L96A1 / AI PM Questions

[Roy W]

Quest 1.
Yesterday I had a 1985 PM in my hands. The magazine for which was longer and thinner than the L96/AW mags, and not interchangeable.

The front of the mag was plugged with plastic, and pinned through the sidewalls. The magazine follower, and spring, were shorter than the mag length.

Clearly this was an early rifle, and production models later changed the size and shape of the mag well.

My question is, does anyone know what Mag was used, and whether they were completely custom made, or adapted from another, with follower and spring from a smaller mag?

I didn't get any photos unfortunately but will next time.

Quest 2.
Does anyone have close up photos of the front sight assembly of the L96A1, along with dimensions of the bottom half?

Likewise a decent close up photo of the rear iron sight?

Many thanks

Roy

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

Mmmmmm! We did have 3 different patterns of magazines and a couple of patterns of mag springs. AI changed the original pattern without any form of authorisation because the new one was '.....better'. We don't work like that so.......... Anyway!

The mags for our L96's were a one-off and not someone elses adapted to fit. I played with 10 or so to see whether a few could be adapted to fit a No4/L42 but after a few attempts and butchery, gave up on the idea. I did suggest to AI that they could make a killing as an economic sideline making 7.62 mags for No4/L42's but..........

The foresight block..... The top half is GPMG but the bottom base section is a one-off casting for the L96 (oh yes it is.. and it's not from an L7) with a lower base, different diameter and a grub screw underneath to lock it in position. You could bush an L7 base to fit but don't take it out sniping with iron sights if you do!

The backsight was a work of sheer lunacy. We went through hundreds of them - per week! as during the course they had to be fitted and used and zeroed to the rifle. They were useless. You couldn't even read the range markings clearly - and so fragile that a simple stalk from an OP to the back of Z range to shoot would see them bend like straws in the wind. I dare say that back at the units the snipers just left them in the CES chest. Someone told me recently that there was a commercial US made iron sight that fitted the slim weaver rail.

[Roy W]

thanks Pete. So the original L96 mags, do you recall the mag being 3/4 inch longer than the follower and the excess being plugged with a plastic bar and pinned through?

[Peter Laidler]

Nope, never saw anything like that........ PM on its way.

[Roy W]

Ok, so another foresight question. Was the upper half of the L96 foresight the same as the upper half of the M85 foresight?

[Roy W]

The 1987 PM at Devizes Gunsmiths has the same mag in it. Full Bore, Service and Sniper Rifles for Sale - Devizes Gunsmith

[Roy W]

Here are some pictures of the early AI PM Series mag, with a clearly marked .308 follower, but the mag housing is too long, so they have been plugged with hard black plastic and pinned.

Shown next to a later tabbed L96 magazine for comparison.
I wonder if these were adapted from some other type of magazine, or made as one off's for AI?

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[Roy W]

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try again