Long Branch serial number listing

I have a 1944 LB No4Mk1* Serial # 64L3733 numbers matching in a walnut stock.

Recently purchased a 1943 No 4 MK1*SN 35L6616
Full wood, looks like walnut, grooved top hand guard, savage magazine , matching bolt sn. Have no idea if this was FTR, as there are no such markings on it. Metal butt plate, folding rear elevating sight. great looking rifle. Hope to shoot it soon.

Recently purchased an early Long Branch - 1941 dated receiver, with all matching serial numbers 0L9585, with '42 dated and serial numbered 2 groove barrel. Walnut furniture, also serial numbered to the rifle.

Shoots nicely!

Regards

Mike

just bought 2 Long Branch, both 1943 dated SN:28L4177 and 29L1381. Both with matching woodwork and bolts. One FTR 49

new acquisition:

1943 No4 Mk1* Long Branch.

Serial number 22L5253; matching on wrist, bolt & magazine (no serial number on stock)
2 groove barrel
Walnut Forestock with beech buttstock stained to match (very well) forestock
Grooved rear hand guard
RFI made Mk1 rear sight
NO import mark anywhere on it
Steel buttplate

I've been lurking/watching this thread so long my guilt caused me to go retrieve my Long Branch and add to the list.

1950 C No 4 Mk1* S/N 95L8154

Walnut furniture, very nice I might add, and just a few small dents. On wrist, just behind trigger guard, butt has two very small stamps. The first is a small circle with an "A" inside; the second, a long oval with what appears to be the CA at the top of the oval and the number "18" at the bottom

Steel buttplate, black, unmarked.

Both bands stamped CA

5 groove barrel, very faint and neat CDI markings forward of bayonet logs

Originally CMk3 ladder rear sight, stamped CA, now wears a Parker Hale PH4

Magazine looks as-new, no markings whatsoever

This is one of two crates of rifles, ten to the crate, I bought from Districorp something like 20 years ago. They were advertised as new or near new, something like that, Long Branch rifles that had been found in Belgian war stores. I knew a number of guys who were interested in buying a Lee Enfield, so I bought the two crates of rifles and a no-gunsmithing scope mount. From what I remember, they all looked to be in pretty much the same condition as my rifle - like new - and all were 1950 Long Branches. Cleaned all of them of the grease they were packed in - what fun - and then shot two ten shot groups out of each of them at 300 yards using some very nice Greek HXP surplus ammo that I had bought about the same time. It took a lot of time, but I had a lot of time that summer.

This one shot the best, so I kept it for my competition rifle and sold the other 19 off with $25 added to the price for a minor profit and to cover my time cleaning them all up. Looking at what pristine Long Branches are going for these days, I sure wish I had hung onto those rifles for a few years before selling them.

I always wondered about the "war stores" story. I had no regrets about the quality and condition of the Long Branch rifles that Districorp shipped me, but the idea that Belgium would be wanting .303 British bolt action rifles for war stores when they were cranking out FN FALs of their own manufacture in 7.62 NATO seemed a bit strange to me.

Anyways, it is ridiculously accurate and I have probably shot a ton of cast bullets out of it by now. I'm not a Lee Enfield collector, but this is one of the most prized and most enjoyed rifles I own and shoot.

I've just bought a 1950 no 93L8203 in the UK.It's been restocked with 1949 Fazakerley wood, but don't know much else yet as I haven't seen it yet!

I just got a 1945. Serial 88L1264. Different bolt though 2L9555. Has CAI (Century Imports) St Albans stamped on the front of the barrel. Has the cmk3 sight.

New to me 1942 Long Branch No 4 MK1* SN 12L4079.

Looks to be unused, packed in grease. No import marks, no marks on bolt head, too much grease in/on it yet to look inside barrel. Top of barrel under guard dated 42.

I posted some pics in another thread I started.

Hey there.

Got a 1942 no4 mkI* 7L3612. All matching except mag. Mk3 sights. Steel buttplate. 2 groove barrel. No serial on stock.

Cant wait to shoot it!