When was the last L42 withdrawn from MoD service?

[Roger Payne]

To be honest Dukey I can't remember after all this time, but I'll see if I can find out - if Rob still remembers!

[Brian Dick]

With the 300+ purchased/imported by Navy Arms, the number somewhere around 700 seems pretty plausible to me of 1080 produced. Another 300+ or so in the bin through attrition. All speculation of course.

[bigduke6]

Thanks Rog and Brian, it would I guess narrow it down to how many ended up in circulation, condition wise (as you have seen Rog) the one that arrived has had a hard life, having a quick look over again it has been donated parts from another L42A1, the fore-end carries the same bracket number that has been barred out also its the number in the tin.

[Gil Boyd]

I have an interesting one which allegedly took a direct hit on the action during the assault on Tumbledown Mountain in the Falklands War on the morning of the 13/14th June 1982 with a sniper in 2 Scots Guards.
I have through Military contacts tried to establish who the owner was, to find a bit more detail on that story, but it proved they were going to a lot of effort to bring them back on line even then, when it came back to the UK.
if anyone knows anyone who served in the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards Sniper Plt please PM me, as I would like to believe the tale.

[Gil Boyd]

Incidently on a swift search I found this which again could be correct unless someone knows otherwise from an entry below:

Lee Enfield Rifle - Firearms s Military Interest Club

where it states by a Moderator of the Gentlemens Military Interest Club that the L42A1 carried on until 1992!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In need of a sniper rifle chambered for the 7.62mm NATO cartridge, the British government approved the L42A1 Rifle in August 1970. The L42A1 rifles are essentially 7.62mm conversions of No. 4 “T-Model” rifles with shorter and wider fore-ends and shorter handguards. The L42A1 rifles use magazines which are similar to those of the L8 rifles. The L42A1 rifle remained in service until 1992.
Finally, in the mid-1970s, a non-firing drill purpose conversion of the No. 4 rifle was approved for use by cadets. Designated the Drill Rifle L59A1, this conversion amounted to rendering No. 4 rifles incapable of being fired by milling away portions of the breech, the action body, and the bolt and welding a plug into the breech. L59A1 rifles were converted from No. 4 Mk I, Mk I*, and Mk 2 rifles.
Moderator Gentlemens Military Interest Club

[bravo2zero]

There is an L42A1 for sale on guntrader uk which seems to have been issued to Duke of Wellington Regiment

[bigduke6]

Looking for something to fill the chest, I found a post from another forum from 2007, which states, 627 rifles were shipped to Navy Arms........

[Brian Dick]

I talked to Val Forgett in the mid 90's at the North Carolina Arms Collector's show of which he was a founding member and don't remember the exact figure but do remember him telling me that the shipment contained pretty much half and half L39A1 and L42A1 so we're in that 300 plus or minus figure of L42's imported by Navy Arms. He told me that it was the best deal he'd ever done in his surplus arms importing career. There were crates of flare pistols, stacks of white boxes containing Inglis No.2 pistols, L39A1's, L42A1's, No.4's of all descriptions from war reserve stores, most still in sealed wrapping and even a stack of S&W M1940 light rifles in like new condition. It was overwhelming and just a sprinkling of the shipment he got into his warehouse in New Jersey at the time. I bought quite a few rifles and pistols while supplies lasted. Wonderful stuff!