Cadet .22 conversion of No4 rifle

[newcastle]

In the cadets in teh early 1980s we had No. 2 rifles in .22 LR caliber. no fancy schmancy No.8s with aperture sights for us.

[Peter Laidler]

The No8 replacement programme has been running since the Cadets got the L98A1......... then the old original sub calibre kits.......... then the L98A2........ and the modified sub cal kit. So 'soon' won't be anytime 'soon' as you and I understand the term I feel!

The BEST way to prod the disposal authority is through the NSRA or the NRA, both QUANGO's (oh yes they are......) or a well established dealership like Fultons who have all the necessary credentials behind them. But always worth bearing in mind that what the Army and Armourers call perfectly serviceable, the proof house doesn't*. AND there is no crown immunity now and the rifles really at the end of their lives.

*We allow 3 bulges on condition that it doesn't affect accuracy (and m/v?) while the PH won't accept any

[Beerhunter]

there is no crown immunity now

But the Government is still exempt from the Gun Barrel Proof Acts.

[Peter Laidler]

Yes, that puzzled me too but as they don't have their own proof regeime they send them off for commercial proof at great and totally unnecessary expense......... I was doing a trial on a bit of US kit and............ anyway!

[Patrick Chadwick]

... and the rifles really at the end of their lives...

What! A rifle that is younger than I am at the end of its life! Surely not. I am prepared to admit that my 1804 musket is not quite mint, but a No.8 is only 60 odd years old. I would term that "nicely matured".

But it probably depends on how you treat them:

[Flying10uk]

The thing about the MOD being concerned about if they were to sell weapons to reputable U.K. dealers they may get sold onto criminals to use for unlawful purposes doesn't really make sense to me. U.K. dealers are purchasing weapons all the time from other sources other than the MOD and a criminal who decides to purchase a weapon for unlawful purposes is not likely, in my opinion, to be too bothered on where the dealer sources it from. No reputable U.K. dealer that I know of would ever supply a weapon to anyone who they believed may use it for any unlawful purposes. All the reputable, well known U.K. dealers that I have ever dealt with over the years have always been as straight as a Die and conducted their business in a very straight-forward business like and lawful manner. One very well known dealer told me that he believed the reason was that if the press got hold of the story that the MOD were selling weapons to U.K. dealers they would have a field-day.

[Peter Laidler]

It's nothing to do with that Flying 10! It's the UN stranglehold over government weapons sales.

I know this UN thing (and the UN in general if you ask me...) is all a bit silly and stupid and all that - but I'm sure a quick read through the local news might prick your little balloon regarding weapons that have been 'diverted' by one or two rascals in the past

[Flying10uk]

Has the U.N. banned the sale of surplus weapons by governments into the civilian market, then Peter? U.K. dealers are still importing weapons from over-seas into the U.K. for sale into the U.K. collectors market.

[Peter Laidler]

I don't know the ins and outs of how the UN works. It is a bit like the EU or off street parking I suppose where there are sets of rules, regulations and red tape by the bucket-load but, alas, non enforceable except by those who wish to abide by the rules, regs and red tape. India, China and one or two others are members of the UN club and they seem quite happy to sell on. So is Britain and we don't unless it's govt to govt or off-shore.

I do know first hand that the UN imposed an Arms embargo into Bosnia H/G et al and..............

[Chris7171]

I think that it is highly unlikely that the UK government will sell the last No8's they have, people use the New Zealand sell off as a bench mark but I think that what was done here would not work in the UK.
The NZ government had already started to destroy their No8 rifles only 285 rifles were sold at the govt auction out of 2000 odd rifles (I have spoken to a NZAF armourer who had cut up more than a few).
A lot of lobbying was done too the NZ govt at the time to save these historically important and non threatening rifles which was successful. The main angle was that they are collectors pieces and are part of NZ's military history and should be preserved.
The NZ govt made the decision to sell the remaining No8's along with a small number of No9's and DP rifles at a public auction, because of the lobbying they were sold as collectors pieces and limited the buying at the auction to only one type of rifle per person, so 285 No8's went to 285 individuals (I believe that clubs could have purchased 2 of each kind at the time if they had registered prior to the auction), this was done to stop bulk buying by Individuals and gun dealers. This way they could control the release of them in a fair way making sure that collectors would be the ones that purchased them at a reasonable price ($250-$450NZd)
Remember NZ has a small population and a small but strong firearm/collecting community and that there was only 285 rifles, there for this was logistically easy to sell them off to Individuals/collectors.
I guess the UK has a lot more than 285 No8's and too follow how NZ sold their No8's off, trying to run a auction with a lot more rifles selling only one to each person would be logistically difficult.
We live in hope that they may find away to sell them off without dealers making large amounts of money, but it can be done NZ is a member of the UN as well.
If not the No8 will be a very rare rifle indeed.