Opinion on my L42A1

[smle addict]

Hello All,

Submitted my serial number to Simon for a history search (thank you, Simon), and he was unable to turn up my serial number. He suggested i post some pics here for an expert opinion. Rifle began as an M47C in 1945, converted in 1971. The "T" is faint, and the rifle use. My camera died last night, so I only got a handful of pics. There are patches to the heel and toe of the stock. It is an "N" length stock. No "S51" stamp. The small 's' is visible on the right side, below the bolthead. The forearm is a replacement (?). The old number x'ed out appears to be L32431, but it is faint and hard to read. A new serial number, V39964 has been applied below it, x'ed out as well, and the new serial number V399641 applied between that. The serial number V399641 apears on the butt socket. Seems kind of long. On the inside of the scope bracket is a small 2 inside a circle. Bracket carries serial # V399641. Scope pads are soldered in place. Any ideas? Kind of scared me when Simon was unable to locate my serial number. I had an immaculate L42A1 back in 1992. Had a bad divorce and had to sell it. Regretted it ever since. Picked this up last year for a cheap $4000. It did come with a rifle chest and scope can, which are both covered in several layers of paint. They both match the rifle and scope.

What do you all think?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[jmoore]

One too many numbers in that S/N. Probably applied during a rebuild. My guess? Leave off the trailing "1" and see if it shows in the records.

No "coffin"? I'd be curious to see what numbers are on the transit chest and scope can. Probably all the same. which would indicate possible renumbering prior to selection for conversion. But why "x" out the one digit shorter number on the underside of the fore stock and then re-do with the extra digit? Seems the extra hard way of doing things.

[smle addict]

I'll post some more pics later. Just charged up the camera. I was unable to get a close-up photo, but under the barrel is a small, almost illegible importer. It reads, "...co, princeton NJ". cant read the first couple of letters.

[Roger Payne]

Hi smle addict. V 39964 is indeed on 'the list', but with a question mark in front of the entry. I would wager the only reason there is a question mark is because of a query over the extra digit the rifle's number has acquired during its service life. In other words I think JM is correct. Please could you get some big clear pix of the markings on the butt socket, because I think even from the photo's thus far shown, that the '1' may in fact be a vertical ding in the metalwork that has subsequently been mistaken for a digit?

By the way, it was converted & shipped as one of a batch to Donnington on 19/1/72.

ATB.

[smle addict]

Attached are a few more pics of the buttsocket marking. It does look like as if the '1' is just a ding that was mistaken for a digit. I stared at this 'digit' for a long time, before posting here. Also posted pics of the case. Looks as if all markings were painted over. There is one property tag a the end of the box, with rifle serial number. Thanks to Simon, Jmoore, and Roger Payne for clarifying. I feel much better!

Glad to know my rifle isn't a put-together. I get stomach sinks at the mere mention of a 'fake'. I bought two fakes from the defunct Victoria Trading Company, and I felt like a fool. So now i do my research before buying.

Again, thank you all.

[Peter Laidler]

The label that reads Z - SID - 9/88 is a bit ominous if you ask me as it indicates Repairable (if at all.....) only at Base workshop level and has been inspected as such by the REME Stores Inspection Department in Sept 1988.

[Roger Payne]

Peter, I note the front pad screws lack their paint. Would loose pad screws or similar constitute such a problem, or would a front pad issue be too trivial for Base Workshops?

[Peter Laidler]

Front pad screws were officially a field workshop repair as the rifle needed range and accuracy testing afterwards However, a decent unbit Armourers shop woulkd be able to re-do it and the snipoer would re-zero afterwards.

Hard extraction was a Base repair as was a loose foresight block plus the other usual Base repair jiobs - like shot out barrel. The loose foresight block was a Base repair job supposedly because of it's critical alignment and subsequent accuracy and range test. Towards the end of their life, after those fantastic L96's came on stream (You have already been advised. Get one NOW while they're cheap and plentiful.........) some of the rough L42's were simply side-lined and stripped while the others were slowly built up and put back into the War Reserve programme. That's where your initial 50+ brackets went as a matter of interest

Anyway, there's another few bits of useless Enfield related information - a bit like the telescope engraving story that will be re-told fully in the future

[waco16]

Peter - I thought that all of the L96's were being destroyed when pulled out of service?

[bigduke6]

Just looking at the the first pic in post 5, is that filler at the rear of the fore-end ?