MY STRAIGHT PULL L1A1

[PaulR]

Hi,

I hear what you are saying, but the UK has some of the tightest Firearms regs in the World and L1 Straight pulls have been available for over a year now.

If the Home office took any issue with this rifle, they would have confiscated the first example to emerge, swooped down on all involved and thrown the book at them!

As it is, a steady trickle of these splendid rifles have been winging there way all over the country....without issue!

It seems, prior to this conversion, no one had really tested the S5 to S1 rule, it shows that refreshingly, common sense can occasionally overrule the I'm not Listening brigade.

Once an agreed standard of conversion work has been carried out to a specific Firearm type it, effectively creates a Home Office "type approval" and it goes on the S1 list.

Providing this is rigidly stuck to by all party's involved in L1A1 re-building, then there is no problem...approval is approval!

Thats my take on it anyway.

Cheers, John.

I'm sure that he will correct me if I'm wrong or out of line but I think that Gareth at Anglo Custom originally championed the use of 'S5' components in S1 firearms.

I'm sure that when I picked up my SP L1A1 from him he put it quite simply, he had a load of original uppers and lowers with matching serial number and was either prepared to or had manufactured a load of brand new identical uppers and lowers.

He approached the HO (or whoever is reponsible for Firearms approval now) and ACPO and asked them why should he have to use the new sets when the old set were identical. The added bonus of using the old sets was the presence of an original serial number. At that point even they couldn't see the sense in the legislation as it was understood to apply and granted him permission to manufacture. He then got this in writing from them.

He had to make other mods to make it certain that they could never be converted but the basic precedence was set.

It seems others are now following his example and hopefully we'll get some interesting stuff coming out - straight pull BAR?

Go nicely with my Straight Pull Garand and M1 Carbine, bought from another Gareth at Cotswold Arms 10 and 11 years ago. Unfortunately all new manufacture but very authentic. :shakeshout: :shakeshout: :shakeshout:

Cheers

PaulR

[PaulR]

Hi,

I hear what you are saying, but the UK has some of the tightest Firearms regs in the World and L1 Straight pulls have been available for over a year now.

If the Home office took any issue with this rifle, they would have confiscated the first example to emerge, swooped down on all involved and thrown the book at them!

As it is, a steady trickle of these splendid rifles have been winging there way all over the country....without issue!

It seems, prior to this conversion, no one had really tested the S5 to S1 rule, it shows that refreshingly, common sense can occasionally overrule the I'm not Listening brigade.

Once an agreed standard of conversion work has been carried out to a specific Firearm type it, effectively creates a Home Office "type approval" and it goes on the S1 list.

Providing this is rigidly stuck to by all party's involved in L1A1 re-building, then there is no problem...approval is approval!

Thats my take on it anyway.

Cheers, John.

I'm sure that he will correct me if I'm wrong or out of line but I think that Gareth at Anglo Custom originally championed the use of 'S5' components in S1 firearms.

I'm sure that when I picked up my SP L1A1 from him he put it quite simply, he had a load of original uppers and lowers with matching serial number and was either prepared to or had manufactured a load of brand new identical uppers and lowers.

He approached the HO (or whoever is reponsible for Firearms approval now) and ACPO and asked them why should he have to use the new sets when the old set were identical. The added bonus of using the old sets was the presence of an original serial number. At that point even they couldn't see the sense in the legislation as it was understood to apply and granted him permission to manufacture. He then got this in writing from them.

He had to make other mods to make it certain that they could never be converted but the basic precedence was set.

It seems others are now following his example and hopefully we'll get some interesting stuff coming out - straight pull BAR?

Go nicely with my Straight Pull Garand and M1 Carbine, bought from another Gareth at Cotswold Arms 10 and 11 years ago. Unfortunately all new manufacture but very authentic. :shakeshout: :shakeshout: :shakeshout:

Cheers

PaulR

Apologies to Gavin at Anglo Custom not Gareth..... sign01 sign01 sign01

[huntervixen]

Hi Paul and Dirtbag,

You both inspired me to go down the L1A1 route, I just missed out on Semi-Autos and always wanted one.

