1950 Long Branch markings

[jmoore]

There's small "A" in a circle on most of the parts of a 1950 LB CNo4Mk1* that I was looking over this evening. No book refs that I could find regarding these, I suppose its just an odd inspector's stamp, yes?
( Its even just below the S/N. )

(Not a "C" w/ broadarrow, I'm not that blind, yet, I hope!!!)

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[No4Mk1(T)]

It is actually an A inside a C and stands for Canadian Arsonals. After WWII the name of the Crown Corp. that made Long Branch No4's etc. was changed from SAL (Small Arms Ltd.) to Canadian Arsonals.

[jmoore]

Time to break out the magnifying lens. "You gotta be tough to get old," my aunt always told me...

[Badger]

With thanks to ~Angel~, one of these added to the Canada - Milsurp Knowledge Library (click here) a few years ago ...

These "Canadian Arsenal" marks should be all over most components on the rifle.

(Click PIC to Enlarge)


1950 C No.4 Mk1* Long Branch Rifle (click here)

Regards,
Badger

[limpetmine]

Shots of the CA mark.
[Note I removed the incorrectly posted WWII "C" / Broad arrow and replaced with A in C roundel.]

[jmoore]

Yup, that's them. Still can't find mention of them in any of my books.

As most are on curved surfaces or are just incomplete, it didn't occur to me that the ROUND character surrounding the "A" was a "C". Like Badger's photo above, the "C" is usually interrupted on the LH side as well, especially on flat surfaces.

This all leads to another question: Why are the "new" mags ( marked with the above symbol) in these rifles so wretched looking in general? They are usually brown and old looking even in otherwise "newish" rifles.

BTW, limpetmine, your right photo isn't the mystery character! Its the familiar "C" broadarrow.

[limpetmine]

The picture on the right is the clearest picture I have of the CA brand. The one on the left, fully round, is the tiny one that is on lots of the metal parts, magazines and some wood. The one on the right is found on forestock and butt stocks; I have examples of these.
I've seen dozens of the 1949/1950 magazines with the brown patina; too many to say it's not right. I speculate that they used a weak batch of parkerizing. You will note, too, that they are often the folded bottom type, with a unwelded seam, very different that the earlier Long Branch type magazine.
Which poses a question: Did LB make their own magazine bodies during the war? Did they not later? Who was the vendor used in the last run(49/50)? Why the change of style?

[No4Mk1(T)]

The picture on the right is the clearest picture I have of the CA brand. The one on the left, fully round, is the tiny one that is on lots of the metal parts, magazines and some wood. The one on the right is found on forestock and butt stocks; I have examples of these.

Is there any chance you could have confused your photo on the right with another one on your computer?
When I click on it to enlarge it is clearly the classic C-Broad Arrow Canadian property mark/inspection stamp as used through out WWII. It is not at all uncommon to see post WWII Long Branch rifles with these WWII produced parts as there was vast inventories of parts on hand when production ceased at the end of WWII. It is my understanding that as production was being wound up in 1949 that any parts that were not yet in production would be substituted with parts held in inventory. Later as production was winding down and as newly made parts would run low parts would again be pulled from inventory to keep the production line running. Of the examples I’ve managed to view this seems to be born out as many of the rifles in the 91L to low 92L and then the 95L serial number ranges have a higher mix of C-Broad Arrow/ LB marked parts.

I've seen dozens of the 1949/1950 magazines with the brown patina; too many to say it's not right. I speculate that they used a weak batch of parkerizing.

I think your rite on target here and this is what most of the other Canadian collectors I‘ve talked to feel as well. The other two theories put forward are
1) Mettle prep wasn’t done properly before it was parkerzed or it wasn’t left in the bath long enough.
2) A different type of steel was used and the parkerizing method not modified.

You will note, too, that they are often the folded bottom type, with a unwelded seam, very different that the earlier Long Branch type magazine. Which poses a question: Did LB make their own magazine bodies during the war? Did they not later? Who was the vendor used in the last run(49/50)? Why the change of style?

That’s a great question and one I haven’t been able to find a answer to. I think I’ll have to ask around a bit on this one.

[Badger]

Shots of the CA mark.

I'm confused ...

This pic (the one on the right in your post) is the regular WWII Long Branch C Broad Arrow?

Attachment 9463

It's not the later Canadian Arsenals marking A wrapped in C...

Have I misunderstood the context or something else?

Regards,
Badger

[Infanteer]

I'm confused ...

This pic (the one on the right in your post) is the regular WWII Long Branch C Broad Arrow?

Attachment 9463

It's not the later Canadian Arsenals marking A wrapped in C...

Have I misunderstood the context or something else?

Regards,
Badger

That's correct, this is the C broad arrow. If you look close you will see an arrow inside the C and this is a military acceptance / property mark that was used since long before WW1 up to the early 1950's on all types of military items (see my avatar). The post war mark of an upper case letter A inside the C is a maker mark for Canadian Arsenals.