L42A1
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The L42A1 is a
bolt-action Bolt-action is a type of manual firearm action that is operated by ''directly'' manipulating the bolt via a bolt handle, which is most commonly placed on the right-hand side of the weapon (as most users are right-handed). Most bolt-action ...
sniper rifle A sniper rifle is a high-precision, long-range rifle. Requirements include accuracy, reliability, mobility, concealment and optics for anti-personnel, anti-materiel and surveillance uses of the military sniper. The modern sniper rifle is a por ...
chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO
cartridge Cartridge may refer to: Objects * Cartridge (firearms), a type of modern ammunition * ROM cartridge, a removable component in an electronic device * Cartridge (respirator), a type of filter used in respirators Other uses * Cartridge (surname), a ...
.Pegler & Bujero (2001), pp. 48-49.Pegler (2010), pp. 61-62. Used in the past by the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
,
Royal Marines The Corps of Royal Marines (RM), also known as the Royal Marines Commandos, are the UK's special operations capable commando force, amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The Corps of Royal Marine ...
and
Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
RAF Regiment, the L42A1 entered service in 1970.Pegler (2012), pp. 40; 65. It was replaced by the Accuracy International AW (as the L96A1) in 1985. The L42A1 has been used in several conflicts, including the
Dhofar Rebellion The Dhofar Rebellion, also known as the Dhofar War or the Omani Civil War, was waged from 1963 to 1976 in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman. The war began with the formation of the Dhofar Liberation Front, a group ...
in
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
,
The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
in Northern Ireland,Pegler (2012), p. 65. the
Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...
, and the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. The L42A1 was the last model in a long line of bolt-action rifles that used a rear-locking action designed by
James Paris Lee James Paris Lee (9 August 1831 – 24 February 1904) was a British Canadian and later American inventor and arms designer. He is best known for having invented the action and magazine that are used in the Lee–Metford and Lee–Enfield series of ...
for the British Army. This action design appeared first in the
Lee–Metford The Lee–Metford rifle (a.k.a. ''Magazine Lee–Metford'', abbreviated ''MLM'') was a bolt-action British army service rifle, combining James Paris Lee's rear-locking bolt system and detachable magazine with an innovative seven groove rifled ba ...
rifle of 1888.


Design details

The L42A1 was a 7.62×51mm NATO conversion of the Second World War era
.303 British The .303 British (designated as the 303 British by the C.I.P. and SAAMI) or 7.7×56mmR, is a calibre rimmed rifle cartridge. The .303 inch bore diameter is measured between rifling lands as is the common practice in Europe which follows th ...
chambered
Lee–Enfield The Lee–Enfield or Enfield is a bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle that served as the main firearm of the military forces of the British Empire and Commonwealth during the first half of the 20th century, and was the British Army's st ...
Rifle No. 4 Mk1(T) and No. 4 Mk1*(T), which had remained in service for some time after the 7.62×51mm NATO
L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle The L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, officially "Rifle, 7.62mm, L1A1", also known just as the SLR (Self-Loading Rifle), by the Canadian Army designation C1A1 (C1) or in the US as the "inch pattern" FAL,Especially on the American surplus market. is a Br ...
replaced the Rifle No.4 as the standard service rifle in 1957. It differed from other post-war No. 4 based variants in that the trigger remained hinged on the trigger guard as on the No.4 Mk1 and 1*, not hung from the receiver as in the later No. 4 Mk 2, Mk 1/2 and Mk 1/3 .303 British rifles, and other 7.62×51mm NATO conversions. The conversion programme was carried out at
Royal Small Arms Factory The Royal Small Arms Factory (RSAF) was a UK government-owned rifle factory in Enfield (though some parts were in Waltham Abbey), adjoining the Lee Navigation in the Lea Valley. The factory produced British military rifles, muskets and swords f ...
Enfield from 1970 to 1971 and about 1,080 rifles were converted.Myatt (1981), p. 48. A new hammer-forged heavy 7.62×51mm NATO barrel was installed, with four-groove, right hand twist rifling instead of the five-groove left-hand Enfield-type rifling used in .303 British barrels. The heavier barrel was free-floating, which meant that the required accuracy standard could be achieved without the barrel bearing against the wooden fore-end, as had been the case with the No.4 MkI(T). Therefore, the woodwork was modified by shortening the fore-end to 1/2" in front of the middle band, and a new design for an upper handguard was fitted. The No. 32 3.5 power
telescopic sight A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope informally, is an optical sighting device based on a refracting telescope. It is equipped with some form of a referencing pattern – known as a ''reticle'' – mounted in a focally appropriate po ...
was refurbished and the bullet drop compensation on the elevation drum modified for the ballistic characteristics of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge in increments out to . The modified version was renamed the "Telescope, Straight Sighting, L1A1". A new magazine suitable for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge was attached; it is recognizable by its more square shape when compared against the .303 British version. A hardened projection of the left magazine lip serves as an ejector, although the .303 British ejector screw remained in place. The butt with its screwed-on cheekpiece was retained, however the scope number on the wrist of the stock, was obliterated with "X"-outs, and new numbers applied. The markings on the left side of the receiver were obliterated and new markings reflecting the new rifle's designation and chambering were applied. The original markings are sometimes partially visible underneath. A new, larger transit case was made for the L42A1.


