with an allen key until the extractor spring was compressed then flipped it uot. At all times, holding the tool close to the breech block so that the pin didn't come out of the hole in the plunder. When the extractor was clear, you shook it out then released the allen bolt with the allen key. Time taken: 3 mins!

Pic 2) similat thing but you worked the lever that did the same job. But you STILL had to hold the machine close to the breech block otherwise it'd snap out of the hole in the extractor plunger. I think that this one was Australian as I remember....... Time taken, 1 min

Method 1 and 2 were for when Female Armourers were introduced who didn't want to damage their nails

Method 3) The alternative method was hold an unserviceable firing pin in the right hand, put the tip into the hole in the extractor plunger, pull it 3mm to the rear and drop the extractor out. Time taken 5 seconds. Happy days

[skiprat]

I'm showing my age .... as I never used them... and still have all my finger nails!! we had to make the "L" shaped exstractor removal tool in trade training and when that was finished we made the 3 piece one simular to the second type.. and they both stayed in the bottom of the tool bag.

[browningautorifle]

In Canada, those of us in the know(but unqualified) used the method #3. Fortunately, the senior weapons tech was never around. But we sure had clean breech blocks...

[Peter Laidler]

Talking of basic trade training. When I was an apprentice, we made loads of tools etc but my masterpiece was a square. All polished and rivetted together but it could only do 91 degree angles. The instructor (Mr Surtees.....) put on my class report words to the effect that '........ has made the only 91 degree square in the class. But he should not be downhearted because when 91 degrees becomes the norm, he will be ahead of the game.....'
And to think that because I was an ex apprentice I didn't have to do year 1 at University. If only they knew...............

[bigduke6]

And to think that because I was an ex apprentice I didn't have to do year 1 at University. If only they knew...............

Things have certainly changed since then, as now its based on credits etc. I submitted my quals to see how many credits I could get, it turned out that a 4 year apprenticeship as a fitter & turner, over 20 years as an Engineering officer in the MN, several heating qualifications including being gas safe registered = 0 credits

[nzl1a1collector]

BUGGER, now I need to find one of those 1961 dated tools 960-0048 (1005-99-960-0048 TOOL, removing, extractor, Mk. 1) I thought I had one but it must be a 'Mark 2'. Well at least I now know what the Mark 1 looks like.

The other extractor tool is the FN model for the FAL rifles.



I actually thought that maybe this Armourers Instruction Extractor Tool was the Mark 1 version.

[Peter Laidler]

To be honest, as an Armourer, you just can't believe that someone spent ages, in many different Countries and in several different factories, just churning out this shi.........., er............, stuff! I tried the usual Armourers method of using a drift about 5 minutes ago. Drift in hole of plunger, point breech block at piece of cloth on bench, pull back on drift, tip breech block over. Extractor falls out, release tension on spring. Job done. Putting it back is just as quick

If you'd got 100 rifles to in-inspect that day, that's a LOT of time saved! Agreed Tankie?

[skiprat]

There was always the nib on the side of the combination tool!!

[Peter Laidler]

Hey, I'd forgotten about that. Good thinking Skippy. Last day in the REME on Tuesday too!