Charlton Machinegun

[Woodsy]

It also showed the crates of brand new unopened No4's that were stored in the big sheds that backed onto the railway sidings. Alas, when they did open the crates the rifles were just rotted out rust heaps as they'd come over as deck cargo. According to my boss, it was filmed in '65 or so, before I went there

In 1969 I was working for W H Tisdall Ltd, Christchurch, as a gunsmith and firearms salesman. We had dozens of cases of brand-new Long Branch No 4's that had come from Army Stores. Ten rifles per case, and they had been stamped N^Z on the butts then repacked, and all in brand-new, rust-free condition. They were all two-groove barrels and L rear sights. They sold for NZ$29.95 each or $35.00 sporterised. I took a case home every Friday night and bought them back on monday, sporterised for $3.50 each. As my weekly take-hime pay was only $55, the extra $35 (tax-free) was a significant boost for a young married man. Sporterisation consisted of cutting the fore-end at the middle band and rounding off, fitting a new forward sling swivel, removal of handguards and retaining ring, cutting off the bayonet lug portion of the barrel, squaring off and recrowning. I did them on a production-line basis and could do the 10 rifles in about 4 hours.

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[browningautorifle]

I did them on a production-line basis and could do the 10 rifles in about 4 hours.

And again, there were scads of them so no one cared. The NEW ones were the ones prime for sporterizing as they were most attractive as a hunting rifle.