C1A1 Sniper Rifle

koldt said:
Id like to submit some stuff for the show too:cheers: I couldnt get the photos in the order I was trying:redface: There is a bit of glass reflection from them being in the case, sorry. Too much work for this morning to take everything out for photos. The phone takes reasonable photos. My editing capabilities on my, new to me, used computer arent that good. I have Windows 7 and associated programs.
Wish I could take as good of photos as Bartok.

1. AN PVS 502 night vision kit. Also used on the TOW, C2 and 50. Made by Varo in Texas, now ITT. I still really like playing with these. Great value for the money. Im getting to be pretty familiar with this unit. When compared with my PVS14, this thing is amazing for the time period and now cost. Highly recommended for any rifle. I can even mount this on my 10 22 along with any other rifle that has a Weaver or Pic rail. Yes its a bit big and heavy, but it works well. 3.4 power scope with an adjustable illuminated reticule. Ive got a couple other units with various reticules, ie. Israeli with the small cross hash marks and the US reticule for the PVS4 and M16 rifle. There is a bit of parts interchangeability between this 502 and the PVS4.

2. AN PAS 4 night vision with FN mount. As you can see, it has the humongous IR light and filter. It wasnt in the system long.

3. Portion of my Canadian wall with my 8L series and C1 SMG.

4. Bit of everything in this pic. .22 conversion. Im told these were made by HK. Leitz scope with can and accessories. The target behind it is for the .22 conversion, sighting for the FNC1. Blue inert, rifle grenade. Ive got a couple of these, so one of these days Id like to launch one. If anyone out there knows a good recipe for the blank round, please let me know.
To the left of the .22 kit is the MILES laser gear dedicated for the FNC1. The rubber 502 scope cover appears to have been locally made by a Mat Tech.
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Nice. I still have one of those 22 conversions tucked away, and one L1A1. But you have some really cool stuff koldt. - dan
 
Here are some detail photos relating to the C1 Sniper Scope. These photos show the Scope's method of Quick Detach, the contents of the Carrying Case, and so forth. Enjoy!


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koldt said:
.... Wish I could take as good of photos as Bartok.....

4. Bit of everything in this pic. .22 conversion. Im told these were made by HK.....
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LOL.... I take all of my photos with a cell phone camera. It must just be the combination of a fortuitous lighting situation within my "gun room" and my cheap-arsed selection of those Costco snap-together Floor Tiles for a backdrop!

The C1A1 and L1A1 .22 Conversion Kits were indeed manufactured by HK. Check a magazine body or the Blowback Breech Block for the HK logo - it is there somewhere IIRC.
 
Thanks for the pictures and information gentlemen.

It sure brings back the 1980's memories of Pet and Borden for me

He built a franken C1A1 with an unknown reciever. He thus did not have a typical C1A1 you could find in a Canadian infantry Bn. What he had was more like the C1A1 that 'certain Cdn. rifle teams' from 'a certain Cdn. infantry regiment' were rumoured to show up at CFSAC with when that competition had the 'Bisley' format to the stages.
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I know exactly who you are talking about!
 
Bartok5 said:
LOL.... I take all of my photos with a cell phone camera. It must just be the combination of a fortuitous lighting situation within my "gun room" and my cheap-arsed selection of those Costco snap-together Floor Tiles for a backdrop!.
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Your lighting is very even and items well lit. With using your phone, they turn out well.
 
koldt said:
Well,,, that’s the first photo I’ve seen where the PAS is mounted and quasi used on the C1. I’ve yet to actually function test it.
Thanks for posting.
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Shooting this was clumsy till you got used to it. Went from this to the Starlite scope and what a magical difference.
 
I was an armourer with the 1CDO in the early 70s. On the sniper course, we just installed the scope on the issue C1s. At best, they were a good marksman rifle. We tried tightening up the receiver and dust cover mounts. Some improvements but the C1 was a battle rifle, not a sniper. The furthest we shot was out to 600 yards. You have to remember, the C1 was not a sub moa rifle from the factory. 2" at 100 yds would be pretty damned good as that was best spec.
 
