1941 Long Branch

[spinecracker]

Bolt is not original of course. If it was refitted by an armourer one would expect the filed area to be blackened/blued somehow.

The fact that it is a MkI bolt suggests either that there were a number of MkI rifles together in some location and for whatever reason one lost its bolt and this was a spare, or two were swapped in error...we can imagine all kinds of scenarios.

Someone took the trouble to find a MkI bolt anyway, so be glad of that.

I've got a photo of typical MkI bolt markings I'll add tonight.

Looking VERY closely at the serial number, it looks like the last 2 (and possibly the zero) is original, but the rest has been rather spectacularly bodged. I will try and get REALLY good photos later.


Another question on the forend - where would I find any markings on the outside that would denote the forend was made by Long Branch, or would they only be on the inside somewhere?

[John R.]

Looking VERY closely at the serial number, it looks like the last 2 (and possibly the zero) is original, but the rest has been rather spectacularly bodged. I will try and get REALLY good photos later.


Another question on the forend - where would I find any markings on the outside that would denote the forend was made by Long Branch, or would they only be on the inside somewhere?

You'll find a C/|\ and another cartouche that will be similar to LB over a bar with 32(or possibly another number) below it.JUST BEHIND the front ferrule on the bottom of the wooden portion of the forend.

The LATER ones with the rather pronounced flat around the trigger guard area will have a few inspectors marks just ahead of the "king screw" area of that 'flat' too.

Buttstocks have pretty much the SAME markings on the bottom just behind the little slot in the back of the trigger guard.

Handguards or"top wood" as some INSIST on calling it have the LB over 32 etc and C/|\ on the underside BUT you will ALSO find your C/|\ and conjoined LB on the TOP of the steel ferrules at times.

Front sight protectors have LB and C/|\ on them as do the front bands and lower bands.

Rear sling swivels have LB and sometimes C/|\ on the BASE of the 3 piece variety and a Canadian swivel usually will have a small letter C on it's shank(the part with the screw hole)

I think that's about ALL of it.

Cheers,

JR

[spinecracker]

Errr...wow? That makes things easier Thanks, John

You'll find a C/|\ and another cartouche that will be similar to LB over a bar with 32(or possibly another number) below it.JUST BEHIND the front ferrule on the bottom of the wooden portion of the forend.

The LATER ones with the rather pronounced flat around the trigger guard area will have a few inspectors marks just ahead of the "king screw" area of that 'flat' too.

These marking would be on the inside, correct? Sorry, but I have my stupid hat on right now

I looked at the forend I have, and I can clearly make out the C/|\ just behind the hole for the king (front trigger guard) screw on the inside, and there is another mark that looks like it contains an "LB", but it is too faint to read.

[jmoore]

Looking VERY closely at the serial number, it looks like the last 2 (and possibly the zero) is original, but the rest has been rather spectacularly bodged. I will try and get REALLY good photos later.

Photos are stolen (W/ permission after the fact) from Spinecracker's Photobucket album and enhanced.


Rear of Spinecracker's bolt



Close up of bolt handle rear face


Receiver S/N


Barrel S/N

Whilst the S/N itself isn't quite "on", esp. the "L", its what's behind the S/N that gives it away. Note on Surpmil's pic. the portions of concentric rings rather like tree rings or waves emanating from single point on the rear flat of the bolt handle. This was done as a facing operation on a lathe, possibly when the bolt body was bored for the firing pin. (Obviously, most of the boring work was done from the front of the bolt body, but it MAY have been easier to maintain good concentricty to cut the small diameter from the rear. Or it could have been done early on when establishing centerline.)

Your bolt's rear face has a series of straight-ish lines AND inboard of that, the old "rings" where the "LB" is located.

Plus, the finish is missing- even outside the S/N.

So, at least three things indicating a renumber are showing on your existing pictures, sorry!

I'm posting this just so folk will have a better idea what to look for when evaluating their next purchase. If done properly, there's no functional concern, but it does affect collector value, and, if done w/o regard to proper set-up, can be, ummm, "less than optimal" from the shooter's perpective.

(A good Peter Laidler posting concerning the fitting of new bolts is on this forum, BTW)

[spinecracker]

Quick question - myself and others have been looking all over the place for a 1941 Long Branch forend. These are like rocking horse poop, and are usually still attached to a rifle (I'm not buying a perfectly good rifle just to snag a forend!!). One option I have been told of is to get a 1942 Long Branch forend and have it modified to match the 1941 forend (lower the right hand wall, cut a bolt release catch recess, "funnel" out the hole for the king screw, etc). Any comments on this as an option? Obviously, I would prefer the original type of forend, but my chances are not good lol.

[spinecracker]

Well, the 1941 Long Branch should now be with the new owner (good luck with the restoration ), but I have a quick question. Roughly how much should a 1941 Long Branch sell for if it has been arsenal refurbished, has a replacement bolt and rear sight, but has the original barrel?

[Surpmil]

Well, the 1941 Long Branch should now be with the new owner (good luck with the restoration ), but I have a quick question. Roughly how much should a 1941 Long Branch sell for if it has been arsenal refurbished, has a replacement bolt and rear sight, but has the original barrel?

$800. CAN and upwards IMO and I'm probably being conservative.

[jmoore]

Myself? As just a functional refurb, not so much.

As a restoration w/ the "correct" 1941 type parts throughout, that seems OK ($800), but I suspect it will cost that much or more to get there.

[Surpmil]

Myself? As just a functional refurb, not so much.

As a restoration w/ the "correct" 1941 type parts throughout, that seems OK ($800), but I suspect it will cost that much or more to get there.

Ah, but is "correct" actually correct? The MkI foresight protector, hinged band and all that which we tend to associate with the MkI rifles probably were long gone before the MkI* mod. was introduced.

[spinecracker]

A 1941 Long Branch with a 1942 barrel would not have the early foresight protector or the hinged upper band as they had been phased out earlier in 1941 (at least that is what I have deduced from seeing 2 1941 Long Branches with 1942 barrels), but I would expect to see the thicker-walled upper band. Of course there was some overlap while they used up spare parts, but they didn't have that many spare parts at the beginning . I just want a 1941 Long Branch that doesn't need 100s of dollars of restoration work lol.