How common are MA41 Magazine Cutoffs?

[Homer]

Probably very little.
Do you have some doubt?

[Peter Laidler]

Bin O has hit the nail on the head once again (thread 9). Car plants operated like this all the time. Model change-over points are notorious! Trying to pin a date or chassis/serial number to a change point is a lost cause in spite of what the literature says. MGB reverse lights and trim changes and Mini Mk1 to 2 changes are just as mysterious! The GPMG L7 change from A1 to A2 at the factory...... impossible to identify from factory engraved designation and/or serial number. Like the change from Mk3 to 3*, it seems that although the L7 gun was nominally an A2, it came as an 'almost' A2 but with lots of old A1 parts. So we just upgraded them as and when!

Added later as an afterthought. The UK MoD found that they had a load of obsolescent L4A1 Brens in store in the UK and Far East that were perfectly serviceable except for the defective combined magazine/holding open catches. So in the mid 60's they contracted with RSAF to remanufacture the special-to-type A1 mag catches. Zillions of the mags in the system so it meant that these otherwise OK but obsolescent guns could go out to the ar5e-end units. I only ever saw a few of these A1 guns at some back-end training unit near Winchester plus some Cadet Forces but they were still going strong in the 80's or so. The real irony to this later was that when the useless HOD part of the catch failed you weren't allowed to just disable THAT part and retain the mag catch part. Nope......., it ALL had to be serviceable. Ordnance logic for you

[5thBatt]

All the 1941 Lithgows i have owned had MA41 marked cutoff plates, all the other Lithgows MkIIIs had either a MA or a MA with date that matched, imo Lithgow produced MkIIIs with cutoffs up till the change on 1941

[Homer]

That's how I understand it.

[ufo8mydog]

Even in my limited collecting time, I have never seen any cutoffs past the mid 1941 serial number range.

[ufo8mydog]

All the 1941 Lithgows i have owned had MA41 marked cutoff plates, all the other Lithgows MkIIIs had either a MA or a MA with date that matched, imo Lithgow produced MkIIIs with cutoffs up till the change on 1941

Out of curiosity what other dates or marks on Lithgow cutoffs have you see?

I have seen small & large Lithgow star, MA, MA 38 and MA 41.

I would have to look through all of my cutoffs to see if there are any other dates.

[Homer]

I recall MA37, MA38 and MA41. I'd love to throw an MA40 in there but my memory is not clear on that. Might be a phantom.

[ufo8mydog]

I recall MA37, MA38 and MA41. I'd love to throw an MA40 in there but my memory is not clear on that. Might be a phantom.

When I get a chance I will look and see what my 1940 has.

[5thBatt]

Out of curiosity what other dates or marks on Lithgow cutoffs have you see?

I have seen small & large Lithgow star, MA, MA 38 and MA 41.

I would have to look through all of my cutoffs to see if there are any other dates.

Pretty much the same as what you just listed, cant really recall any other year stamp other than the late 30s & 40s, both my 35s had just MA. I have a 39 that has a cutoff plate fitted coming, will check that when it arrives.

[Badger]

Although tangential to this thread, here's an MKL article on trials rifles cut-offs..

No. 4 Mk I (T), ex-Trials Rifle - Cut-off - Off or On? (click here)

This interesting article is accompanied by an extensive photo montage detailing the use and descriptions of the various of magazine cut-offs on Enfield Rifles.

Article Extract .....

Still reluctantly struggling with the concept of letting the "Other Ranks" have the option of firing a second shot at their own discretion, cut-offs were introduced by the War Department upon the demise of the Martini-Henry, then retained in one form or another for over half a century.

A MLM Mk II Skeleton Action illustrates how the cut-off was initially configured to employ the rifle as a single loader until the situation required the use of the magazine held in reserve.

(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Regards,
Doug