RARE .22 Longbranch Trainer NOT a No.7

[Judge223]

stencollector, just my uneducated wording as im more of a No. 4 collector... I have decided to walk away from it. Beautiful & pricey & with NO numbers not sure if i can even register it.

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[stencollector]

The Cno7 was a training version of the no4mk1*, and 80% of the no4 parts are identical on a Cno7.

Walking away is the right thing to do, although photos are always welcome. The rifle described in your post does not pre-date no7 production as that started in 1944. The lack of a serial number is a warning flag, and even if it is a factory production rifle (which I personally doubt), the price is still about double what it should be, assuming you are talking US dollars.

Here in Canada, I suspect the market value of a factory, in the chest, in the grease, un-issued rifle with it's tag and EIS, would fall into the $2500-$3000 Canadian $ (peso) range. I say suspect because they don't come up often enough to put a fixed price on them, and there will always be anomalies.

My apologies to the current owner of the rifle if he is on this board, and I would love to see some good photos of the rifle in question.

[Brian Dick]

The '44 date is a serial number scrubbed original receiver with CAL phosphate. The '46 is also a serial number scrubbed receiver that I dressed up and refinished with phosphate. Both rifles were built by myself using all original parts scrounged over the course of several years.

[stencollector]

The serial area of the 46 is very nice, and almost discernible from an original. The one give-away is that the little LB is missing which would normally be above the serial number area. Even the un-serialised receivers still had that manufacturer mark.

When I give the lower prices for the scrubbed receivers, it is due to the lack of quality controls and the use of any Enfield part to complete the rifle. Very few of the garage workshops have the proper tools to tighten the barrel to the right spot or the knowledge to properly bed the wood, adjust the trigger pull, or even headspace for that matter. Pretty sure that doesn't apply to your work Brian, and as such I would expect one of yours to sell for more in the ballpark of a factory rifle.

[Peter Laidler]

In other words......... It might not have No7 engraved on the side but if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck and swims like a duck, then guess what it is..........

[stencollector]

My un-educated guess it is a post factory put-together using a 1945 dated no7 receiver with the type 1 marking. The marking as described is correct for 1944 production Canadian no7 rifles thru to early 1945. Photos of the serial number area would show if it is a scrubbed receiver or a un-serialized receiver. The scrubbed receivers are far more common.....I see 40 or more scrubbed vs un-serialized ones.

[Brian Dick]

I wanted to illustrate your comments about the scrubbed receivers in post #9. I sourced one of the bodies in Canada many years ago and then found another in Illinois later. I scrounged parts from a couple of LB No.4's I imported that were converted many years ago by parties unknown. I even visited Marstar in 2001, (what a feat!), and bought rear sight assemblies and Inglis pistol parts to complete projects I had on the bench at the time. I also imported a few complete C No.7's that were put together in Ontario by unknown builders. I always had to tune them up and especially install the rears sights properly as they were never right it seemed at the time. They were all good to go afterwards and targeted before sale. I never tried to market them as other than post service builds. I sold them for $800 or so over ten years ago. I also have a minty original dated '45 like the one posted by CODFan. I love those .22s!

---------- Post added at 10:02 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 PM ----------

I just looked at my '45 date rifle and it hasn't got a LB stamp on the left of the butt socket. It's sn. 0L5980.

[Seaforth72]

Remember folks, it is Long Branch (two words) not Longbranch.

[superbee]

I missed this one by a few days 2 years ago.fantastic stock.

[FHG918]

Years ago, I purchased two C No 7 receivers in their Montreal arsenal box. They have had their serial numbers scrubbed; at least as far as I can tell. I would be grateful for any comments or info as to why the receiversw were taken out of servie, scrubbed, and then stored.

Attachment 72958Attachment 72959Attachment 72960Attachment 72961

I have all the parts for assembling a C No 7 from one of these two receivers, including boltheads 0, 1, 2, and 3 from Marstar - also some years ago - all with their short firing pin. (didn't buy the 4, 5 or 6 sizes unfortunately), rear sight/spring/screw, front sight block, 22-marked mag and follower. I have some scrubbed LB boltbodies, and even have a completely unmarked, new boltbody (so is probably 1950s British). And an LB marked, but unused/unnumbered forearm, plus buttstock and handguards.

Just missing a barrel.....

I am unlikely to find one, and as I am an ex-pat Canuck down here in the US, importation is not possible. So looks like I need to have one made.

Beyond the obvious expense, which may be prohibitive, my problem is that I have not been able to find prints or specs for the C No 7 barrel.

If they are on this website - great! - please tell me where! Otherwise, if anyone has prints for a C No 7 barrel, please let me know! And any other comments about this would be welcomed as well, including any comment from the mods if there is a better forum to post this message.