Ex-NZ military Long Branch No4 Mki with “D” marking

[Kiwi]

Very nice looking rifle. Congrats! That marking doesn't bother me either.

As an aside, does anyone know what the electro-pencilled marking on the cocking piece represents? I have seen before a couple of times in this forum and have have recently purchased a 4L series Long Branch that has the same marking on the button cocking piece.

[ssj]

Nice you got a gun with a good barrel ive seen so many stuffed ones its not funny and a new barrel is $1100NZ. I'd like a LB myself, looking for one, ditto a Savage. I have a 1952 Faz no4 mk2 Im desporterising to shoot at WSRA and Trentham.

I seem to have got a no4 collecting bug....



ssj = thing2(TM)

[stevebc]

Interesting to see the 'O' in Long Branch - looks like its been stamped 90 degrees out.
Friday afternoon job?

That caught my eye too- I've never seen one like that.

[tomwolf26]

Looks like it was just a stark shadow, based on your new photos.



Sorry about your mystery letter. It still doesn't bother me, if that's any consolation.

maybe I will stamp my initial on the rifle ... just to further confuse the next owner

---------- Post added at 10:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 PM ----------

thanks!

That's sth i was going to ask as well, i saw the V marking on a few web pics and it finally it lands on one of my own guns

Very nice looking rifle. Congrats! That marking doesn't bother me either.

As an aside, does anyone know what the electro-pencilled marking on the cocking piece represents? I have seen before a couple of times in this forum and have have recently purchased a 4L series Longbranch that has the same marking on the button cocking piece.

---------- Post added at 11:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 PM ----------

I've been collecting British militarias for years and only started shooting recently.
I guess the rifles are more of extension of my uniform collections So No4s are good starters but what's more important to me is a SMLE which I keep looking for, and a No5 too
I know what you are thinking-- I only deserve DP rifles right?

Nice you got a gun with a good barrel ive seen so many stuffed ones its not funny and a new barrel is $1100NZ. I'd like a LB myself, looking for one, ditto a Savage. I have a 1952 Faz no4 mk2 Im desporterising to shoot at WSRA and Trentham.

I seem to have got a no4 collecting bug....



ssj = thing2(TM)

[jmoore]

That's sth i was going to ask as well, i saw the V marking on a few web pics and it finally it lands on one of my own guns

I believe it's just an inspection mark, done after the piece is heat treated. Keep parts breakage to a minimum and prevents destroying lots of steel marking tools. Some look like a drunken "LB".

[Patrick Chadwick]

it would be a lot better without the D or P marking on the butt socket..... too fussy am i?

It's definitely a P, and yes, IMOH you are being too fussy. Somewhere in Skennerton /Lee Enfield Story (in the chapter on markings) I read that the P indicates that the barrel was replaced. Have you searched the forum? Can you find a P on the barrel knoxform? Take a look at the right side of the 3rd photo in your 1st post of the 15th July. I think there may be another incompletely struck P there.

[Lee Enfield]

The "V" marking on your cocking piece is very common on 1941 cocking pieces.

The "D" marking is similar to a "steel batch" marking found on '43 and later Long Branch No 4 rifles.

The sideways "o" marking is something I've never observed before but it is a fairly early no4mkI* so I would speculate an error in the roll die.

[jmoore]

The "V" marking on your cocking piece is very common on 1941 cocking pieces.

Seem to remember that my "3L" with the early type cocking piece has a similar electro-penciled marking, but IIRC it's arrowhead shaped. Can't find a photo, and the rifle is not at hand right now.

[Simon P]

Recent Purchase: NZ Marked No4

Attachment 44595Attachment 44596Attachment 44594

[Peter Laidler]

In NZ, we called that the 'census' number