Century L1A1 Sporter Questions

[edwards]

Well, I'm new to the board and as someone new to the board, I thought I might post a few newbie questions.

I've got a Century L1A1 Sporter, which as far as I can tell is a metric receiver on an inch parts gun. The receiver is marked

L1A1 Sporter
Cal .308
CAI - St. Alb Vt

and the serial number of course. I was wondering if anyone knows who made the receiver or if Century at some point did manufacture their own? It is an extremely tight gun overall, and in decent condition, I'm just trying to find out more about it.

Yes I did a forum search and only got one hit referencing the Sporter model.

[Squint]

Either Argentine or IMBEL (Brazil). Probably IMBEL

[edwards]

Did Imbel make receivers without their name and/or logo on them?

[Squint]

From what I gather, yes for the Century receivers.

[edwards]

Also, can anyone tell me about the bolt? It's marked "DG" and to the left of that has a logo with two flag poles crossed, with the flags hanging opposite directions with "L" and "P" above and below where the flag poles are crossed, respectively.

[FULLMETALJACKET]

From your description of the text on the receiver I can teel it's an early unmarked Imbel receiver. I have one just like it in the safe. It should have a 6 digit serial number. The text on the early argy receivers is entirely different:wink:

[edwards]

Yes the serial number is six digits, 109XXX. Thanks guys for all the help. Still would like to find out about the bolt.

[MAINER]

You have an "Inch" bolt, probably Aussie. (Lithgow). If you have a serial no. electropenciled on the underside, the first two digits are the year made and the remaining digits are the order it was made in. 6609140 would indicate there were 9,139 bolts produced before this one in 1966.

I think the crossed flags is a gov't accecptance mark, not positive. strumgrenadiere and others could probly tell what the other marks are.

Skinnerton wrote a book about Austrailia's SLR.

[edwards]

Hey guys, I took her and shot it today and it ate 18 rounds fine, but the last two rounds stovepiped. Could that be because the gas needs to be adjusted or because the gas system is dirty or something else? I ask specifically, because the gas system is very dirty with some sort of greasy brown stuff that's half dried up on most of the piston.

[StoneyCreekMrMauser]

That's your good friend cosmoline. Just a preservative grease that the militaries of the world slap on everything to keep it from rusting. Disassemble the gun down to the pins and screws and dunk it all in a wash of mineral spirits or diesel fuel. Scrub off the garbage, dry off, and relube properly. Takes a minute but she'll look and work better (smell, maybe).:fal:

[edwards]

I've heard people talk about cosmoline, but never actually seen/felt the stuff as I've never had a firearm "pickled" in it. Pretty nasty junk. Thanks for the explanation.

[bob dole]

try cleaning a yugo sks sometime! i had enough cosmo off of that rifle to do 10 other rifles! but after a while the smell starts to become a nice sweet smell :love: plus that smell mixed with the fact that it made your rifle that much healthier by being there!

[StoneyCreekMrMauser]

Turk Mauser. Bring on the diesel and an old gas tank half. A pressure washer wouldn't hurt either.

[gear-head]

Originally posted by bob dole
try cleaning a yugo sks sometime! i had enough cosmo off of that rifle to do 10 other rifles! but after a while the smell starts to become a nice sweet smell :love: plus that smell mixed with the fact that it made your rifle that much healthier by being there!

Amen to that, I had an SKS with so much cosmo you couldn't move the bolt!

[pistol5]

Sir, You might take a light and hit your rec at some oblique angles and find some further markings. I had one once that was in a similar serial # range and just under ejection port, VERY faintly stamped was ''receiver made in Brasil" . I found it only on very close inspection. Regards.

[edwards]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately there was nothing there.

[pistol5]

Also check underneath forward end of rec(between magwell and barrel ring), and for more info go to the reference and data section here on the files. Good discussion of this in past several months.

[harborboy]

hey all. im new here and was looking for some help.

my uncle just gave me a L1A1 as a gift. when he gave it to me he said it was old. like 30+ years old. i have heard all the bad stuff about century rifles and was just happy that i got a free rifle. i took it to a friend of a friend who took a peek at it. we were both suprised at what we saw. the serial number is CA001xx. the reciever looks machined and aussie. i know nothing about what CAI did at the very begining but it looks like a quality rifle except for the bolt that is worn. do any of you fellas know about their early work? any info will help alot. thanks!

[d7cook]

Originally posted by edwards
Did Imbel make receivers without their name and/or logo on them?

Yes they did. All I've seen so far are marked R1A1 which is something Century made up I believe. I assume Century got away with being the manufacturer (IE not Imbel marked) by doing all the inch cuts on an otherwise finished receiver. If the receiver has a two digit inspectors stamp on the bottom by the locking lug it's an Imbel.

[Punani]

Picked up a similar rifle at the funshow yesterday.

Mine came with 11 mags (one clean, 10 marked "Made in Austria" in heavy cosmoline) and a DSA top cover installed.

I also had a few stovepipe stoppages, but it seemed to shoot fine last night.

Oh, and my receiver is marked "Made by Imbel" or something to that effect.