Variants

;L39A1 :A target-shooting variant produced for military full-bore shooting teams. It was similar to the L42A1, except it was fitted with Parker-Hale target tunnel front and micrometer-adjustable rear sights in lieu of the telescopic sight, and the butt did not have a sniper cheekpiece. The rifles were supplied without sights, which had to be fitted by the units to which they were issued. Some rifles are seen retrofitted with a curved pistol grip similar to the butt used on the No.8 .22 rifle. Since magazine loading was not required, the L39A1 as issued had a .303 British magazine, the follower of which served as a loading platform for single shot use, although 7.62x51mm NATO magazines are also seen fitted, as the receivers are machined to accept these. The barrel was the same hammer-forged, heavy 7.62×51mm NATO version fitted to the L42A1, fitted for a Parker-Hale type front sight band. ;No.4 7.62mm CONV :As for L39A1, except the rifles were supplied from the factory with Parker-Hale 5c sights, No.8-style butt and 7.62x51mm magazine as standard. These rifles share the same serial number range as the L39A1, 1183 rifles (both types plus pre-production experimental types together). These rifles were mostly sent to the Army Rifle Association, and were available for purchase by military units. ;Enfield Enforcer :A police-specific sniper variant used by various British police forces from the early 1970s. It was similar to the L39A1, with a commercial "Monte Carlo" style butt with semi-pistol grip and integral cheekpiece. It was provided with a high-quality East German-made Pecar Berlin telescopic sight. The telescope mounts were of commercial pattern; they did not resemble the No.4 Mk1(T) type screw-on mounts used on the L42A1. Target sights similar to those used on the L39A1 could also be fitted to the Enforcer. The 7.62×51mm NATO magazine was fitted, and 767 were made. ;Enfield Envoy :Similar to the L39A1, but was produced with a higher standard of external finish for sale on the civilian market. It had a fore-end of broader cross section of the same shape as the No.8, and was supplied with a No.8 style butt.


Users

;Military users; *: British Army, Royal Marines, and RAF Regiment – Enfield L42A1. ;Police users; *: British police forces – Enforcer (Police version). ;Non-state military users *
Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces ( ar, القوات اللبنانية '')'' is a Lebanese Christian-based political party and former militia during the Lebanese Civil War. It currently holds 19 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament and is therefore th ...
: Enfield L42A1 and Enforcer rifles.


See also

*
M21 Sniper Weapon System The M21 Sniper Weapon System (SWS) in the US Army is a national match grade M14 rifle, selected for accuracy, and renamed the M21 rifle. The M21 uses a commercially procured 3–9× variable power telescopic sight, modified for use with the snip ...
*
M40 rifle The M40 rifle is a bolt-action sniper rifle used by the United States Marine Corps. It has had four variants: the M40, M40A1, M40A3, and M40A5. The M40 was introduced in 1966. The changeover to the A1 model was completed in the 1970s, the A3 in ...
*
Remington Model 700 The Remington Model 700 is a series of bolt-action centerfire rifles manufactured by Remington Arms since 1962. It is a development of the Remington 721 and 722 series of rifles, which were introduced in 1948. The M24 and M40 military sniper ...
* Savage 10FP/110FP *
SSG 82 The Scharfschützengewehr 82 or SSG 82, literally ''Sharpshooter's Rifle 82'', is a rifle chambered in the 5.45×39mm Soviet cartridge built in East Germany at the end of the Cold War for use by East German special police units. Very little was ...
* Steyr SSG 69


References


Bibliography

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External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:L42a1 Sniper rifles of the United Kingdom Bolt-action rifles of the United Kingdom