Yet another butt plate question... Long Branch 1942?

[louthepou]

Hi folks,

I've looked for this in Skennerton's book, and in this forum, with no luck.

Was there a sequence to the type of butt plates on LB-made No4 rifles? i.e. 1941 brass, switch to mazak in 42, then steel later, etc... It likely was more complicated than this, I'd suspect.

I'm wondering about this because I'd like to know with a certain degree of certainty which type should go on a 1942. Thanks for any input...

Lou

Information

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[gsimmons]

For what it's worth I have two 1943 LB's one has mazak and the other is brass.

[Brian Dick]

I've never seen a Canadian made brass buttplate. If they exist, please someone enlighten me. I will admit that I've not handled many unaltered 1941 production Long Branch rifles but I've had quite a few Long Branch No.4's dated 1942-45 and then 1949-50. I think the buttplates were pot metal from 1941, (mazak, Zamak), and then steel starting in 1944.

[louthepou]

Thanks guys, much appreciated.
Brian, this reminds me that I haven't bought from you in way too long, I should place an order soon

Lou

[gsimmons]

So Brian, my 1941 and 1943 LB would've originally had mazak (they're brass). Correct? So obviously they've been through repairs.

[LesterH]

My 1944 No4 Longbranch Mk1* has a steel butt plate. A lot of folk retro fit brass butt plates. Tradeexcanda have steel butt plates on sale at the moment. Very cheap.

[Peter Laidler]

What on earth possessed anyone to approve of the sintered alloy mazak butt plates for is beyond me. They'd crack at the drop of a hat. Same as alloy butt plates for the L1A1, although they were a bit more durable and cast instead of compressed, they were still rubbish, especially at the Training Regiments where they got a constant pounding. I don't think we ever replace mazak with another mazak unless that's all there was on the shelf