L1A1 fitted with a No.32 Scope

[phoenix44]

Can anybody shed any light on this L1A1, that I photographed in a local museum, that has a No.32 scope fitted.Was this a prototype ? any info appreciated,I'm curious.
Pete.Attachment 40239

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[Peter Laidler]

A figment of somones imagination. Especially if it was a No32, calibrated for .303". Whatever planet are these people on? Additionally, the recoil would tear the flimsy mount off the flimsy cover. Only my 2c's worth of course. The only telescope that was trialled on an L1A1 was a No78 Mk1 but the rifle simply wasn't accurate enough to pursue the matter any further.

What is slightly interesting, is to see black eye caps. Some have told me that these were a special order for the SAS or Commandos or............, well, it depends on whoever is in the news at the moment. Not so! They came into the systen in the late 70's early 80's from a sub contracting company who made leather boots, to Cooke and Perkins who simply got a relaxation in specified standards order to use up existing black leather stocks - presumably left over boot leather! Anyway, they were permitted to simply dye the whole thing black

[phoenix44]

This was my thought initially, but I belive it was one of several hundred guns gifted to the museum from Donnington. This is the museum The Donnington Collection

[Peter Laidler]

I'm afraid that the Donnington connection doesn't alter the fact that it is a mickey mouse made-up effort! Pray tell me. How would an Army marksman hit a target at, say, 300 yards after he'd zeroed it at, say, 100 yards when the trajectory of the bullet he is using ain't the same as the trajectory of the telescope?

It'd be like filling your car up with enough petrol for a 400 km journey when the actual journey is also 400......... but MILES instead of K's!

[Stanleyrf89]

I've always wondered what the configuration of this Royal Marines L1A1 is at the end of the Falklands Conflict (the one kneeling to the right of the FI flag, with 'scope just visible) - an issue weapon, or an opportune application of liberated Argentine FAL scope?

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[Brit plumber]

I've heard that the collection isn't totaly reliable. Even the photo shows a L42 with the caption converted from a Mk4TY sniper rifle. The mount on the cover looks quite crude to what i'd expect, compared to the SUIT mount its amateurish.

Also, the eye relief looks impossible, its about 1 1/2" further forward than the SUIT, would that work?

[Peter Laidler]

The pic of the L1A1 with the No32 reminds me of a picture that did the rounds some years ago of an SOE (?) .22" BSA super-sport with a No42/53 mounted on it. Supposedly used by the stay-behind 'auxilliaries' of 1940/41. What they never quite answered was how they would zero the sight on a rifle and the fact that the No42/53 didn't even come onto the scene until very late in the war for the Mk7 and 8 Churchill gun tanks............ But tell/show enough people and guess what................

[Brit plumber]

Well it looks pretty if thats anyones cup of tea.

[Peter Laidler]

during the large semi auto rifle cull in the 80's or so, all army type material such as L1A1's were offered back to the MoD. I would imagine that this one was such a rifle that was collectred by the MoD, taken back to Ordnance, looked good and was taken aside for the small collection that the RAOC housed at Donnington.

A huge stack of this confiscated stuff, such as L1A1's and the like went back to the then big Ordnance depot at Thatcham where the Armourer Geoff Pxxxx, a Warrant Officer from the Inspection Branch and another bloke who's name I forget were asked to give it a visual once-over. The condition of it was absolutely dire........... Some of these home trigger jobs and other bodges were a sight to behold. A few of the half decent L1A1's were to Bordon for student projects and Shrivenham too. Just my thoughts on this enigmatic No32 sighted monstrosity.....!

[Brian Dick]

That's a great picture Stanleyrf89. Look at the lovely L7 GPMG too!! 7.62 goodness!!