Long Branch MK I* qeustion

[kpj53]

A 1941 Long Branch '*' receiver is very early. That's when the "conversion" to the Mk I* began.
However, that one was likely cobbled together out of parts bins with zero QC. The CAI ST A B VT stamped on the muzzle is Century Arms International, St. Albans, Vermont. It's not an import stamp. They are well known for assembling Lee-Enfields by the thousands straight out of parts bins and no QC to ensure they were safe to shoot.
Really only means you must check the headspace before even thinking about shooting it. So do not shoot it again until you have done so.
You can buy headspace gauges from Pacific Tool and Gauge or rent 'em from Reamer Rentals(this is the least expensive).
It was possibly refinished and likely stocked at the same time. The "303 Can." is them too. Neither the rifle nor ammunition was ever called anything buy .303 British by anybody else.

It most certainly is an import stamp, I have quite a few milsurp rifles with the CAI stamp. From the discreet small barrel marks to the latest huge dot matrix billboards with new serial numbers. The CAN after .303 means it came from Canada (country of origin). Just like a BSA No4 I have that is marked .303 England came from England.

There were some companies that cobbled together Lithgow rifles, John Jovino Company of New York is who you are thinking of. But century is primarily an importer, they do 'build' some rifles like Galils, FALs and G3s that came in with cut receivers because they were automatic in their original form and could not be imported into the US complete. But Century does not build most of them, they are sub contracted. Some are good builds and some are crap depending who did the builds for them.

Most of their milsurps that are legal to import are not touched by them. Most I have bought from them were still packed with cosmoline. Just stamped, graded and sold.

Either way, headspace is perfect on this rifle (matching bolt) as well as every part being being LB marked as it should. Far from a cobbled together parts gun.