Parker Hale Barrel/gas block on an ex NZ rifle

[Brian Dick]

Unfortunately not Tankie. ATF Imports Branch are even putting up a fight about importing any replacement barrels that are commercially made for military rifles. You have to supply the commercial invoice from the barrel maker as proof before they'll even consider it.

[tankhunter]

Shame Brian

However, I like you. Am perfectly aware of how many good machinists you have over there. I have seen weapons & Barrels Etc, reproduced EXACTLY like the originals. Some right down to markings!.....

So I am confident, that a competent machinist could reproduce FN/ SLR L1A1 Barrels quite easily. After all, without the gas block fitted, it is simply a parallel length or round rifled bar stock. That could be profiled on a lathe!.......

Easily done, but at a price. Obviously! But how bad do you need a barrel like that?..............It's only a matter of time, before they are in limited production.
I would assume?....

[Brian Dick]

You're correct. There are some excellent, new domestic manufacture L1A1 and FAL barrels available by a couple of makers. I was lucky to be in the game in the early 1990's when the flood of new Lithgow spares and excellent British parts kits arrived on the market via various importers. I think Navy Arms Co. had a load of the new Parker-Hale barrels being discussed here. Val Forgett, Sr. bought a large amount of their items when they went out of business. I imported quite a few C1 spares from Canada back then too when it was cheap and cheerful. I saw the racks full of beautiful 8L series C1A1 rifles at CS Military when they were surplused from the Ontario Provincial Police. They weren't considering cutting them up as kits at the time but I probably could have had one if I'd wanted to pay full boat prices which I didn't. They weren't prohibs yet and my conscience would let me do it!! Many of the British barrels imported to the USA back then were like new condition if memory serves. I'd imagine some lovely rifles were cut up in the UK for export to the USA. I struggled to find a nice barrel for the post sample registered 1960 BSA L1A1 restoration I did last year and was very lucky to get one.

---------- Post added at 02:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:33 PM ----------

Correction: "conscience wouldn't let me do it"!

[tankhunter]

Brian, As well as selling off refurbs to as new condition. We have sold out of war reserve stocks. Brand new rifles also!.....

[mrclark303]

Morning all, as you say Mike, the government has has now cleared away its L1 reserve.

The only ex war reserve L1A1's (that I am aware of in any quantity), are now commercially owned, one UK dealer in particular has a significant batch, but these are apparently being deactivated or reduced to parts.

Another large batch still sit in store in the Netherlands I hear, with other smaller quantities scattered about Europe with various dealers.

The only company that I am aware of rebuilding British semi auto examples is Luxembourg Defence, I think using new Walther barrels?

They probably (guessing here) originate from the Dutch cashe.

[Brian Dick]

Getting off topic but the same thing happened here in the 90's when the Clinton Administration had the Army destroy 5000 + M14 rifles that were in storage at Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. Since 2001 the taxpayer has had to foot the bill for many new builds for the Army and other branches by manufacturers who've landed contracts because the weapon platform is so popular in the wide open spaces of the desert. The Navy still had a good quantity and they've been out front since 2001 again. We never learn.

[enbloc8]

Getting off topic but the same thing happened here in the 90's when the Clinton Administration had the Army destroy 5000 + M14 rifles that were in storage at Anniston Army Depot in Alabama. Since 2001 the taxpayer has had to foot the bill for many new builds for the Army and other branches by manufacturers who've landed contracts because the weapon platform is so popular in the wide open spaces of the desert. The Navy still had a good quantity and they've been out front since 2001 again. We never learn.

Don't forget the M14s that were flipped to the Baltic countries circa 1999 too!

[tankhunter]

Brian the Criteria here is simple.......You MUST factor in. that ANY Government Department.
Doe's NOT function on Common sense!...............

[Brian Dick]

Can't add anything to that Tankie. It does get tiring that they think money grows on trees though.

[tankhunter]

Can't add anything to that Tankie. It does get tiring that they think money grows on trees though.

Never mind Brian, Im SURE They are Confident you will put your hand in your pocket. Along with Millions of other Tax Payers. If they need to top up their Coffers, after wasting a few more Billions of Dollars 'somewhere'!....................