Have a Long Branch mfg Enfield that was made in 1943. Serial no 56L7473. Has a CMk3 stamped ladder sight. Is this the correct sight for this rifle or a later replacement. Appears all matching except for the mag. Thanks for any help.
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Have a Long Branch mfg Enfield that was made in 1943. Serial no 56L7473. Has a CMk3 stamped ladder sight. Is this the correct sight for this rifle or a later replacement. Appears all matching except for the mag. Thanks for any help.
The short answer to your question is "YES".Quote:
Originally Posted by jerrbear
The longer answer is that rifles started being manufactured at Long Branch with the fabricated ladder sight approx. Jan 1944.
Sufficient stock of sights was available to CDN Army in the UK that the directive to begin fitting ladder sight to No4 rifles equipped with mk2 flip sights was given in May/June 1944.
I believe that the direction was phrased along the lines of "...fit the new sights to new rifles being issued/repaired but don't worry about rifles already issued..."
Not sure how close you follow history, but I'm pretty sure they had more pressing issues than resighting all of the No4 rifles already on issue to the Canadian Army based in the UK in May/June 1944.
The early Canadian manufacture Mk.III stamped/fabricated adjustable sights that were being installed in January 1944 until the end of wartime production in 1945 are not marked C Mk.3 but are basically the same. I'd guess your sight was installed later. Most likely after WWII. It's an uneducated guess but I'd stick my neck out and say your rifle was originally equipped with a Mk.II sight which was very common on 1942-1943 produced rifles. It was a production expedient with only 300 and 600 yard apertures.The wartime manufacture LB Mk.III sights are marked on the top back of the leaf with the pre 1946 LB "B in an L" manufacturer's mark instead of the post 1946 "A within a C", Canadian Arsenals manufacturer's mark.