Story of Long Branch Lee Enfields brought back from Belgium?

[Rick]

I bought 20 new and supposedly unissued Long Branch rifles back in the early 1990's when I returned from a deployment with my Bullet Bonus/Mortar Money burning a hole in my pocket. I think this was Distribucorp (or something similar in name) in Quebec; I think the ad was in Shotgun News or something similar. This is almost 30 years ago, so some memories of details are pretty vague.

The rifle I kept has a very finely stamped and small US import stamp on the end of the barrel, presumably meaning the rifles got back to Canada from Belgium by way of a US importer. All the serial numbers were of 93L - 95L serial numbers.

My end of the story is I spent my leave on returning home cleaning all the grease out of all those rifles, then mounting a 12x scope in a no-gunsmithing S/K mount, followed by firing five rounds to settle the scope in and roughly zero, followed by a 10 shot group at 300 yards. This was with a whack of Greek HXP ball ammo that I bought at the same time. I kept the most accurate rifle, and second and third place were given to my younger brothers.

I sold the rest at a huge profit - a $50 markup over what I paid! Where's that time machine when you need it...

Anyways, I assumed at the time the rifles were available in lots of ten because there would arm the ten men in an infantry section should the Russians suddenly pour through the Fulda Gap. Didn't put any more thought than that into it. Other than to wonder why the hell the Belgians were putting Canadian Long Branch rifles into presumably war stores at a time that they were making the FN FAL?

Recent posts saying that Long Branch never serial number stamped magazines to rifles, but the Greeks did that with rifles they got from Long Branch got me thinking. My brother says the Long Branch he got from me has a matching serial number. I had assumed for a long time my rifle was separated from it's original magazine, because the magazine it came with has no serial number stamp.

My conclusion is that these Long Branches that supposedly returned to Canada from Belgium back in the early 1990's had a more complex return home than I assumed. The US stamp says that, if nothing else, wherever they actually came from, the one certain thing is they came through the US prior to returning to Canada.

And (even if the ad back then was accurate in saying they were returned Long Branches from Belgium) at least some of them were in Greek hands where they got the magazine stamps.

Any of our resident Lee Enfield/Long Branch experts know all the details of the supposedly Belgian returns that were sold back in the early 1990's?

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.

[Brian B]

Great bit of history and thanks for sharing!!

What was the name of the US distributor stamped on the rifles?

Thanks!!

[Rick]

What was the name of the US distributor stamped on the rifles

You made me look...

CDI Swan VT

Apparently, Classic Distributors Incorporated, Airport Road, Building #2, Swanton, Vermont, 05488

Also apparently, either out of business or changed their name.

[Surpmil]

I was getting all set there to ask you if you wanted a Long Branch chest to put them in!

[can14&]

In 1986/89 there were a lot of mint Long Branch 303's that came to Canada from Greece.
In one lot I got 6 1941'S and the rest were mostly 1949/50 long branch
They all had stick on label's in Greek with the serial number
Around the same time they sold off a very small lot of mostly mint Inglis High powers, these had label's that showed sold to DND Canada from Inglis then transferred from DND to Greece
I still have all of the inglis's I was fortunate to be there when Allen Lever opened the box,
So I bought a few of them to add to the collection

[Rick]

I was getting all set there to ask you if you wanted a Long Branch chest to put them in!

Yeah... well, wouldn't it be nice to still have them to put in that box!

I only really wanted one - a really accurate one - and I got it.

But when I see what rifles in that condition are going for now... kinda makes you want to cry.

---------- Post added at 02:14 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:09 AM ----------

I still have all of the inglis's I was fortunate to be there when Allen Lever opened the box, So I bought a few of them to add to the collection

I dropped a fair amount of money in Alan Lever's from time to time in the early 1980's. Mostly brand new stuff that captured my attention. Two S&W K frames, two S&W L frames... can't remember the rifles I bought, but I guess they weren't anything special because I sold them fairly quickly, meaning they didn't do anything for me.

I remember him having a bunch of Irish Lee Enfields at one visit to his store. They looked like they'd just left the factory. Didn't have the slightest interest in Lee Enfield's at that time, but I thought they looked pretty interesting.

