Long Branch No. 4 MK 1 (T) with Alaskan No. 32 TP Scope

[Tom Jackson]

Does anyone have an estimate of how many of the 350 Long Branch No. 4 MK 1 (T) rifles with No. 32 TP scopes survived? I have seen pictures of a couple of all matching rifles but I have personally seen only two rifles with original mounts and original non-matching scopes here in the U.S. in 30 years of collecting. Over the years I have seen examples of almost all of the other British snipers (No. 1 MKIII Aust.(high and low mount), No. 3 MK I (T) and (T)A and the other No. 4 production snipers) but the No. 32 TP Long Branch rifles are pretty scarce.

Information

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[Roger Payne]

I'd like to know how many have survived too, Tom, although I doubt very much that anything other than a guess can be made. Many of these rifles were supplied to friendly nations just after WW2 & no doubt precise records existed then, but unless Warren has them in his stockpile of microfiched data I doubt we'll ever know how many were handed over. About twenty years ago the late Pete Bloom acquired thirty scopes, complete in their rings, from a Dutch dealer. (I believe both Holland & Belgium received some TP rifles). It would appear that all of the rifles supplied to the Dutchmen were destroyed, hence the scopes & rings being sold off on their own. I've owned two TP rifles over the years, & still have one of them. I let a pal have the other some years ago as he had a gap in his collection. He still has his, too. Both are genuine, but have mis-matched scopes. Mine used to belong to Rob Hallam of Charnwood Ordnance.

[Lee Enfield]

Pete Bloom told me that the scopes were seperated from the rings when he got them so there was no way of matching them up.

[Roger Payne]

Well, I've learnt something new tonight then. I wasn't aware of that, & I bought eight of them! All were genuine scopes in genuine rings. I now also don't feel so bad for neglecting to note down which scopes were mated to which rings! As an aside, my then machinist made a small quantity of reproduction mount base rails so that Pete could sell some of them as 'kits'. I wish we could buy them back now for the price we sold them for then!

[Tom Jackson]

Thanks Roger. I always appreciate your insights on British snipers. I have seen very little information on Long Branch TP snipers outside this forum. The Rock Island Auction Company sales provide a reasonably good idea of how common (or uncommon) firearms are here in the U.S. To the best of my knowledge Rock Island sold ONE No. 32 TP Long Branch (original but non-matching scope) in the last 20+ years.

[Brian Dick]

I had a couple of the scopes from Pete Bloom. Both had the original rings but no bases which I assume were left on the rifles that were destroyed. He found a scope one serial number off the one stamped in the buttstock for rifle I was restoring at the time. The rifle was imported by SOG in Ohio and had been in circulation as a service rifle. The holes for the screws were still present on the top of the butt for the cheekpiece. The holes in the body were all present and not plugged. I had a Canadian cheekpiece that dropped right on and with a complete mount thanks to Roger, managed to bring it back to it's former glory. I still have it. I had one other that was noted by the owner in New Zealand as being one of the 3 sent to the UK for test trials. It was all matching including the scope but with no transit chest or CES. It resides in a collection in Virginia now.

[husk]

I remember Joe Salter had a LB TP in the chest with matching scope and can at the Colorado Collectors show in May 2000. Price was $6000. It was unissued & pristine. Had a chance to fondle it for a few minutes. Long ago...

[Lee Enfield]

The Marine Corps museum has one they say was obtained for evaluation during the M40/M40A1 program.

[breakeyp]

I wonder if the "Colorado" Salter rifle was the one I looked at Tulsa many years ago. I don't remember details. I was asked to look at it, I already had one, and I don't remember details but I felt it had a few questionable things compared to my rifle.

[Woodsy]

There were 99 No4 T Long Branch rifles set up with the Lyman Alaskan scopes during WW2 at a time when the No32 scopes were not available. New Zealand must have got a few of them as I owned one a few years ago and I know of another with a fellow collector. There is also a photo of a NZ sniper at Cassino using one.