L39A1
Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: Enfield Rifles
Forum Description: Anything that has to do with the great Enfield rifles!
URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7464
Printed Date: March 26 2026 at 2:51pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.07 - https://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: L39A1
Posted By: Zed
Subject: L39A1
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 4:29am
I've started looking for a L39A1 target rifle; just seen an advert for a Deactivated one! who the he!! deactivates a target rifle! and they only made about 1250 of them ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Replies:
Posted By: ikesdad
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 5:52am
Those that are afraid of the peasants. ------------- Pro Deo et Patria |
Zed wrote:Posted By: DairyFarmer
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 5:59am
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Hoplophobics ------------- If farming was easy, then everyone one would do it. |
Posted By: paddyofurniture
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 7:21am
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I was thing more like the end of small the intestine. ------------- Always looking for military manuals, Dodge M37 items,books on Berlin Germany, old atlases ( before 1946) , military maps of Scotland. English and Canadian gun parts. |
Posted By: IamCaleb
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 11:36am
| Can it be saved? |
Posted By: SW28fan
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 12:14pm
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Almost certanly not, deactivation are usually done in such a way as to be unrevesible. ------------- Have a Nice Day If already having a nice day please disregard |
Posted By: Bear43
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 12:19pm
| The way rifles are deactivated nowadays there is no way to resurrect them. They are dead horses. Reminds me of the Nepalese No 1 Enfields imported by IMA. Rather than try and import them intact they just deactivated these scarce rifles and utterly destroyed them. Because of that I refuse to do business with that company ever again. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 12:42pm
I suppose you could weld an old leaf spring across the Parker Hale front sight and turn the rifle into a crossbow ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: terrylee
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 12:45pm
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Zed, I can thoroughly support your quest for an L39A1. The 7.62mm conversions are my favorite shooting rifles. Where I have an option, I seldom use anything else. To my experience, their accuracy is superior to the good old .303. The best of luck to you! |
Posted By: IamCaleb
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 3:08pm
| Man, that sucks. |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: April 07 2015 at 4:29pm
| i once had a charnwood i got from BDL , it was a really nice shooting conversion , sterling also did some , as did canada , these are attainable here in working order , i highly recomend that choice , its an easy option considering that deacs are worthless wall clutter for shooters , |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 11:05am
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Since they only made 1250 of them I decided to make my own. Mind you I didn't know the difference when I started but I still got close except for that caliber change. Lopping off the fore end and hand guard and installing a nice rear sight will give you nearly the same experience for a lot less money. Randy  ------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: terrylee
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 11:39am
Here is No.678, manufactured in 1970 and shipped to Donnington on 10.02.1972. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 1:05pm
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That's a nice example Terrylee. Does it have the front sight spares in the butt? I believe that not all models were identical in that area, plus the magazines etc. The good news I've just found one, however it will take some time to actually get my hands on because I am importing it, so quite a bit of paperwork to do prior to shipping. It will be worth the weight though. I'm well happy! So I will have to start studying up on the load data and recommended ammo etc. I read a lot about the different pressures of NATO 7,62 and .308, so it' seems that a certain amount of care is required. Are the surplus Nato rounds boxer primed? What velocities and bullet weights are best for accuracy? ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 1:43pm
