Long branch no4 sniper rifle

here is my 1944 Long branch no4 mk1* sniper rifle. this rifle is like new and the 0 bolt head looks brand new, the barrel appears to have never seen a box of bullets. it has a beautiful long branch stock set but from what i was told by Colin Stevens when i sent him pictures, the furniture was replaced at some point and is not original to the rifle. Unfortunately it does not have a rail or the no.67 mk1 scope. i would love to find the correct original parts to restore the rifle to orginal configuration but i understand the parts are very hard to come by, if you have any leads that would be appreciated. if anyone has any information on these rifles id love to see it as there isnt too much out there.


edit* tried to upload pics but had no success.

Congratulations! I hope you manage to post some photo's - it would be nice to see your rifle. I have been after such a CNo67 bearing rifle for the last three decades, having the scope & rings. I've been close on a rifle a couple of times but on both occasions lost out at the last minute.

And if you find anyone with two original mount bases, put me down for the other!;)

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Originally Posted by Wormald1995

here is my 1944 Long branch no4 mk1* sniper rifle. this rifle is like new and the 0 bolt head looks brand new, the barrel appears to have never seen a box of bullets. it has a beautiful long branch stock set but from what i was told by Colin Stevens when i sent him pictures, the furniture was replaced at some point and is not original to the rifle. Unfortunately it does not have a rail or the no.67 mk1 scope. i would love to find the correct original parts to restore the rifle to orginal configuration but i understand the parts are very hard to come by, if you have any leads that would be appreciated. if anyone has any information on these rifles id love to see it as there isnt too much out there.


edit* tried to upload pics but had no success.

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Lovely rifle. I misunderstood at first - I thought your mount base was missing, but it is indeed present. All the better!

I'm a bit confused, it looks more to be a TP sniper than for the C. No. 67 scope? Or what am I'm missing?

At a glance the mount bases look similar between the TP rifle & the CNo67 rifle. The mating angle for the CNo67 mount is horizontal, but that for the TP rifle mounts is angled. Never measured it but suspect it may well be 45 degrees.
This rifle has also had its typical set of wood removed & swapped for some regular LB woodwork, which again may make it look rather like a TP rifle. However, the serial number gives you a nudge in the right direction.....;-)

Roger, how would the rifle correct to it had looked like? I've had a tough time to find a reference to those. The Canadian "Scout Sniper" rifle with the C. 67 scope in the knowledge library looks too different from this one.

I don't have an example to photograph, but there are forum members who possess them. The principal difference is the butt, which is a full pistol grip Monte Carlo type. IIRC the rest of the wood is standard LB - as we're talking here about the run of production CNo67 rifles, not any of the prototypes/experimentals.

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Originally Posted by Promo

Roger, how would the rifle correct to it had looked like? I've had a tough time to find a reference to those. The Canadian "Scout Sniper" rifle with the C. 67 scope in the knowledge library looks too different from this one.

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On a C.No.67 scoped rifle, the only unconventional thing about the woodwork is the butt stock. (pics from the recent Bruce Gorton estate auction in NZ)
and if you have a Jostam pad on your stock - it's a fake...

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Originally Posted by Lee Enfield

....and if you have a Jostam pad on your stock - it's a fake...

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Could you expand on that please?

You have a genuine Long Branch "T" backsight by the look of it - no one has faked the Maltese cross mark as far as we know. The rest of the rifle is a bit contradictory: it has been refinished and with some sort of black paint as well, suggesting the UK perhaps. The receiver looks rather rough to be a genuine Long Branch "T", considering those rifles were not selected from production by that point, but "shepherded through" production as batches specifically intended for conversion.

You MIGHT have a genuine rifle that was reconverted to regular No.4 specs at some point, hence the missing butt(?), and then later "restored" by the addition of a genuine(?) backsight and one of the Italian "C67" bases. The whole assemblage does not look convincing to me, despite the oddly highlighted serial number.

You might want to post photos of the serial number on the bolt and any other markings as well, preferably with the rear handguard removed.

It's also possible someone gave the rifle a basement refurb and refinish, thinking they were "restoring" it when all they were doing was destroying the patina and finish that might have proved its authenticity.

The forend has been sanded down on either side of the trigger guard to a strange and excessive degree - maybe Peter could tell us if such a forend would be considered acceptable for fitting?

Sorry to have to say that, but no point mincing one's words.

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

Could you expand on that please?

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Exactly what I said. SAL manufactured a "Clone" of the Jostam pad for the sniper program.

A good sign of something being hinky is a Jostam pad in this circumstance.

They used a different commercial pad (not sure how exclusively) on the trials rifles.

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Originally Posted by Lee Enfield

Exactly what I said. SAL manufactured a "Clone" of the Jostam pad for the sniper program.

They used a different commercial pad (not sure how exclusively) on the trials rifles.

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Interesting. Do we have records to confirm that?

Do you know anything about the history of this particular rifle?

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Originally Posted by Surpmil

Interesting. Do we have records to confirm that?

Do you know anything about the history of this particular rifle?

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I am not sure how to answer the question except to say "no I don't have documents".

I will climb down from my high horse and restate as
"if your C.67 sniper has a Jostam pad, you better look at it "extra closely" as it is likely not correct"

I only know what I was told about this rifle in 2019 by an (experienced) 3rd party who examined it.