Lee-Enfield L39A1 Service Target Rifle
and the preceding XL39.E1 trials rifle
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The first few rifles converted from .303-inch calibre No.4 rifles in 1968 were serial numbered 1 to 19. These initially maintained their original .303" calibre magazines, which were purely utilised as single-loading platforms. There is a probability that those after s/no. 10 had the magazine-well machined for the fitment of the Sterling-type magazines for the 7.62mm X 51 NATO round for these converted rifles. The newly engraved nomenclature on the left hand side of the action body was "No.4 7.62mm CON."
The production L39A1 rifles were preceded by another small series of similarly converted target rifles in the range A20 to A115, all dated for 1969 and engraved on the left side of the receiver as "No.4 7.62mm CONV.". These were allotted to the Army Rifle Association on the 11th. November of that year.
Initially the .303CF magazine was retained and just used as a loading platform. Those rifles assembled subsequent to serial no. A100 had the magazine well and trigger-guard machined for the fitment of the 7.62mm Sterling type magazine.
A few trials models were made up using actions from previously issued No.4 Mk.II rifles, and these were serialled post no. A100. The first rifle illustrated below is one of those, afforded the nomenclature XL39.E1. This rifle is number A128 of the fifty produced from serial no.116 to 165. These rifles had the Sterling-type magazine and were fitted with target sights before despatch to C.O.D. Donnington, which was the Ministry of Defence Central Ordnance Depot, from whence arms were issued to their destined units. It remains a storage depot to this day. Some of this batch went to the Royal Air Force or Royal Navy, and just two remained at the factory for use by a training officer. (See the table near the bottom of this page).
The above trials rifle's re-engraved nomenclature, place and date of manufacture, and serial number reads ...
.............7.62m/m XL39.E1
69.... A128
The rifle is fitted with a quite rare "ACE" aperture target rear-sight.
The Ace company had, many years previously, made rear-sights for the S.M.L.E (Short Rifle)
It is apparent that such early examples of these rifles were built up using previously utilised No.4 actions.
The stamping of the earlier serial numberings has been barred out.
There are two unusual marks on the RHS of the butt-socket in addition to the "broad arrow".
They appear to each have the number 83 stamped, with the lower mark looking as though it is " 83/P ".
The ACE rear-sight is shown from the RHS .......
...... from the LHS .........
.......... and from above.
The sight has an unusual attachment, effectively a short shade tube, to the rear of the Parker-Hale-type six-hole eye-piece. While the similar arrangement of eye-piece and shade on our Enfield Envoy is marked for Parker-Hale, this pair are unmarked.
Those rifles later afforded the nomenclature L39A1 commenced with serial number A167.
This second rifle illustrated on this page is one of that comparatively small number of standard issue models, and was manufactured at the Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, in 1969-70. It carries serial number A184. It has a half-stocked fore-end, and is again fitted with the Enfield hammer-forged heavy target barrel that was also later used on the L42A1 7.62 calibre sniper rifle. These rifles were all built on the No.4 Mk.2 action.
The just over 1,200 rifles converted were latterly usually fitted with the receiver-mounted Parker-Hale 'PH5C' (or occasionally the later PH5E4 ) target sight, and the Parker-Hale FS22B tunnel foresight. Being non-combat target rifles also intended for use in civilian competition, they were initially not issued with service sights, which is why civilian target sights were fitted.
The usual nomenclature and serial number are engraved on the LHS of the action body,
showing the 1969 date of manufacture. The reference UE is for the Royal Small Arms Factory - Enfield; (a UB would be for the Birmingham Small Arms Co.)
7.62m/m L39A.1.
UE 69 A 184
This rifle is fitted with the familiar Parker-Hale PH-5C target rear-sight
The bolt-head carries the civilian proof mark for 19 tons pressure - "19T".
When issued to the services, rifles carried the military proof for 20 tons - "20T".
Military proof is not accepted for civilian use, and rifles sold out of service are required to be re-proved at either the London or Birmingham proof house before they can be sold to the civilian market. Hence the more recently engraved figure.
Each of the trials and standard rifles has a Parker-Hale screw-cap fore-sight element container let into the underside of the butt. The standard Envoy rifle illustrated on site also has one, but that is an original A.G.Parker example.
..... 
Below: the Parts List for the L39A1 military target rifle and the L42A1 sniping rifle, with drawings.
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Drawings best viewed in Portrait
L39A1 Serial No.A390 was reported as having an identity tag
that gave a military designation for the rifle. It read ....
IDENTIFICATION LABEL A.F.G. 8061
SECT..B1.. PART No.... 1005-99-962-3084...
DESIGNATION...RIFLE, SNIPER.....
TARGET MATCH
So even the those rifles destined for target use were still treated as sniping models.
____________________
Research by Lee-Enfield Rifle Association member Colin Shorthouse at the library archives of the Royal Armouries, where the records of the R.S.A.F are held, has afforded the following data relating to the production numbers for each year, and dates of despatch to various destinations where recorded.
YEAR |
SERIAL NUMBERS |
MARKED NOMENCLATURE |
DESPATCHED TO / DATE |
1968 |
|
.... No.4 7.62m/m CON. |
..RSAF Evaluation and their rifle club |
1969 |
|
.... No.4 7.62m/m CONV. |
..Army Rifle Association 11th. April |
1969 |
|
.... 7.62m/m XL39.E.1. | Donnington, R.A.F. Uxbridge and R.N. Gosport. Just two to remained with RSAF |
1969 |
|
|
..to Donnington pre-issue |
1970 |
|
|
..Army Rifle Association 16th. May |
1970 |
|
|
..to Donnington pre-issue |
1970 |
......1003 - 1008 |
|
..City of London Police 6th. July |
1972 |
......1009 - 1241 |
|
..to Donnington pre-issue |
Strangely, the total number of rifles converted is recorded as 1,238, with the highest serial number known being s/no. 1241. It is, though, believed that a few early conversions were tested to destruction. In all, 1,183 rifles were despatched from the factory in a total of sevent batches.
_____________________
The Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock in 1963 issued a handbook comprehensively detailing the conversion of .303-inch calibre Lee-Enfield rifles to the NATO 7.62mm calibre. A conversion kit was available for the purpose.
______________
Below is the Lee-Enfield L42A1 sniper rifle that followed on from the 7.62 converted rifles and the L39A1 target rifle.
Click the above link for full details
See also: the closely associated Enfield Enforcer and the Enfield Envoy sniper and target rifles.