yeah 49 pats fine as a stop gap.
You can bastardise the pockets to make it look like a 40 pattern but changing th ecollar is very tricky but can be done.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
For proper stuff you'll have to go repro... you won't find war dated and if you do you won't want to use it for airsofting in... 
just got BD jacket today ( its a 49 patt, dated 1955 i think) can i get away with it being a " 49" ? if not i wont bother badging until i can find a war dated one.
Yeah, '49patt is fine for CiA and Gunman, etc.. events, I wear it. The top button can be done up to provide a closed collar look, though it does look a little strange as the jackets were tailored to be worn open collared. But I do so, and if people get a bit ticky with it (not that they should or even give a t*ss as it's only airsoft), then I usually find wearing a WW2 style scrim around the neck allowing it to cover much of the collar to hide it helps. And remember, most of the time you'll be running and jumping and diving around, who's going to notice? You'll look very much like a Brit and that's what counts 
With Gadge in mind, and his desire for PBI to also be 'stageable' like re-enactors ("walk around" period events and/or photo shoots) then PBI would probably prefer spot-on stuff in the end (think of it as something to work up to or save for, eh? I do! But until then, I'll still be rocking the '49patt 
).
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.
Actually 49 pat has always been acceptable for PBI its just getting a decent sized blouse or trousers is a s much as cheap repros of 37 pat so hardly worth it.
If you can fit in a size 13 you're laughing as they are only a fiver but 16's and the like can be around £25 - 30 and you can get a replicators set for not much more.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
