Exotic and Plausible?
No. 6 Mk.I Rifle Self Loading, 7.92mm. In early 1943, an early example of the German FG 42 falls into British hands. While interesting from a technical standpoint, it is dismissed as a novelty by the military establishment - except the Royal Armored Corps. They see it as the ideal weapon for dismounted armored crews, mainly for it's firepower. The fact that it simplifies the supply situation by using the same 7.92mm cartridges as the standard tank Machine gun, the Besa.
Ultimately, some 10,000 would be produced by BSA by wars end. In addition, as many as 400 captured FG 42 rifles were collected from various theaters and ganged into service. These were designated the No.6 Mk1* Rifle, Self Loading, 7.92mm (Metric).
Postwar, the No.6 continued in service with the Armored Corps until the 7.92mm Besa was withdrawn from service in the 1960's. At some point, as the 7.92mm round was being displaced by the 7.62mm NATO, the RAC converted some 1500 of the rifles to the new cartridge, with new barrels and sights produced by Parker and Hale.
These converted rifles were rejected in favor of the FAL pattern rifles already in service. The converted No.6 rifles were passed to the Royal Navy, where they found their way into the arms lockers on many secondary ships, including the HMS Endurance during the Falklands War.
No. 6 Mk.I Rifle Self Loading, 7.92mm. In early 1943, an early example of the German FG 42 falls into British hands. While interesting from a technical standpoint, it is dismissed as a novelty by the military establishment - except the Royal Armored Corps. They see it as the ideal weapon for dismounted armored crews, mainly for it's firepower. The fact that it simplifies the supply situation by using the same 7.92mm cartridges as the standard tank Machine gun, the Besa.
Ultimately, some 10,000 would be produced by BSA by wars end. In addition, as many as 400 captured FG 42 rifles were collected from various theaters and ganged into service. These were designated the No.6 Mk1* Rifle, Self Loading, 7.92mm (Metric).
Postwar, the No.6 continued in service with the Armored Corps until the 7.92mm Besa was withdrawn from service in the 1960's. At some point, as the 7.92mm round was being displaced by the 7.62mm NATO, the RAC converted some 1500 of the rifles to the new cartridge, with new barrels and sights produced by Parker and Hale.
These converted rifles were rejected in favor of the FAL pattern rifles already in service. The converted No.6 rifles were passed to the Royal Navy, where they found their way into the arms lockers on many secondary ships, including the HMS Endurance during the Falklands War.