Canadian Holy Grail - Long Branch 80L8xxx with C No. 32 Mk. 4 (C No. 67 Mk. I)

[Seaforth72]

"The theory is, when you find the Holy Grail and there's a chip in it, you've got to take it for what it is."
(Nicholas D. Lowry, Antiques Roadshow's appraiser, in 2008)

For Canadian Long Branch rifle collectors, the "Holy Grail" is usually defined as a Long Branch No. 4 Mk. I* (T) with the special butt and the C No. 32 Mk. 4 (later redesignated C No. 67 Mk. I) scope. Only 100 of these 80L8xxx sniper rifles were made and 104 of the scopes.

I am happy to have added this No. 4 Mk. I * (T) s/n 80L8072 to my collection some time ago. Special thanks to Tony Fraser for making the impossible happen. My rifle has obviously not just spent its service career in a Quartermaster's rifle rack, but has definitely "been there, done that."

Originally it was mated at Long Branch with scope 16-C, but now has scope 52-C. Naturally I would love find and acquire C No. 32 Mk. 4 / C No. 67 Mk. I scope 16-C for this rifle. Note that there were several R.E.L. scope models with the same serial number, as R.E.L. tended to start the numbering at 1-C for each scope model. I was able to acquire a correct C No. 19 Mk. I scope case (serial number 1-C) with strap, containing a C No. 67 Mk. I scope, tool, and rubber eyeshade from Ireland. Sadly that rifle is believed to have been turned over to the police in Ireland for destruction. I have allocated one of my Canadian made C No. 15 Mk. I transit chests for this rifle, even though it no longer fits. The recoil pad has widened a small amount over the years and would now be a very tight fit and I do not want to damage the pad.

I previously owned another such rifle, 80L8006. I bought that from Poulin's Auction in the USA. It was was ex-Bob Faris Collection and apparently from the Pattern Room before that. I let it go to a friend and fellow sniper rifle collector, after acquiring this all original example, even though it has a mismatched scope set.

Canadian snipers did use these sniper rifles, along with the "Trade Pattern" version, during the Korean War. A Korean War Sniper Section Commander, Don B. (Sam) Urquhart, lived only a cople of kilometers from my present home. He wrote and privately published a small book about his time in Korea with 1PPCLI. "Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry SAM'S SLOPPY SNIPER SECTION" in 2007. Sadly he had passed away and I never met him, but I was able to buy the book from his widow. This model of sniper rifle appears in many of the photos of him and his section.










The Canadian Army still has at least one of these special sniper rifles. 80L8065 is on display at Base Borden Military Museum, CFB Borden, Ontario. It is fitted with a Long Branch butt from a "Trade Pattern" sniper rifle. Sadly they are missing the scope set. I had not known beforehand that they had an 80L8xxx sniper rifle and it was just by incredible coincidence that when I examined it, I happened to have a correct scope in its slide in my backpack. I had planned to take the scope to Warren Wheatfield for repairs. I was able to slide my scope onto the rifle and show them what they should look for ... and then carefully put the scope back into my backpack!

By the way, it is not a "C67" rifle as there is no such thing. e.g. We do not call an M1D sniper rifle an M81, M82 or M84 rifle.