1942 Long Branch no4 mk1* Need some info.

[Meshuggah]

Hello everyone.

Just recently got my first two Enfields. I don't know much about them yet and was hoping some of you could answer some of my questions about this rifle.

1942 Long Branch no4 mk1*.

I got a deal on this rifle because the front sight guard has a broken screw in it and is not attached to the rifle. The numbers match on the receiver, bolt, and main stock body (marked on the inside). The forward most top handguard is a different color and does not have a serial. The mag serial does not match. No numbers on the rear top handguard but looks to match the rifle. No serial on the barrel that I can see but it does have the LB stamp and '42. Its a 2 groove barrel with minor wear/pitting inside. The barrel bands are both marked CA.

The main stock body has an X under it. Does this indicate a refurb?

What all parts would originally be numbered to this rifle?

Is the barrel original even though theres no serial but a LB and '42 stamp? (2 groove)

Can anybody help me understand the markings in the pics?

Would love suggestions on how to get that screw out without damaging the sight guard.

I really hope this turns out to be a good shooter... Thanks for the replies in advance!

*edit* Any suggestions on the best place to find an original screw for the sight guard?

Information

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[Lee Enfield]

Hello everyone.

Just recently got my first two Enfields. I don't know much about them yet and was hoping some of you could answer some of my questions about this rifle.

1942 Long Branch no4 mk1*.

I got a deal on this rifle because the front sight guard has a broken screw in it and is not attached to the rifle. The numbers match on the receiver, bolt, and main stock body (marked on the inside) (all good, your forend would have been originally serialed until mid 1943). The forward most top handguard is a different color and does not have a serial. The mag serial does not match (no matter, Long Branch did not number magazines). No numbers on the rear top handguard but looks to match the rifle (only seen handguards numbered on match and sniper rifles). No serial on the barrel that I can see but it does have the LB stamp and '42 (The only Long Branch barrels which are numbered are on 1941 dated actions) . Its a 2 groove barrel with minor wear/pitting inside. The barrel bands are both marked CA (post 1947 manufactured).

The main stock body has an X under it. Does this indicate a refurb? (no the X was an inspectors mark, most Long Branch stocks have a single letter in the same area, the fact that the receiver is phosphate (parkerized) is an indication that it was rebuilt at some point post 1950 (Long Branch changed to Phosphate in mid-1950/51)

What all parts would originally be numbered to this rifle? (Forend, bolt, receiver)

Is the barrel original even though theres no serial but a LB and '42 stamp? (2 groove) (yes)

Can anybody help me understand the markings in the pics?

Would love suggestions on how to get that screw out without damaging the sight guard.

I really hope this turns out to be a good shooter... Thanks for the replies in advance!

*edit* Any suggestions on the best place to find an original screw for the sight guard?

See Red comments

as a comment, your bands are on backwards...and in 1942 your butt plate would have been diemac/zamac (aluminum potmetal).

[browningautorifle]

suggestions on how to get that screw out without damaging the sight guard.

I'd stake it with a prick punch and drill and worm it. If you have a small enough dremel wheel you could come in from the broken end and maybe create a slot, lopsided, enough to get a jewler's screwdriver in.

Brian Dick right here on this site will have the screw, maybe he'll sell you the two parts cheaper than the effort of removing the broken screw.

[Surpmil]

That's a very original looking example Meshuggah. Not common at all these days, not around here anyway. The early rifles were mostly used long and hard and many have gone to the smelter by now. Many of the others have fugly New Zealand stampings on them or were post-war UK FTRs. That's why originals like yours are so uncommon.

You've got the early pattern safety lever there, so interesting to see on on a 7L rifle.

You've also got the "C Board Arrow" mark for Canadian service, which is not that common on these rifles as Canada shipped all their production to the UK and allowed the UK authorities to divvy it out to whoever, meaning Canadian soldiers often ended up with UK produced rifles and vice versa.

[CODFan]

Nice Rifle!

I do not want to side-track the discussion, but do we know approximately at what serial range Long Branch ceased numbering the barrels?

We know ’41 production for certain was serialized. Here is an early ’42 that also had a serial number on the barrel.

Thank you.

Attachment 59155Attachment 59156Attachment 59157

[Meshuggah]

Thanks for all the information so far guys.

So are you saying the buttplate is incorrect? It feels like pot metal for sure.

Also if my mag HAS a serial on it and LB didn't serial mags... Is it safe to say the mag is of a different country origin? I cant make out any stamps on it other than a serial.


Regarding the broken screw, I do not have a dremel but thought of the same sort of idea. I think the only way I can personally do it is try to drill it out with a bit and hope to not damage the guards threads.


Oh, I flipped the rings around like mentioned before. So the screw heads are on the left side correct?


Thanks again for all the comments!

[browningautorifle]

Get hold of Brian Dick here and he may have a whole front guard that will be cheaper than your effort of drilling.