L55A1 7.62mm D.P. LMG

[Kev G]

L55A1 7.62mm D.P. LMG

Has anyone got a picture of a Drill Purpose 7.62 LMG they can post please ?
I know they are mentioned in EMERs and there are drawings for them and also that they had an NSN assigned to them but have never come across one.There also doesn't appear to be one in the R.A. collection at Leeds.
The nearest I have seen were SEME Borden trianing aids and engraved as such.
......were any actually done ?
303 D.P. Brens still seemed to be in use with cadets until the end ,were these kept in use instead of specific 7.62 LMG D.P.guns ?

ATB Kevin

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

I don't have a photo of one but there were definately a few around. The last one/few I saw was at the ITC at Winchester before it closed. Bear in mind that the actual gun drills were identical between the guns, it was pretty well academic which one you used to train with.

[Kev G]

Thanks Peter,nice to know that a few may potentialy be out there.
As you said "actual gun drills were identical between the guns, it was pretty well academic which one you used to train with." so hence my wondering if any L4's had actually been converted to D.P.

Many thanks,Kevin

[Peter Laidler]

I followed this up yesterday and it seems as though the L55 DP L4 Brens were only used during the Infantry Training phase of training for what we call Corps Troops, who would still be using L4 Brens. By Corps troops, I mean the ar5e end of the Army such as the REME, Signals, Transport etc etc. The remainder - or the Teeth Arms were all GPMG trained and equipped.

As a bit of an aside, WO2 'mac' Mcxxxxxy also said that it seemed as though 'live' .303" Brens used by Cadet Forces were in short supply from the 70's so the supply of converting L55 DP L4's were stepped up so that the old and now worn out L4's could be utilised instead of DP-ing more .303" Brens.

This all makes sense now because from the mid to late 80's, stocks of serviceable 'live' .303" Brens had dried up and when replacements were issued to Cadet Forces, it was with 7.62mm L4 Brens. Luckily, some/most of them also had that abortion of an L81 target rifle issued and each one came with a healthy annual allocation of 7.62mm ball ammo. This meant that there was MORE 303 ammo for the rifles and the green-spot target riifle 7.62mm ammo was used in the newly issued L4 Brens. An even better result all round I think you'll agree

[Kev G]

Cheers Peter.
Would still be interested in a picture if anyone has one ?

ATB KG

[Peter Laidler]

Better still KG, get an old L4 and convert it to L55 spec then you'll have the real McCoy. And legal too!

I have a funny feeling that some of the L55's were converted from L4A1's because at the same time, after a dues-out of many years, (Dues-out = waiting for spare parts) the old A1 ejector blocks became available again with instructions to override the magazine holding open device

[Kev G]

Peter,I'm afraid that option is prohibitivly expensive as L4's just aren't around.The next batch of L4A3's coming onto the market will be retailing for about £1100.
In most peoples eyes to convert it to DP would then make it worth less.
ATB KG