L42A1 (new to me), Rare Maltby Conversion

[Troglodyte]

Well no record of A11982 on the L42A1 list, thought a just in case search might help!

Bolt and head have the proof marks. Fake? Or possibly a half-done armory replacement at the end of the rifle's service life?

[Brian Dick]

It's one imported by Navy Arms Co. in the 90's. I doubt it's been to Germany post service as they were all purchased directly from stores at Donnington.

[Roger Payne]

Maybe it's a legit rescoping then.......it could be that it was in Germany with the BAOR & got reworked in workshops where locally sourced stamps were used.........anything's possible, but I've seen a couple of other L42's that had their saleability 'improved' using teutonic looking number stamps. One I used to own, & it did indeed come out of Germany. Quite a few went there although I can't remember who had them........quite possibly Frankonia.

[Promo]

Roger, yes it was Frankonia who sold off many L42A1s in Germany. But they are easily identified by the FWW stamp on them. You should know it, it was on the rifle you got from me .

[Roger Payne]

I must have been a very poor student.

[Troglodyte]

I uploaded four more photos to the Imgur album. Two questions:

1. Are the markings on the thumbscrews correct? I'd never noticed these on other rifles. of course I wasn't looking.

2. Were either of the lined out serial numbers converted to L42s? I read them as:

- AS 5908, AS 5308, AS 5903, or AS 5303
- 13C8134, 13C8164, 13C8184, or 13C1894

If so, we may know the correct owner to the scope. If not, this rifle may in fact be correct to the scope.

Best,
Trog

[Roger Payne]

1. Yes, I have quite a few of them marked like this. I am not sure but suspect they may be post WW2 (possibly L42 era) replacements, perhaps made at the time of the manufacture of the IWS brackets. If anyone has more definite info on them please do let us know.
2. I've had a quick look at the list & the only 13C L42 serial number I can find is 13C3651 which went into store at Donnington on 31/7/75. However, more luck with AS 5908, which was one of a batch converted to L42 & sent out to Donnington on 29/11/71.

[smle addict]

The thumbscrew markings are correct... for an early enfield converted trials rifle. I have a very early rose brothers bracket that has that same stylized "D" (with broad arrow) which is actually an EFD and superimposed to that D. I believe these were found on early trials rifles converted by enfield to sniper pattern. While the brackets were produced at Rose Brothers and Daglish, I read somewhere Enfield produced the remaining parts (scope pads, thumbscrew knobs). I don't remember where I read that, so hopefully someone else can elaborate.

Attached are pics of the thumbscrews with efd/broad marks arrow on my trials rifle.

[Roger Payne]

I hope that's the case, as I have a few! They just look so......new...... & all of the ones I have are blacked rather than blued.

[Troglodyte]

So the thumbscrews are good, and the bracket was on another L42 before being put on to this one. Still no clue whether this one got its scope and mount from official or unofficial sources, given the Teutonic-looking scope number on the butt, and the atypical stamping and overstamping of the rifle serial number on the mount (and the overstamping seems to have happened after the bracket was refinished).

As to the bolt, any thoughts on how a bolt with a non-L42 serial number came to have the 19T proof stamps on it, but was never re-serialed to match the rifle?

If the proof stamps are legit, I'd guess a replacement bolt from stores that the armorer (or a later owner who bought the part) failed to renumber?

Best,
Trog