StrangeRanger Posted December 5, 2022 Report Share Posted December 5, 2022 What am I seeing just below the front of the charging handle slot in this picture? https://collections.royalarmouries.org/object/rac-object-277571 It looks as though it might be an added safety device to block the forward motion of the bolt. If so it would be more readily used than the safety notch at the rear of the slot but I have never seen this device pictured on any other Lanchester. This one is listed as a Mk.1**; I've never seen another reference to that variant. The second star must be for this modification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted December 5, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2022 Interesting response from Armouries.org.uk: Dear Michael, Excellent question – the device is straightforward enough, it is indeed a bolt block, but it’s to block the bolt IN the forward position to prevent it inadvertently coming to the rear and picking up a round, just as the Sten later did with the cocking handle mod and the Sterling did with its actual trigger mechanism. The tricky bit is what constitutes a Lanchester Mk.I** - the above device is found fitted on Mk.I* guns and according to the book ‘The Guns of Dagenham’ (co-written with the former chief engineer at Sterling) it was a later ‘mod’ to the Mk.I* build standard. I can find no mention of it anywhere other than on our guns – that one has two clear * marks, others we have are secondarily marked with a smaller, fainter second star. I will see if I can find out what a Mk.I** actually embodied. Regards, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 6, 2022 Report Share Posted December 6, 2022 How interesting. I just happened to have an extra Lanchester stock in my gun room with this exact cutout. I was wondering what it was. There does not appear to be a fitting on the stock, nor a pre-drilled hole for the sheet metal "blocking" piece so I wonder how and where it was attached? I switched out the stocks and it fits my gun just fine, albeit with the carve out section. Does anyone out there have the blocking piece? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 6, 2022 Report Share Posted December 6, 2022 Looking at the photo more closely, I bet the part is fitted onto the hinge assembly using existing screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babyface Nelson Posted December 6, 2022 Report Share Posted December 6, 2022 6 hours ago, Rekraps said: How interesting. I just happened to have an extra Lanchester stock in my gun room with this exact cutout. I was wondering what it was. There does not appear to be a fitting on the stock, nor a pre-drilled hole for the sheet metal "blocking" piece so I wonder how and where it was attached? I switched out the stocks and it fits my gun just fine, albeit with the carve out section. Does anyone out there have the blocking piece? Sir, I may have one. Wil have to check and see.... "BF" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted December 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 Pictures please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babyface Nelson Posted December 7, 2022 Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 As requested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 7, 2022 Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 17 hours ago, Babyface Nelson said: Sir, I may have one. Wil have to check and see.... "BF" Ah ha! Mystery cleared up. I have several trigger groups and one has the "nut" on the side while the other does not. It is here that the blocking bar is attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 7, 2022 Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 You just have to love the forums... it's like a living encyclopedia of living information. Not all is accurate, but there is enough that a consensus can be determined. In this case, Babyface Nelson held the key to our mystery. Now the question is this, why have we not seen any of this version out there? I bet its because there are so few C&R guns that would have the feature (to include the stock) and that most kit or tube guns where made from earlier production imported kits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted December 7, 2022 Author Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 I found it. (I need to pay more attention to my own library) in A History of the Small Arms made by the Sterling Armaments Company pgs. 10-11. This was an addition to the early Mk1* which was omitted in later production. There is no indication given of when or at what S/N range the safety was discontinued but it would not be present on Mk1s, Mk1s converted to the MK1* configuration or in later Mk1*s so there is probably a very narrow window in which these were installed. I have read elsewhere that most of the Lanchesters in the US came from Egypt, mine certainly did. The guns converted in Egypt would certainly have lacked this additional safety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 7, 2022 Report Share Posted December 7, 2022 On 8/30/2022 at 9:34 AM, Rekraps said: Got one. Thanks fellow forum members. Also, found an original 1.5" sling! Woah! 16 hours ago, Babyface Nelson said: As requested Is the part for sale? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babyface Nelson Posted December 11, 2022 Report Share Posted December 11, 2022 On 12/7/2022 at 2:32 PM, Rekraps said: Is the part for sale? Sir, Please check your "message box" for details. Thank you. "BF" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted December 14, 2022 Report Share Posted December 14, 2022 just On 12/11/2022 at 11:08 AM, Babyface Nelson said: Sir, Please check your "message box" for details. Thank you. "BF" Just got your note above, will check ASAP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 12, 2023 Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 So, John Andrewski is doing a bit of work on my C&R Lanchester and thanks to BabyFaceNelson I was able to obtain an OEM Lanchester Bolt Block lever and mounting hardware. Since I just happened to have a Lanchester stock with the cutout, I'm having John ensure that I can configure the Lanchester as original, OR mount the bolt block and with the matching stock have a very interesting end product. It will be about six months till I get it back (John is a busy guy) but when I do, I'll post pics of both configurations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted January 12, 2023 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2023 Baby Face Nelson got me the parts I needed to put my Lanchester back in proper working order as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 13, 2023 Report Share Posted January 13, 2023 He is a good man. Parts for these guns (without buying an entire kit if you can find one) are tough to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted January 23, 2023 Report Share Posted January 23, 2023 So, Andrewski has my Lanchester, and will be working on it soon. It may take months, but I'll post pics when done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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