If you're on a small budget like me and can't afford the £10K needed to buy a genuine L42A1 then fear not, it is possible to make a fun homage for a few percent of the cost. Find a battered old L39A1 with plenty of gouges in the woodwork etc. (for personality) and then fit a cheap little 1-4x20 Leupold scope. From a distance it looks vaguely similar to an L42A1 and handles/balances brilliantly. It also shoots ok for such a low powered scope. This seven shot group was shot today at 900yd: three V bulls, two fives and two fours.
Low budget and fun homage to an L42A1
- Thread starter HandB
- Start date
Heym SR20
Well-Known Member
If the likes of @HandB and @Smellydog keep posting threads of old rifles with low powered scopes shooting good groups, especially in this latter case at long range, the SD is going to be in danger of loosing many members who become apoplectic when they wonder why they have spent so much money on hubble telescopes and still can’t get such accuracy. 
I did have to remind myself about the L39A1 - a good article in Rifle Shooter.
www.rifleshootermag.com
I did have to remind myself about the L39A1 - a good article in Rifle Shooter.
Enfield L39A1 Rifle: From Target to Tactical - RifleShooter
The Enfield match-winning L39A1 went straight from the target berms to a most effective sniper rifle. Here's the history.
www.rifleshootermag.com
Thanks - that's an interesting article, I hadn't seen it. The trigger on my L39A1 is indeed excellent and for some odd reason, perhaps due to the superb balance of the barrel/receiver/woodwork combo, it has almost no recoil (just a mild push) which helps accuracy tremendously.If the likes of @HandB and @Smellydog keep posting threads of old rifles with low powered scopes shooting good groups, especially in this latter case at long range, the SD is going to be in danger of loosing many members who become apoplectic when they wonder why they have spent so much money on hubble telescopes and still can’t get such accuracy.
I did have to remind myself about the L39A1 - a good article in Rifle Shooter.
Enfield L39A1 Rifle: From Target to Tactical - RifleShooter
The Enfield match-winning L39A1 went straight from the target berms to a most effective sniper rifle. Here's the history.
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Nice
Do you know what Leupold model it is? I've never seen anything like that before.
It's a Leupold VX2 1-4x20 and then I retrofitted MK4 style ballistic turrets made by the excellent people at Kenton Industries: https://kentonindustries.com/products/leupold-generic-aftermarket-turrets?variant=39899662024843
Nice work. That's some decent grouping at 900 with a 1-4x scope! I took my SuB PM6x42 out the other day to 600 yards and was struggling. Now looking for another 6x42, or a10x42 or PM12x42 for one of my other rifles. Hard to come by it seems.
Thanks - that group was with my reloads which are rather crude. This 9 shot group is from this weekend using factory 175gr GGG match ammo and is a bit better (one sighter). As it happens, a while ago I did try my S&B 10x42 PMII on this rifle for fun and it was too long and heavy for the cantilever scope rail which caused some vertical stringing as it flexed up and down during recoil so I am sticking with this little Leupold 1-4x20 scope because it is so light it doesn't cause the cantilever rail to flex up and down.
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175gr out of a No4? That’s bold. I was told to just stick to 147gr or so, the typical ball ammo stuff. Haven’t started my own L42 clone project yet. Repro mounts are eyewateringly expensive and haven’t found a suitable donor rifle. I think the “good” mounts are investment cast and then finished on a manual mill, rather than CNC.
Yes these 175gr Sierra Matchking bullets are excellent in my experience - they seem to stabilise nicely in most 7.62/.308 rifles. Installing the correct scope mounts correctly on an L42A1 clone is quite challenging in terms of gunsmithing I would imagine - I chickened out and fitted a no-gunsmithing aluminium picatinny rail.