Dirtbag, your you tube videos have made you the "poster child" for Straight pull L1's and you have probably brought more attention to them than anyone else....you should be on commission mate!

And Paul, your Straight pull collection is eye popping, quite simply outstanding!

As you both point out, No legal issues and rather intriguing possibility's for the future.

I think Dromia's Lewis Gun idea is great, might just cost a pretty penny mind you!

I sold an old spec deactivated 1942 Springfield made M1 Garand a while ago, what a beautiful Rifle, now that would do me just fine as a SP.

Cheers, John

[dirtbag]

Hi thanks, passed up 2 chances to get one of these, nearly got an imbel but wanted a "true" l1a1. Put myself in the dog house a bit with the Mrs but worth it !
I am working on a new youtube channel at present with some videos going live in the new year.

Hi Paul and Dirtbag,

You both inspired me to go down the L1A1 route, I just missed out on Semi-Autos and always wanted one.

Dirtbag, your you tube videos have made you the "poster child" for Straight pull L1's and you have probably brought more attention to them than anyone else....you should be on commission mate!

And Paul, your Straight pull collection is eye popping, quite simply outstanding!

As you both point out, No legal issues and rather intriguing possibility's for the future.

I think Dromia's Lewis Gun idea is great, might just cost a pretty penny mind you!

I sold an old spec deactivated 1942 Springfield made M1 Garand a while ago, what a beautiful Rifle, now that would do me just fine as a SP.

Cheers, John

[PaulR]

Thanks Dirtbag. I like the look of yours with wood furniture and I especially like the fact that it has the gas plug present functional or not. All in all, a stunning looking Rifle.

Is it chambered for .308 or 7.62?

Cheers

PaulR

[huntervixen]

Do you mean mine mate?

Its got the dial and the plug....I might try turning up the dial if my arm gets tired :lol:

Chambered for .308 I think, the barrel was made/finished by the Suffolk Rifle Company, so it's not a Walther unit.

Have you fitted wood to yours Paul?

Cheers, John.

[dirtbag]

Do you mean mine mate?

Its got the dial and the plug....I might try turning up the dial if my arm gets tired :lol:

Chambered for .308 I think, the barrel was made/finished by the Suffolk Rifle Company, so it's not a Walther unit.

Have you fitted wood to yours Paul?

Cheers, John.

Mine has the welded stub, mine has the 308 walther barrel.

[PaulR]

Apologies Huntervixen and Dirtbag - senior moment.

Haven't fitted wood yet but seeing yours I might look out for some.

I think that it may have been covered elsewhere but I wonder what the legalities are of machining off the 'Stub' on an Anglo Custom Rifle and replacing it with newly made copy of the end of a proper gas plug. Wouldn't be difficult to turn a dummy gas plug on a lathe. After all, it is not modifying a pressure bearing part and people carry out all sorts of aesthetic changes to other S1 Firearms.

Answers on a postcard please........

PaulR

[dirtbag]

Apologies Huntervixen and Dirtbag - senior moment.

Haven't fitted wood yet but seeing yours I might look out for some.

I think that it may have been covered elsewhere but I wonder what the legalities are of machining off the 'Stub' on an Anglo Custom Rifle and replacing it with newly made copy of the end of a proper gas plug. Wouldn't be difficult to turn a dummy gas plug on a lathe. After all, it is not modifying a pressure bearing part and people carry out all sorts of aesthetic changes to other S1 Firearms.

Answers on a postcard please........

PaulR

Dont think it would make much difference. If you look at Imbels they have the gas port on them. I will if I can change my cigar at the end of my rifle when i get time.

[huntervixen]

Hi Paul and Dirtbag,

If you guys ever want to go down that route, let me know and I will photograph my Gas plug from all angles and give you the measurements.

I really can't see any issues with doing that, it's purely cosmetic after all.

Suffolk really took great care in preserving as much as possible..my Gas block is clear, but "the gas bleed route" has had a fine rod (about 3mm width) welded vertically down through it to very effectively de-activate it and the back of the plug has been very carefully machined away to render it useless.

Mine is an original block however with the L1A1 "960" NATO stock number prefix (see pic), is the Anglo unit original or a mock up guys?

Cheers, John.