An interesting scope combo.

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Just a wild guess from the Penal Colonies.

I suspect the little folded tabs at he lower rear of the L1A1 dust cover may be a hangover from the construction of the early X-8 series covers that retained the ability to use those various charger clips. With a "full-length" cover, as the rifle recoils, the cover cannot "slide forward"; with a "half-length" cover, the tabs were "needed" to stop such movement.

As the design advanced towards the "definitive L1A1", the recesses in the body, and the dust cover tabs never quite got scrubbed from the drawings, so, here we are today chatting about arcane details on vintage hardware. Chicken / Egg and "Tab / Recess".

[mrclark303]

Just a wild guess from the Penal Colonies.

I suspect the little folded tabs at he lower rear of the L1A1 dust cover may be a hangover from the construction of the early X-8 series covers that retained the ability to use those various charger clips. With a "full-length" cover, as the rifle recoils, the cover cannot "slide forward"; with a "half-length" cover, the tabs were "needed" to stop such movement.

As the design advanced towards the "definitive L1A1", the recesses in the body, and the dust cover tabs never quite got scrubbed from the drawings, so, here we are today chatting about arcane details on vintage hardware. Chicken / Egg and "Tab / Recess".

I would guess it was a rifle steering committee mandate....

[mrclark303]

I'm just going to place this here and walk away chuckling, I was going to start with the mix of Lithgow and Enfield L1's, moving on the non adjustable No42 scope, but I think I would run out of internet before I finished!

What a splendid example of NEVER BUY A STORY!


Deactivated RARE British SLR L1A1 with Scope - Modern Deactivated Guns - Deactivated Guns


" The scope is marked “No42 Mk.1” – a scope dating as far back as WW2 which was often seen on Enfield No4.T sniper rifles, modified from its original role as an artillery spotting scope.

Dated 1959, it is quite conceivable that this rifle has seen service in the Falklands War and the Northern Ireland theatre of operations to name but a few."

"with a remnants of a matt subdued finish on the buttstock, further pointing towards its use for covert or reconnaissance purposes."

[Peter Laidler]

That's strange....... Artillery spotting scope eh! To spot for the Artillery, you'd need a bit more than x3 power for their distances in my limited experience. I learned from the paperwork that the little No42's and 53's were used as the coaxial MG telescopes in the Churchill Mk7 and 8 gun tanks and the Comet tank.

[mrclark303]

just to add another piece of the story,

Here's the web bag we can assume the limited run came in, pics kindly supplied from a private collection.

The bag appears very much a limited run up prototype, I'm sure had the No74 gone into widespread issue (as a designated marksman's scope), with 10,000 plus being procured, than a production bag, based on this would have been procured.

Many thanks for the pictures!

When information has dried up, still waiting on a few sources of potential trials information, I will collate it all together to hopefully become a sticky thread.

[Peter Laidler]

Maybe a few enquiries reating to R&J Beck is the next move.

Does anyone know what happened to them, who acquired them or what.......?

[browningautorifle]

The bag with it's velcro looks like something we'd have had.

[Surpmil]

Maybe a few enquiries reating to R&J Beck is the next move.

Does anyone know what happened to them, who acquired them or what.......?

Looks like all the usual ownership and location shuffles: R and J Beck Limited | Science Museum Group Collection

69 Mortimer St., London would just have been their office.

Seems there was a works in Watford from quite early on and may still be something, though clearly not in Bushey Mill Lane.

Name now persists as "Beck Optronic Solutions Ltd." but degree of connection unknown: https://find-open.co.uk/hemel-hempst...imited-1169841

[mrclark303]

Looks like all the usual ownership and location shuffles: R and J Beck Limited | Science Museum Group Collection

69 Mortimer St., London would just have been their office.

Seems there was a works in Watford from quite early on and may still be something, though clearly not in Bushey Mill Lane.

Name now persists as "Beck Optronic Solutions Ltd." but degree of connection unknown: https://find-open.co.uk/hemel-hempst...imited-1169841

I've contacted Beck Optronic Solutions asking for information, no response so far unfortunately...

[Surpmil]

I've contacted Beck Optronic Solutions asking for information, no response so far unfortunately...

If you can find older, retired staff members through social media etc. they might have better knowledge than current staff.