There was a "police" version, if that is the correct analogy, of the L42. These were fitted with Pecar 4-10x44 'scopes on, yes I think, the L39 or Enfield Envoy format from what I recall. But I stand to be corrected. The Enfield Enforcer.If the likes of @HandB and @Smellydog keep posting threads of old rifles with low powered scopes shooting good groups, especially in this latter case at long range, the SD is going to be in danger of loosing many members who become apoplectic when they wonder why they have spent so much money on hubble telescopes and still can’t get such accuracy.
I did have to remind myself about the L39A1 - a good article in Rifle Shooter.
Enfield L39A1 Rifle: From Target to Tactical - RifleShooter
The Enfield match-winning L39A1 went straight from the target berms to a most effective sniper rifle. Here's the history.
There are indeed two or so such Pecar 'scopes in Holt's upcoming Sealed Bid auction. They should have a white dot inside a circle on them to show that they are image moving not reticule moving.
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Following on from the above Pecar also made their interpretation of the No 32 'scope fitted to the No 4(T). With a "bell" at the eye end and merely the 'scope's plain tube at the front end. There seems to be something the same a Pecar 1.5-4x21 also in Holts. I'll add that none of them are mine. The last Pecar I owned was a 4x81 Light on the Churchill .270 WCF rifle that I shot my first deer with in 1989.
The very useful "Way Back Machine" search engine, for now lost or earlier versions of websites, which I heard of through listening to the late Steve Wright's radio programme can access the old Pecar website.
web.archive.org
The very useful "Way Back Machine" search engine, for now lost or earlier versions of websites, which I heard of through listening to the late Steve Wright's radio programme can access the old Pecar website.
Wayback Machine
web.archive.org
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Yes I think it is the Enforcer, but they were possibly made much later from unused actions and not converted from 303 No4s? Those might actually be the Palma Envoys - don’t quite remember or I might be making it up
It's all a long time ago now. So I'll plead "Guilty" to poor memory also!Yes I think it is the Enforcer, but they were possibly made much later from unused actions and not converted from 303 No4s? Those might actually be the Palma Envoys - don’t quite remember or I might be making it up
For what it is worth there is one of the Charnwood Ordnance conversions serial CO 89 065 using the official Sterling kits now on "The Saleroom" website. These used replacement magazine, extractor and ejector and barrel. I think that the barrel even so was made with bayonet lugs to still mount any No4 bayonet. Search Stacey's, Rayleigh, Essex. Militaria Sale of 20 March for lot 2196 under "vintage Enfield rifle".
I am happy to say that I am long out of that game now and won't be bidding. I'll not be intending to renew my FAC when it expires in 2027 or so.
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Interesting. Is there any particular value in these over one of Enfield's own conversions?
Sterling 7.62 mags don't seem to be as expensive as the Enfield CR engraved ones. I only have one Enfield 7.62 mag which I bought for a future L42 clone project.
The Sterling kits were to produce a No4 equivalent of the Indian 7.62mm No1 MK3. So a 7.62mm everyday rifle for maybe second line or reserve or paramilitary units. In armies where front line units had the FN FAL ior similar. It wasn't intended as a sniper or sharpshooter rifle. So the Sterling barrel AFAIR has bayonet lugs.
Enfield P 14
Well-Known Member
And a smart project.
Attachments
Magnificent collection.
paul o'
Well-Known Member
My old work rifle was a .42, and later I got one in its box, #424, including a Pecar scope, etc. Back then, they were considered disposable.
I remember I sold it to May of London with four magazines but no box. I threw the box off the lorry as I had no room in the shed.
I gave the numbered scope to my shooting pal, who probably still has it!
The cash price was £200 for the whole lot, and I sold it for £600. I converted a few L1A1 mags to fit onto Sterling mags for PR back then.
I remember I sold it to May of London with four magazines but no box. I threw the box off the lorry as I had no room in the shed.
I gave the numbered scope to my shooting pal, who probably still has it!
The cash price was £200 for the whole lot, and I sold it for £600. I converted a few L1A1 mags to fit onto Sterling mags for PR back then.
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
Very nice .
AB
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