L42a1CES items

[snipershot1944]

I'm still working to complete my CES, piece by piece. Does anyone know of a source for original chamber sticks? And of course, an original IWS bracket.

I've looked at the Canadian repros and they look nice. But I'd prefer an original if possible. I've had two real ones in the past, one sold with my former rifle and my other sold to complete the CES for the rifle in the NRA museum.

Thanks in advance.
David

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

As a matter of interest the repros were made using the original drawings. One was also test fired on an L42 with an IIW at the test range here and was perfect in every way. Can't get more 'original' than that. As I understand it, even the paint was sunkorite!

[snipershot1944]

I'm looking to complete my cleaning kit for the L42. Do I need an Enfield combination tool or one for the L1A1? Thanks in advance.

[Peter Laidler]

The comb tool was not issued with the kit BUT because the cleaning kit was the same(?) as the L1A1 rifle, they all seemed to be issued with a complete as issue L1A1 cleaning kit!

[chosenman]

David, did you try Fulton's for your chamber stick?

[snipershot1944]

I did send them an email last week but received no reply. I keep hoping they will send me an email back.

Thanks

---------- Post added at 10:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 AM ----------

Peter, thanks. I'm more used to working with US equipment and see a little wire screen in the L1A1 kit but no bore brush. Was that in the kit as well or did they somehow use the screen?

[Simon P]

Try Here for a Chamber Cleaning stick:

British, Armourers Chamber Cleaning Sticks for .303" & 7.62mm Weapons.

[snipershot1944]

Thanks Simon. I actually bought one out of Canada but is appears to be an Israeli stick. I'm going to wait to find a British marked and dated one, or at least a PH version. The stick I have will be used, so not a total waste.

[Peter Laidler]

The L1A1 cleaning kit had a chamber brush that screwed to the combination tool but chamber ckleaning for the L42 was with the chamber stick although you could use the brush and comb. tool. The wire gauze/mesh thing used to be part of the kit when it was used with the old .303" rifle but I seem to recall that the use of this ferocious gauze was outlawed for the rifle but continued for the Bren Gun. That's the reason you will often find cleaning kit tins where the little window/envelope slot in the lid of the tin has been removed. There was a small-arms instruction in the late 50's/early 60's that the use of the gauze was to be discontinued and the window part of the tin removed by unsoldering it.

The gauze was one of those three man jobs that recruits would take great delight in doing but it really was like, well.......... It was absolutely ferocious! DO NOT EVER EVER use it on an L42. If you have some in the tin, take it out as it shouldn't be there. The edges were diamond hard as you'll see from the hardening colour if you look at a new piece. While they might scrub a barrel clean, it scrubs it knackered! When I was doing my Military Training after my apprenticeship, the Mil Trg instructors were STILL cleaning out the L4 7.62mm Bren barrels that way, even though the barrels were chrome lined! Nobody thought to tell them and I certainly wasn't going to!

Sorry to go off at another bit of a historical tangent but that's another bit of useless Enfield info

[snipershot1944]

Thanks Peter. The US kits simply had a bore brush and slotted pullthru with thong or attached to the buttstock cleaning rod. Plus a chamber brush on the combo tool. I was wondering how the Brits kept their bores clean without a bore brush. That piece of wire screen did not seem to be a good idea.