No.4 Rifle equipped with night vision scope

[Littlejohn]

I came across this photo while perusing the 1976 edition of "Jane's Infantry Weapons".
I'm guessing that the rifle is one of the 7.62mm versions of the No.4.



Here's the whole page.

Information

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[30Three]

It's the L42A1 sniper rifle fitted with the night vision.

[browningautorifle]

I must say, I've never seen a "T" set up with night vision. Did it lots with FNs but not the same thing.

[Mk VII]

The suitcase on our ones had the space in it for the No.4 bracket, but no bracket.

[snipershot1944]

The IWS bracket lived in the rifle chest.

[Alan de Enfield]

You can see the bracket bottom left of the picture, and a close up of the bracket.

My rifle is serial number U36063 & is recorded as being part of batch number 44, which consisted of 9 weapons and has a recorded conversion date of the 7th December 1971 whereupon it was sent to store at Donnington. Curiously**, records also record the scope number for that rifle 28652 and the name Will Latimers, although who Will Latimers is or was I have no idea.

** Out of the records of some 1000 rifles only 3 have the allocated scope number recorded to the rifle.

Edit - picture is too big for the site software so I have had to reduce the size / quality



The L5A1 sight was one of those used on the L42A1

[Brian B]

One I have for mine. I've never taken it to the range to get it sighted in. Would be pretty cool to try it at night some day at the range.

[snipershot1944]

That is really cool.

One I have for mine. I've never taken it to the range to get it sighted in. Would be pretty cool to try it at night some day at the range.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1567-1.jpg

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_1569-1.jpg

[Brian B]

That is really cool.

Thanks snipershot1944. It's so big it makes the rifle look very small when it's mounted. Makes it even heavier too!!

[82Trooper]

It's the L42A1 sniper rifle fitted with the night vision.

So the trade publication advertisement is from the mid-70's....how long was that setup (L42A1) on active service with the UK troops? Were they in service alongside similarly equipped L1A1s? Was there a preference among the users?