Wood identification - Long Branch forend

I have a Long Branch forend that I am trying to find a matching buttstock and rear guard for. I would have thought that knowing the type of wood may be useful in my quest, so here goes (by the way, if anyone here has the parts that would match, I'd be interested in them). By the way, do the inspection marks typically match on forend and buttstock? The forend has an inspection mark numbered "66" and I did see a Long Branch with a buttstock on Gunbroker that had the exact same inspection mark. This is what I have to work with:

Long Branch used Birch, Beech and Walnut----yours isn't Walnut.
I have a 1943 with mixed Birch and Walnut, where the Birch has been dyed to match color---so go with the matching inspection marks, because they should match.
-----krinko

krinko, that was my suspicion, and you have given me some good stuff to work with - thanks!

You stock is birch stained brown ....LB/66 is the inspection mark for replacement parts. Grooved rear top guard very difficult to find. Sold my last one to a collector friend about 2 weeks ago. You may run into a butt however it's more likely to be marked LB/32. Ron

Thanks, Ron. I knew it was stained, but I couldn't find out what the original wood was, and that may affect any staining I have to do to match colours. Someone did say it might have been maple, but that is apparently a pig to stain (I am at the bottom of a steep learning curve, so please forgive my ignorance lol). Can someone confirm Ron's comment about the "LB/66" inspection stamp? (Not that I don't believe you, Ron, but I like to have 2 or more sources agreeing before I do sometihng lol).

I have a 22L New Zealand marked unused rifle with LB/66 on forestock and butt. I can't say as I believe this rifle is wearing replacement wood.
Also, can that bit about the inspection mark numbers matching each other---I went digging and found these:
1.3L '42 LB----LB Beech--Numbered
2.22L '43 LB/66----LB/66 Birch--Numbered
3.23L '43 LB/32----LB/34 Walnut/Birch
4.37L '43 LB/34----Circled S Walnut/Birch
5.42L '43 LB/34----LB/32 Walnut
6.83L '45 LB/33----LB/33 Beech
7.94L '50 CA----CA Walnut

Sorry about being so lazy.
-----krinko

Lazy? That's lazy? Heck, krinko, you need lessions in being lazy from me - I just ask questions around here lol. Thanks for the info. Allowing for the "if in doubt..." mantra, I'll see if I can hunt down a butt with the "LB/66" inspection stamp. If I can't find one, then I will not lose sleep over it :)

PS. Nice selection of LBs, krinko, I'm not jealous at all....grrrr..lol

Krinko is right. B66 is an inspector's mark and wood so marked was used on new production rifles along with B32, B33, B34, etc. A LB rifle could have either/or or a combination installed. It's all correct IMHO.

Brian, you wouldn't happen to have an LB rear hand guard and buttstock that would match the forend I have, would you?

Probably, I'll have to look when I get back. I'm being lazy in your home state right now!

Brian, I'm glad that you are getting some rest lol. If you do have the right parts when you get back, I'll snatch them up in a heartbeat. I've been wanting to to make use of your services a couple of times, but each time something happens that messes up my plans grrrr.

Attachment 29968Attachment 29967
This is my new LongBranch, 1944, 69L match serial number, #0 bolt head, type 1 rear sight. Maybe it will be a good candidate to be redone with all the wooden parts. The only marking I saw on the wood is a small KB. Is it birch or beech? Any good parts sources in Canada? Thanks in advance.

Beech.

CIL....your Long Branch stock is "Birch". Was an alternate for "Walnut" and "Maple". "Beech" was a Brit thing. It would be better to advertise for a complete set of walnut or maple with all the hardware. You'll be happier with your project in the end. Ron

Does birch also show crescent shaped figuring as on the left side of CIL's forend photo?

The forend is pretty typical of early LB production. It is most likely stained birch. Note the slash on the right side from the days of the mag cut-off, & the cone shaped hole for the front trigger-guard screw. I bought a shed load of these take-offs as spares many years ago. IIRC most came off 1942 manufactured rifles.

Hmm. I'm not seeing the relief for a cut-off. Are there more than two pictures? And still, I'd swear that was beech with that peculiar figure.

Steve H. says beech, rgg7 says birch. I still don't know... According to another website, both seems to have been used by Long Branch.

Steve, rgg & CIL,
My apologies. Didn't have my brain in gear. I was referring to the original photo's at the start of the thread, not CIL's later pix. I think CIL's most likely has a birch forend (very pale wood when not stained) & a beech butt. But I've been wrong often enough before now..!

"Steve H. says beech, rgg7 says birch. I still don't know... According to another website, both seems to have been used by Long Branch."

Let's call it oak and go get some beer!

That'll do for me!