Australian Surplus .308 Stripper clips

[Master Blaster]

Hi All, I ordered some of the excellent aussi surplus from AIM, in the bandoleers and stripper clips.

I was wondering if anyone knows what bolt action the australian defense force issued that used the 5 round strippers to load .308????

Since the ammo was made in the 1980's they must have been issueing that rifle at least until then.

Thanks

 

[DMK]

I was wondering if anyone knows what bolt action the australian defense force issued that used the 5 round strippers to load .308????

It wasn't a bolt action. It was an L1A1 SLR semi-auto.

 

[Master Blaster]

Did this gun have a guide for strippers , and how many rounds did the magazine hold???? It looks like 20 why bother with a 5 round stripper clip???

 

[MarineTech]

The SLR was an "inch" pattern FAL. The magazine held 20 rounds. I am not sure if the SLR had a stripper clip guide on the receiver, but I don't think that it did. The stripper clips were meant to be used with a small metal magazine loader that attaches to the top of the magazine itself. As to the reason for 5 rounds on the clips, I can't definitively say. I believe it was to present a small profile to keep things compact when fitting them into a bandolier. Also, in the US, the stripper clips allowed the average crunchie to "top off" their M14 which does have a stripper clip guide on the receiver.

 

[atek3]

word of warning. the aussie ball on 5 round clips is great stuff, but the clips stink. You have to really rassle the rounds from the clip into the mag. its about as fast as removing the rounds from the stripper clips and loading the mag by hand.

atek3

 

[SMLE]

atek3

I got some of it and the clips worked fine. The mag loader I use has a bullet guide on the front, so it's not like the "spoon" style US ones. My brother has an Ishapore 2A1 SMLE in .7.62 and the clips worked fine for loading it as well.

Here is a pic of the type of loader I'm talking about.

Here is a link to Tapco.
http://www.tapco.com/product_information.asp?number=MAG2409&back=yes&dept=134&last=