New magazine for L39a1

[Kallisti]

Greetings all

I have an L39a1 I use for target shooting. I have read posts here about adjusting the original magazine, which I have done, but I would like a larger capacity one i.e. 10 or 20 rounds. Is there a modern magazine I can get that will fit? I had an Accuracy International .308 magazine but sold it with another rifle without trying it in the Parker Hale conversion...

Many thanks in advance

Kian.

Information

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[Kallisti]

Hi all

On the advice of a member I contacted John at D.S. Solutions Militaria

Looks like I'll be using the original mag for some time yet with single shots or regular misfeeds. Fine for target shooting but more of a problem for practical rifle which I wanted to use it for.

I share John's reply here with his permission in case it is useful to others. He said he was keen not position himself as some kind of expert.


"Thank you for contacting us.

"If your rifle is a true L39A1, then it should be fitted with a .303" No4 magazine, as these were only intended to act as a loading platform rather than a magazine. The L39A1 bodies were not machined to accept the 7.62mm L42A1 magazine for the Sniper rifle, although with a bit of fettling these can be made to work in most L39's. Likewise, although the Sterling conversion 10 round 7.62mm magazine should fit in your L39, it lacks the fitted ejector of the L42 magazine which is likely to be an issue - also to be frank they are rubbish magazines! Currently original L42 type magazines (10 round capacity) are retailing for around £125+, although just finding one can be a problem now. As far as I am aware at this time there are no commercially available replacement magazines that will fit an L39.

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but realistically the only good option would be an L42 magazine - if you can find one and if you can successfully make it work. I currently do not have any in stock, or an 'off the shelf' source for them.

"Good luck with your search. If I can offer any other advice I would be pleased to help if I can. If you should source an L42 magazine, and you luck into a source of them, I would be grateful to know.

"Best Regards,
John Chapman.
DS Solutions"

[Peter Laidler]

The old L96 magazines certainly LOOK like they'd be an easy fit and I had a few to play with. Alas, to get one to remotely fit into the mag housing damages the front of the mag, splits the weld and jambs up the platform although you can fettle the plastic platform to fit and work. Then there's the strip and stop at the rear............ Don't even bother unless you want to ruin a couple of mags

[Brian Dick]

Most of what John says is correct but he's wrong about the L39 not being modified in the magazine well to accept the 10 round Enfield pattern 7.62 magazine. They are modified including the XL39E1 experimentals of which there were about 200 produced. You need to get some 7.62 drill rounds, a good pair of smooth jaw pliers and adjust your existing magazine so that it functions and feeds as it should. Make sure your rifle has a 7.62 extractor fitted and good extractor spring. All of these components work together and if everything's in good shape, it should feed and function flawlessly.

[Maxwell Smart]

Is your magazine at the moment a .303 or 7.62 one?

One alternative is the 10 round magazine used in the Ishapore 2A 7.62 rifle; reproduction versions of these are readily available at a reasonable price, and will happily work in a No 4 conversion.

[Peter Laidler]

That's a good idea Max! I couldn't quite work out whether his mag was a .303 mag or a not-functioning-properly L42 mag. Actually, they SHOULD be called L8 rifle magazines because they were designed to be fitted to the 1965(?) politically sensitive and abandoned 60,000 Aid for India 7.62mm converted rifles

[Brian Dick]

If it's a .303 magazine installed as issued, you should just acquire an D65 Enfield L8 7.62 magazine. They work like a champ once set up properly.

[Maxwell Smart]

If it's a .303 magazine installed as issued, you should just acquire an D65 Enfield L8 7.62 magazine. They work like a champ once set up properly.

Quite agree Brian. It's the acquiring that's the difficult part!

[Beerhunter]

John of DS Solution is thoroughly nice chap to do business with. BTW I agree with his point about the .303 magazine being retained only as a loading platform. The L39 was intended to be a single-shot target rifle. (The NRA of the day was of the opinion that magazines were the work of the Devil.)

[bnz41]

Ref magazine for your L39A1 you have a PM.