Anybody know what this is?

[Jochen]

I came across this gas plug and cleaning tool the other day. It is British with a broad arrow and D mark on the gas plug. The cleaning tool is dated 1976. Does anybody know which weapon it is from?

[morris c8 fat]

No but i have one somewhere now I will have tyo go and find it

[FourFox]

Hi Jochen

 

It's the gas regulator from a GPMG. This is the co-axial L8A2 and the L37A2 version that was fitted to both Chieftain (L8A2) and the Rarden turreted 432 series and the CVR Scimitar and Fox (L37A2). The weapons have several differences from the 'standard' L7A2 and L7A1 infantry weapons to make them more 'usable' in the restricted confines of a fixed turret mount.

 

Jon

Edited December 4, 2012 by FourFox

[Jochen]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for that. I thought that might be where they came from, but couldn't find any pictures. I suppose somebody kept the gas plug as a spare so they could swap it and clean it later. Thanks again.

 

Jochen.

[Bazz]

Hi Jon,

Thanks for that. I thought that might be where they came from, but couldn't find any pictures. I suppose somebody kept the gas plug as a spare so they could swap it and clean it later. Thanks again.

 

Jochen.

 

We used to have a couple of spare ones per gun. We removed the good one from the barrel prior to firing and use the spare ones, the good one was replaced after firing and the barrel had been cleaned, and the spare plugs kept and cleaned when time was available. We used the soak the spare plugs on cola, very good for removing the carbon, but not very good for the surface and fish of the plug, that's why we only used the spare plugs.

[AlienFTM]

We used to have a couple of spare ones per gun. We removed the good one from the barrel prior to firing and use the spare ones, the good one was replaced after firing and the barrel had been cleaned, and the spare plugs kept and cleaned when time was available. We used the soak the spare plugs on cola, very good for removing the carbon, but not very good for the surface and fish of the plug, that's why we only used the spare plugs.

 

New RSM, JC, encouraged the regimental powers-that-be to re-introduce the brass cap and beret badge. Unlike the obviously tatty Sta-brite badge, brass could be shone up to GLEAM. Then somebody discovered Silver Dip. Park your silver cutlery in sliver dip and the tarnish vanished in the blink of an eye. ("Yeah right, as if squaddies had silver cutlery.") Then somebody discovered that it also worked well on a brass cap badge and suddenly it became a NAAFI best-seller.

 

THEN somebody discovered that Silver Dip also worked on working parts. We never put enough rounds down our Small Metal Guns to require Silver Dip to get them to gleam again, but when we fired the coax (GPMG, L43A1), we could put down box after box of 7.62mm disintegrating link, one ball, one trace. But the working parts (more than thirty years on I can still picture the gas rod) got filthy beyond words.

 

Huzzah for Silver Dip!