While Clive Law may have used the number 305, known serial numbers indicate approx 500 units.

According to my local C1 guru, the match shooters sought out the error barrels which were hard chromed over the finished .308 size bore. He also claimed that they would rob Lithgow L1A1s of their barrels as they were tighter than average C1 barrels

Regarding Rob's VRSA shooting video, he is using 168gr (probably match kings) while the CF only issued 147gr ball with the C1s - probably a dramatic improvement in group sizing.
 
According to my local C1 guru, the match shooters sought out the error barrels which were hard chromed over the finished .308 size bore. He also claimed that they would rob Lithgow L1A1s of their barrels as they were tighter than average C1 barrels
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Something I forgot all about and yes Base Weapons Maintenance at Borden also played around with L1A1 barrels for the rifle teams.

There were plenty of L1A1 barrels on the open market back then, hell you could buy one at our local gun-shows in the wrapper.

Borden Weapons Tech's even played around with the flash suppressors somewhat akin to M-14 match flash suppressors.

This was a mod that was more or less not allowed, but they played around with plenty of things.

I'm also sure QM 86,87 here on GunNutz could add his 2 cents using the C1's considering he won the Queens Medals in 86, 87.

Our rifle team members used to go through the C1's until they found one of their liking, it was then racked on a separate rifle team rack in the lockup.

I still have my sling with my name on it here at home.

I'm sure Capt. Keith Cunningham could add his 2cents also if he is still on here.

He was many years ago in the early stages of GunNutz.



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I played around using a C2 with the issue scope. Cut down the bipods and made a short 10rd mag for a low profile. With the heavy barrel and bi pods, it was much better than a C1. But... An unauthorized mod. How dare I mess with issued kit. Being an armourer, we played around with this kind of stuff but the army is a slow unchangable beast.
 
I was the sucker issued a C2 when I got my first posting. Ninety nine % of the time I just carried it. Were they found to be defective or something like that? Maybe the recievers were unsuitable for the role? There must have been a reason few ppl. got trigger time with them.

It is known that Australian soldiers in Vietnam were struggling to like their analog of the C2 as well.
 
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fat tony said:
I was the sucker issued a C2 when I got my first posting. Ninety nine % of the time I just carried it. Were they found to be defective or something like that? Maybe the recievers were unsuitable for the role?
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The FN C2 Automatic Rifle was a piss-poor "Light Machinegun" due to excessive recoil, a non-Quick-Change Barrel and magazine feed. Two-round "bursts" were OK, but 3 rounds or more were simply wasted ammo sent into low earth-orbit by the upwards recoiling rifle. The C2 was an badly outdated concept at the time of its adoption, representing a huge step backwards from the Bren Gun in ever regard other than weight. The FN Rifle Receivers (specifically the Breech-Blocks and Locking Shoulders) were mechanically up to the task of (limited) automatic fire, however the Automatic Rifle was simply too light for the excessive recoil generated by the 7.62 NATO ammunition. Hence the practice of 2 to 3 round "bursts" maximum, and even those were punishing to the unlucky firer. The FN C2 was a bad idea from the outset, which is why I sold off the one that I had in favour of a nice 1943 Inglis Bren Gun.

The Bren was a pig to lug around, but it was a dream to fire. When I was a young, wet behind the ears Army Cadet (13 yrs old) my Corps still had a Bren Gun with the full equipment suite on issue from the supporting Esquimalt Naval Base, who didn't know any better in 1979 or so. We had stacks of .303 ammo still available at Rocky Point ammo depot, as well as a rather large "buckshee" stockpile in the Cadet Corps CO's garden shed! Good times shooting that Bren Gun.... until the Military Police wised up in the mid-1980's and took it away from the Cadet Corps. Bummer.
 
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