Original L42A1 British sniper rifle in its chest with complete EIS

Very scarce genuine L42A1 sniper rifle complete with EIS in the chest with all of the kit. 7.52X51mm NATO.

Includes: 

1944 BSA rifle made in 1944 and converted by Holland & Holland to No. 4 Mk. I (T) sniper equipment. In 1971 it was one of about 1,080 ton1,200 No. 4 (T) rifles were selected for conversion at Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield to L42A1 in 7.62x51 NATO. These were in service use through the Falkland War where one was used to harass an Argentine warship! Although replaced by the Accuracy International L96 “Green Meanie” a few L42A1 were apparently recalled for use in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The L42A1 served the UK from the early 1970s. Withdrawing them from service started in the mid-1980s and they were official declared obsoleted in 1992. Surplus sales started in 1994.

Canada tested but did not adopt5 the L42A1. Instead, we adopted the Parker-Hale C3.

Of the approximately 1,200 L42A1 converted:
 

• Val J. Forgett of Navy Arms purchased a batch of 637 L42A1, L39s and Inglis pistols. Most are assumed to have been L42A1.
• Charnwood Ordnance bought 366 L42A1 and sold these the Collector’s Source in Canada or which 60 were sold back to Charnwood (due to a legal technicality). Some were resold in Europe (e.g. Germany). About 300 of the chests were scrapped.
• A few placed in museums.
• An unknown number were lost in service (e.g. Falklands War)
• The rest were destroyed by the British government.

In my sniper rifle database, I have recorded 210 L42A1 of which only 12 are in Canada. There will likely be a few more, but most went to the USA.

All items are original.
CONTENTS OF CHEST:
 

• Rifle L42A1 1944 made by BSA, converted by H&H to No. 4 Mk. I (T) then by R.S.A.F. Enfield to L42A1 R35128 with correct 7.62 mm magazine.
• Matching Sniper scope made as No. 32 Mk. III OS. 2039 A by A.K. & S. in the UK in 1945 and later converted to L1A1 OS 2429 A with Metric calibration. Serviced recently by Warren Wheatfield.
• Matching scope bracket made by Rose Brothers in WWII in UK. Earlier number cancelled and marked 35128.
• Scope caps, for L1A1 scope on L42A1 rifle, with NATO NSN
• Steel scope case No. 8 Mk. I made 1955. Original, serial numbers do NOT match this rifle & scope w/ NOS strap
• Sling L8 synthetic, for L42A1, mint
• IWS bracket aka “J” bracket, rare, for Starlight
• Cleaning kit in tin as issued, new old stock
• Wooden chamber cleaning stick
• Rare lens brush w
• Extremely rare plastic lens brush case 

I would consider a dewat M1919A4 in part trade.