Long Branch serial number listing

[limpetmine]

Greetings, fellow Enfield collectors!
Limpetmine here limpetmine1@gmail.com

With permission from ansleyj at Gunboards, I have been collecting and posting Long Branch serial number data for the past few years. Badger asked if I could cross post this information, and continue to add to the data base from Milsurp.Com users. The fine folks at Gunboards have agreed to this cross posting, so here goes!

Some interesting bits of information have already come to light with this survey. Long Branch started their serial number sequencing as did Savage; 0LX, 0LXX,0LXXX,0LXXXX. From 0L9999, it appears that the numbering went 1LX,1LXX,1LXXX,1LXXXX, as proven by a rifle I own, 1LXXX.
This is evidenced by other rifles of similar numbering in the 1L series, i.e. 1LXX.
It appears, however, that with the 2L series, the numbering went 2LXXXX, i.e. 2L0001. Examples of one, two or three digit 2L series rifles would be appreciated.

David1973 of Canada has provided a great number of pictures and evidence of a 96L rifle. Prior to this survey, 95L had been the understood “end of the road” sequence number, with only I. Skinnerton
making speculation of the 96L series. Hat tip to David! I continue to harass David about his rifle, and he is a good sport about it.

Given that the number of examples in the survey is well into the hundreds now, the convention of X-ing out two or three digits of the serial number is becoming a serious handicap to the survey. Therefore, submitted serial numbers with more than one X will not be included in the survey.

The minimum data I have been collecting is YEAR/MODEL/SIGHT (LES, I.S. pg 219 3d ed.).

Additional data I have been collecting from auction sites, gunshows and other sources is: WOOD SPECIES/FTR DATE/BUTT PLATE alloy, steel, brass)/GROOVED UPPER H.G./HIGH-LOW WOOD/SERIALED STOCK/NOTABLES.

Observations to this point:
Not yet seen a 1942 No. 4 Mk1 (no star).
New Zealand had a lot of early LB's, and didn't use them much!
1945 is an interesting year for LB serial numbers and sniper rifles.
LB No. 4 Mk1/2's are rare! Hat tip Lance.

You are invited to submit your serial numbers in the reply box here, or email it to me via this web site.
I do not keep a listing of who submits what number to me. If I ever find a sequential set of serial numbers, I [really] can't get you in contact with the other guy!

I update the list about 2-3 times a year, more if time allows. So without further chit chat, here is the list from the Gunboards site. You may link to it here:

Survey of Long Branch #4 serial number ranges - Page 5 - Gunboard's Forums



Here is the long awaited update. 226 serial numbers so far, and 4 date/serial number changes in this update. As you can see, having all the digits in the serial number make are a great help to narrowing the change over serial number on year changes. The '44 '45 change of date is showing some really strange stuff; numbers are all over the map, with lots of out of sequence numbers. Also interesting is a 1945 rifle with a 1950 serial number, and the "5" of the 1945 looks hand stamped. Really a neat rifle! It appears to be a 1950 all the way around, but is dated 1945.
Please keep your numbers coming, I hope this public information will continue to be a useful resource./////limpetmine, June 20, 2009


1941 Mk 1 0L244
1941 Mk 1 1L2xxx

All noted below are Mk1*'s
1942 Mk1* 2L1037
1942 Mk1* 26L9463

1943 Mk1* 22L28XX
1943 Mk1*57L4906

1944 50L66xx (this looks to be an aberration)
1944 57L6082
1944 83L842x

1945 83L38XX
1945 90L80XX sniper (T)
1945 91L9864

1949 91L085X
1949 91L51XX

1950 91L0510
1950 96L0012 (rumors of 0013 now)

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[No4Mk1(T)]

As promised when I asked you to bring your survey to Milsurps here are the seven Long Branch rifles I currently have:

19L1374 1942, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock, RCMP marked.
23L8508 1943, No4Mk1*, CDN MkIII sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock
24L5776 1943, No4Mk1*, PH5C, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, Serialed stock, 7.62mm DCRA conversion.
30L0227 1943, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, serialed stock
38L5984 1943, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Grooved, un-serialed stock
83L3414 1945, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Grooved, un-serialed stock, Lower 1945 serial number than currently listed in your survey.
95L9081 1950, CMk3 sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock, Magazine serialed to rifle.

Are you interested in CNo7 serial numbers as well?

[A. F Medic]

Mine is No4 MK1 * 1944-- 60L5526. Flip Flop rear sight and grooved hand guard. Steel butt plate. Lower forearm has by the front band B with a 32 under it. Brit broad arrow in a circle. Then a "T". No serial number on magazine. Butt stock may be a replacement....

[S-A-M3]

Regarding NZ issue Longbranchs, I`ve owned 30+ never seen a steel butt plate, or an ungrooved handguard on a rifle,but seen a few NOS plain handguards. Stuart.

[limpetmine]

Hi, and thanks for your number contributions. I've got a few C No.7 numbers; havn't been pursuing these, as they are so rarely on the market it's hard to pull data off the auction sites. I'll post what I've got so far.
limpetmine

As promised when I asked you to bring your survey to Milsurps here are the seven Long Branch rifles I currently have:

19L1374 1942, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock, RCMP marked.
23L8508 1943, No4Mk1*, CDN MkIII sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock
24L5776 1943, No4Mk1*, PH5C, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, Serialed stock, 7.62mm DCRA conversion.
30L0227 1943, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, serialed stock
38L5984 1943, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, Un-dated CDN FTR, Steel Buttplate, Grooved, un-serialed stock
83L3414 1945, No4Mk1*,CDN MkIII sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Grooved, un-serialed stock, Lower 1945 serial number than currently listed in your survey.
95L9081 1950, CMk3 sight, non-FTR, Steel Buttplate, Un-Grooved, un-serialed stock, Magazine serialed to rifle.

Are you interested in CNo7 serial numbers as well?

[stencollector]

I would love to see Cno7 numbers as well, to better get an idea where the changeovers were. Problem is, the fakes with their re-serialized receivers are so plentiful that they will skewer any hope of getting proper data. Many owners do not want to believe that they bought a fake, or else some were done well enough that it is hard to tell real from fake.

By fake I am talking about the scrubbed receivers that are so plentiful here in Canada these days. They get assembled into rifles, and often serialized to match whatever bolt is found for the rifle.

[trooper554877]

I have 0L6510
No4 Mk1
non waisted front sight block and protector
has mk2 sight,but i think it might be a refit somewhere along the line.
It is here in Asutralia
Only just under 500 numbers difference from the one in the lee enfield libary under canadian production.

cheers
NED

[jerrbear]

Have a No4 Mk1* Long Branch w/CMk3 sight & steel buttplate. SN 56L7473 dated 1943

[NavyShooter]

95L2240 1950, C#4 Mk1* Click adjust ladder sight (stamped with "B") Steel buttplate, magazine not original.

Placed 2nd in the annual historic arms match here in Nova Scotia with it.

[Skip]

1943 36L7853 Steel Butt, Matching Mag,

Lower stock at muzzle end has: 36L
7853
Right side of stock has: 12.43

Under the pistol grip: BH P

Under the tigger guard:L or 1