[Surpmil]

John R. were he still with us, could tell lots of Lever Arms stories as they went back a long way. (his posts can be found by searching this forum)

Can14, you say you got six 1941 MkI's? Were they entirely original do you think? And if so, what features did they show in terms of forends, cocking pieces, sights, front bands and foresight protectors?

A friend of mine was employed in a facility here where huge amounts of No4s, Stens, and Brens were laboriously overhauled for Greece and Belgium and probably other places as well. No expense was spared in making it all "as new" reportedly.

[can14&]

Barrel mark 4x 1941, 44 and 51. They up graded them in various ways
I liked the fact that they were still in the fight in Korea and the Cold War
Long Branch and Savage no4's are right up there with M1 Garand and M1 Carbines given out as military
aid after WW2 from North America.

[limpetmine]

What little I can add is this......On Gunbroker, late 1990's or early 2000's, ( which I think it was), there was a crate of 5 consecutive serial numbered, new, unissued Long Branch rifles that went to auction. In the crate, with shipping information from Canada to Belgium. I bid on them, and didn't get them. They went for about double a fine 1950 LB from BLD was going for at the time. IIRC the crate went for a little over $3,700. So $740/rifle. I copied and saved all those pictures from that auction. The serial numbers were:
93L1581
93L1582
93L1583
93L1584
93L1585
Edit, I did find the date, 4/1/2013. Later than I remember.

All this subject to memory correction, it's been a while.
-limpetmine

I bought 20 new and supposedly unissued Long Branch rifles back in the early 1990's when I returned from a deployment with my Bullet Bonus/Mortar Money burning a hole in my pocket. I think this was Distribucorp (or something similar in name) in Quebec; I think the ad was in Shotgun News or something similar. This is almost 30 years ago, so some memories of details are pretty vague.

The rifle I kept has a very finely stamped and small US import stamp on the end of the barrel, presumably meaning the rifles got back to Canada from Belgium by way of a US importer. All the serial numbers were of 93L - 95L serial numbers.

My end of the story is I spent my leave on returning home cleaning all the grease out of all those rifles, then mounting a 12x scope in a no-gunsmithing S/K mount, followed by firing five rounds to settle the scope in and roughly zero, followed by a 10 shot group at 300 yards. This was with a whack of Greek HXP ball ammo that I bought at the same time. I kept the most accurate rifle, and second and third place were given to my younger brothers.

I sold the rest at a huge profit - a $50 markup over what I paid! Where's that time machine when you need it...

Anyways, I assumed at the time the rifles were available in lots of ten because there would arm the ten men in an infantry section should the Russians suddenly pour through the Fulda Gap. Didn't put any more thought than that into it. Other than to wonder why the hell the Belgians were putting Canadian Long Branch rifles into presumably war stores at a time that they were making the FN FAL?

Recent posts saying that Long Branch never serial number stamped magazines to rifles, but the Greeks did that with rifles they got from Long Branch got me thinking. My brother says the Long Branch he got from me has a matching serial number. I had assumed for a long time my rifle was separated from it's original magazine, because the magazine it came with has no serial number stamp.

My conclusion is that these Long Branches that supposedly returned to Canada from Belgium back in the early 1990's had a more complex return home than I assumed. The US stamp says that, if nothing else, wherever they actually came from, the one certain thing is they came through the US prior to returning to Canada.

And (even if the ad back then was accurate in saying they were returned Long Branches from Belgium) at least some of them were in Greek hands where they got the magazine stamps.

Any of our resident Lee Enfield/Long Branch experts know all the details of the supposedly Belgian returns that were sold back in the early 1990's?

[Rick]

What little I can add is this......On Gunbroker, late 1990's or early 2000's, ( which I think it was), there was a crate of 5 consecutive serial numbered, new, unissued Long Branch rifles that went to auction. In the crate, with shipping information from Canada to Belgium.

As I remember, the bunch I bought arrived in multiple cardboard boxes, each with multiple rifles inside wrapped in paper, with more paper for packing. I only have a note of the serial numbers of the one I kept and the two I gave to each of my younger brothers. They weren't consecutive.