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Lee Enfield collectors, Greetings!
I bought a No4 mk1* Long Branch 1943.
It got a grey mag, maybe parkerized? I don't Know...
It has two handcrafted serial numbers. one on the rear (non-matching 28Lxxxx) and one matching s# crafted later,on the buttom, this one probably by the shop owner. other markings are a circles B and a B on the mag spine.
My Question is if this mag is historically correct? does Long Branch really made this kind of (replacement )mags?? anyone any idea on this?
It's correct. I've had many with the post WWII phosphate finish which I'm guessing was done at Canadian Arsenals. 1950 dated Long Branch rifles have phosphated magazines as new, (CA marked), with a poor black paint finish that doesn't hold up well. It's certainly not Suncorite 259.
thanks for replying!
but mine is from 1943, during WWII. so that's basically a replacement mag produced later on? and btw is it common or a bad thing that the mag does not match? (but works well, not feeding problems at all)
It is an Enfield they were repaired, FTRd and had parts replaced as needed. All is OK.
As Bindi says, it's been FTR'd. All is OK. Original WWII Long Branch rifles were finished in Dulite blue. Many got Parkerized when they went through FTR at CAL Long Branch post war. It became a standard factory finish in 1950. Many more were shipped back to Europe afterwards as assistance during the 50's and 60's. There were very nice Long Branch rifles imported into Canada and the USA in the early 1990's from Belgium as well as beautiful FN 1980's production Mk.7z ammo. Many were 1950 production rifles in both blued and Parkerized factory condition. Is your 1943 rifle body and barrel Parkerized or blue?
the body and the barrel is all blued. The steel buttplate is also blued
entire rifle was in nearly new condition. the stock has not been refinished I think. still have a nice brown color
Attachment 41641Attachment 41642Attachment 41643
Yep, it's a rifle that saw WWII and then went back to Long Branch for inspection and FTR if necessary. The rear sight was upgraded to the C Mk.3 at that time. Nice rifle.
is it necessary to dissmantle the handguards to inspect the barrel before shooting? it seems a lot of work.
and what kind of solvent is the best to remove the little rust stains inside the barrel? because I never shot this rifle before
KapiteinZeppos: It often seems a controversial issue but I, for one, would never shoot an older rifle without a detailed inspection. If you have a quality screwdriver set and take your time you can avoid damaging screws, etc. During disassembly you will be able to see how the draws fit and their condition as well as having a close look at action/ barrel. Two points to watch- don't spread the upper band over the foresight protector. Instead take the protector off. Second- if the forend is a tight fit, don't pry from the muzzle. Push it straight down from the rear end to clear the draws. This is all discussed in an inexpensive book by Stratton (British Enfield Rifles, Vol 2) which is readily available and which you should have. I don't believe you mention whether the bolt is matching or not. If not you may want to check the headspace or have it checked by a professional. Personally I'm a relative newcomer to Lee-Enfields but I find that being able to do some basic maintanence adds a lot to the experience in addition to letting you take a proactive role in ensuring your own safety.
Ridolpho