FN C1A1 Help

[John Sukey]

Makes you wonder, the M1 rifle has a safety sear, the SKS has a safety sear, but the safety sear on a L1A1 is EVIL.

I wonder if it's because the marking on the lower reciever had that AWFUL "A" on it. Even though you would have needed EXTRA parts to make it function that way and the rifle was NEVER issued in select fire.

 

[Curtton]

Makes you wonder, the M1 rifle has a safety sear, the SKS has a safety sear, but the safety sear on a L1A1 is EVIL.

I wonder if it's because the marking on the lower reciever had that AWFUL "A" on it. Even though you would have needed EXTRA parts to make it function that way and the rifle was NEVER issued in select fire.

not it cos C1A1 lower has no evil letter "A" .

PM incoming .

 

[stencollector]

Makes you wonder, the M1 rifle has a safety sear, the SKS has a safety sear, but the safety sear on a L1A1 is EVIL.

I wonder if it's because the marking on the lower reciever had that AWFUL "A" on it. Even though you would have needed EXTRA parts to make it function that way and the rifle was NEVER issued in select fire.

The C1A1 was issued in selective fire as the C1A1D. Meant for use by the Cdn Navy, the only real difference was the selector and the letter D painted on the butt.

 

[paulz]

I have finally managed to bring myself kicking and screaming into the late 20th century, so I am going to post a couple of photos

 

[paulz]

for Rossguy, sorry I don't have a white crayon or chinagraph handy to highlight the markings. I used candlewax, which worked better than I expected, but not as well as the right stuff would have. As requested, pictures of the various proofmarks.

 

[paulz]

For curtton, my baby in all its glory...

 

[jennis]

I remember hearing 'stories' from Wainwright of the boys laying their fn's against their webbing in the tall grass and walking over to the 5/4 (five-quad) for a hay box lunch....In rolls a MLVW through the tall grass......crack crack crack snap

 

[koldt]

My understanding is, when the OPP traded these in for newer kit, these rifles were sent to Brit land as part of the deal. Then re imported by Collectors Source. I think they still have some. Same as my C1 SMG. Supposedly started in Congo, then a company in Britain scooped them, converted them to S/A, and then some of the SMGs, including L2A1s, etc were imported into Canada. Of course all this in the 'bad ole days'.
Apparently these guns did a lot of damage, maiming, and general destruction. Good thing no more can be imported, or taken out of the house. Just think of the havoc they would do.

 

[koldt]

I've also seen a couple, 6L series guns for sale. They are few and far between. They didn't have any OPP or Brit proofs. They were probably DCRA guns. Or, back in the day, even the C1 SMG could be bought from CAL directly from the factory...

 

[koldt]

BTW, paulz, vary vary nice.

Just to add. Most of the 8L guns I've seen, have a different shade of parking on the bottom receiver.

 

[Curtton]

For curtton, my baby in all its glory...]

thanks paul , better than i had imagined you would have ... i didnt expect a complete (except for a screw driver) scope with that rare "as hens teeth " top cover .

heres my collection of top covers, still short a few more .

 

[paulz]

Thanks for the compliments. Actually, the screw driver is in the can, I forgot to take it out for the photo, along with the lens cleaning cloth. (I don't know if there was ever an instuction manual though, if there is I don't have it).

The only non-Canadian item in the picture is the bayonet, which is Aussie. A proper Cdn bayonet is on the list. Also not shown is a copy of CFP 317(2) Volume 2 Rifle, Bayonet and Automatic Rifle, although there are a couple of pages missing, replaced by the french ones.

 

[koldt]

Don't forget the J cloth. It was in the scope can as well.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

I've also seen a couple, 6L series guns for sale. They are few and far between. They didn't have any OPP or Brit proofs. They were probably DCRA guns. Or, back in the day, even the C1 SMG could be bought from CAL directly from the factory...

DCRA FNC1A1s: that's a new one. The provincial and regimental rifle associations could draw issue rifles on temporary loan cards from the Canadian Forces. I've never heard of FNs owned by the DCRA.

 

[stencollector]

DCRA FNC1A1s: that's a new one. The provincial and regimental rifle associations could draw issue rifles on temporary loan cards from the Canadian Forces. I've never heard of FNs owned by the DCRA.

Doesn't Blake Steven's original book on the North American FALs include a picture showing an invoice from CAL to some DCRA shooters? There are somewhere around 400-500 C1A1s in private hands in Canada, surely collectors source/ OPP did not provide them all.

 

[paulz]

Yes, Blake's book, (and the new "all three volumes at once" version), shows an invoice for at least a half dozen rifles to a club. I have met a man who used to have one, bought "back in the day", but the feds talked him into giving it up at C-68 time (Grrrr!).

I was under the impression that they were all 8L, (I will take a look in my book tonight when I get home).

(edit).....Checked in my copy of the book. Page 133 "Fig. 166 An example of a sale made to a qualified group of civilian shooters in 1972"

They bought 7 rifles, numbers 8L5006-12 for $225 each and 14 magazines at $5 each plus 12% federal tax and 5% PST, total $1934.52 Also included was a replacement bolt carrier for one previously returned and they picked them up direct from the factory.

 

[Curtton]

paul, you maybe interested in what a C1A1 clone sells for in the US , it comes with a leitz scope .

auction not over.

http:// gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116857527 (remove space before gunbroker)

 

[wheaty]

Canadian arsenals also sold C-2'sand Sterlings to private individuals as well. "Them was the good old days....." and more than the suits were double breasted.....

 

[paulz]

paul, you maybe interested in what a C1A1 clone sells for in the US , it comes with a leitz scope .

auction not over.

http:// gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=116857527 (remove space before gunbroker)

WOW! reserve not met yet, still for sale! Nice repro! Unfrotunately to be perfectly accurate he should have bought the DSA reveiver without the sand cuts, but that is just me being picky!

One thing I did notice, and found very interesting was the sticker on the scope can. Factory overhauled in 1989! Wonder if ELCAN still has the factory bits to do that now?