I just spotted this thread, so please forgive my late post. I did message the seller regarding the Long Branch querying the date of the rifle and requesting close-up photos of the receiver. He declined to clarify the date of the rifle or send me photos as the rifle was already packed up for shipping and he wasn't about to undo the packaging (this was while the auction was running, not afterwards). I did voice my concerns regarding the fact that the rifle's serial number was 27LXXXX, which is definitely too late for 1941, but he did not respond to my comments.