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Zed: the vast majority of surplus .308/7.62x51 Brass is boxer primed. However I have seen some Commie bloc ammo that had Berdan Primers in them. stay with NATO ammo and you should be fine. Standard M80 Ball ammo which uses a 147 gr FMJBT bullet is loaded to about 2800 fps from a 24" bbl. for use in M14's, machine guns and M24 (Rem 700) bolt action rifles. All of which are stronger than an Enfield action. I load these same bullets which I buy as recycled surplus from companies that buy and break down Govt ammo which has exceeded it's shelf life. I run 45 gr of IMR 4895. with these bullets. It is my standard and only .308 load and groups inside 7/8" at 100 yards without fail from my Ruger Scout with a 16" bbl. It is also a much stronger gun than any Enfield. The other powder that is the mainstay of .308 loading is Winchester 748,, AKA Hodgdons BLC/2. The vast majority of M80 ball ammo is loaded with this powder. In the Enfield action I would be looking to load the .308 down to about 2600 fps, or slightly below M80 ball ammo. Velocity is directly proportional to pressure. .303 Enfield ammo with 150 gr bullets is generally loaded in the 2600-2650 fps range. Therefore a .308 loaded with the same bullets at the same speed will have the same pressure behind it. I'm thinking starting out around 42 gr of 4895 or similar load for BLC/2 would get you in the ball park. Consult several loading manuals for exact info, as I am only suggesting a place to start your research. Accuracy will always be peculiar to any given rifle, and the velocity that it produces the best accuracy for that rifle must be found. However once I get a satisfactory level of accuracy I generally quit right there. This is why I have only shot one bullet and one powder charge in my Scout Rifle. I got it right the very first time.(better to be lucky than good!) I would like to tell you exactly how Bitchin' I really am ,,, but the .308 is a pretty easy round to get good results from so it really wouldn't mean much.:>) You'll figure it out quickly. Randy
------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: terrylee
Date Posted: April 18 2015 at 9:51pm
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Zed, When I obtained my L39A1 it had a No.8 type butt which had had the brass sight blade box removed. That butt is now on my Envoy. I have not got around to reinstalling blade boxes on either rifle. The only ammunition that I normally use in my L39 and other 7.62mm Enfields is NATO military. I have found it very accurate. The cartridges are berdan primed. I do not reload. I have no doubt that you will find your L39 a most worthwhile acquisition. Enjoy it! |
Posted By: keith.herrington
Date Posted: May 11 2015 at 5:42am
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Zed, Sent you a PM ------------- Keith Herrington Palmyra, VA |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: May 11 2015 at 11:01am
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Zed: has your L39 arrived yet? waiting to see pics. This guy in Scotland had a nice one for sale recently. http://www.pukkabundhooks.com/index.php/homepage/" rel="nofollow - http://www.pukkabundhooks.com/index.php/homepage/ He is one of the Moderators at http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php" rel="nofollow - http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forum.php His name is Adam Sutherland and goes by "Dromia" there. Randy
------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: May 11 2015 at 11:38am
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Randy, The paperwork for importing takes a while; I have to have the french documents complete to then apply for the UK export licence. It's normal procedure but a little time consuming. I hope I will have the rifle before July. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: keith.herrington
Date Posted: May 11 2015 at 1:33pm
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A little show and tell. Here is my L39A1. http://s568.photobucket.com/user/cprher/media/Target%20Rifles/L39A1/L39A1001_zps6cf1ae2e.jpg.html" rel="nofollow"> http://s568.photobucket.com/user/cprher/media/Target%20Rifles/L39A1/L39A1005_zpsc8189a9e.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  Ammo accuracy testing at 300 yards http://s568.photobucket.com/user/cprher/media/Target%20Rifles/L39A1/JimsPhotos%201381_zps82uuo4vy.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  http://s568.photobucket.com/user/cprher/media/Target%20Rifles/L39A1/JimsPhotos%201372_zpsqjzxjbij.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  Results at 200 yards. The top group is M852 Lake City Match Ball. The next group down is American Ballistic M118 Match and the bottom group is a Serbian version of M118 Match Ball. http://s568.photobucket.com/user/cprher/media/Target%20Rifles/L39A1/L39A1targetat200yards_zpsa83ef50b.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  ------------- Keith Herrington Palmyra, VA |
Posted By: W.R.Buchanan
Date Posted: May 12 2015 at 4:33pm
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Keith: Nice looking gun!, and really nice shooting too ! Those look like sub MOA groups? I'm seeing the bottom one at 1.5"? Not bad shooting at 200 yards. I'd take any of them and be supremely happy.  Must be a substantial difference between the .308 cartridge and the .303 as far as inherent accuracy. Randy
------------- It's not how well you do what you know how to do,,, It's how well you do what you DON'T know how to do. |
Posted By: Zed
Date Posted: May 13 2015 at 12:54pm
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Nice shooting Keith. I hope I can get good results from my L39A1 when it arrives. Ammo testing will be interesting; as we probably don't have the same number of options as you get in the States. ------------- It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice! |
Posted By: A square 10
Date Posted: May 19 2015 at 4:43pm
| nice shooting and a nice shooting rifle - very nice looking too [the rifle i mean] |