Do you have a 1950 Long Branch?

[tiriaq]

No, it doesn't have a greenish tinge. But it isn't a semi shiney blue either. I could try emailing you photos, but sometimes true colour is hard to capture. When I took off the handguard to check the barrel date, the barrel finish is blue/black in colour, but has a matte crystalline appearance, which is why I listed Park. This rifle was actually used for target shooting, so would have been cleaned, wiped down, etc. I'll remove the stock, and see what the receiver looks like in protected areas. Came in a fitted case though, so it is in nice condition. It was previously owned by CSM H Rusk, and Col. John C. Brick. I have no doubt that rifles were assembled from parts from bins, rather than being set up from parts newly manufactured at the same time.
OK, I removed the wood to see the protected portion of the receiver. It is not an even blue, but is a rather different finish than the barrel. PM your email address, and I'll send photos. I'm on dialup, and posting photos through a host site is painfully slow.

Information

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[superbee]

Hi,Here is a pic of my 1956 LB.It is a DCRA 308.Serial # 91L5 I take it to be a replacment receiver?
Eric

[Claven2]

Hi,Here is a pic of my 1956 LB.It is a DCRA 308.Serial # 91L5 I take it to be a replacment receiver?
Eric

Eitehr that, or a spare CAL receiver used to build a .308 club gun - also somewhat common.

[Claven2]

All the unissued 1950 LB No.4's I've seen were deeply and richly blued. Those that were parkerized, it has always been considered that they were refurbished by CAL after manufacture.

In fact, on the batches of unissued 1950 LB's that returned from Belgium, all were blued with no parked parts.

[Lee Enfield]

All the unissued 1950 LB No.4's I've seen were deeply and richly blued. Those that were parkerized, it has always been considered that they were refurbished by CAL after manufacture.

In fact, on the batches of unissued 1950 LB's that returned from Belgium, all were blued with no parked parts.

Claven, you should take another look at the (admittedly) incomplete data in my second post.

The change-over from bluing to parkerizing appears to occur between 93L1 & 93L6.

I looked at 95L4x65 which was the middle # of 10 consecutively serialed 1950 LBs, which were Belgian bring backs. I hope to get back early next Sat to examine the original shipping crate.

Disproving the theory: Unfortunately every part was parkerized (and CA marked) including the bands & barrel. Didn't pull the handguard off to check the bbl date because the gun is still cosmo'd & the bolt un-opened.

Why anyone would have FTRed a case of brand new guns is quite the puzzle...

Actually, if you don't take my word for it, you could check out Brian Dick's comments in the thread on Jouster. He said:

Posted By: Brian Dick
Date: Saturday, 9 December 2006, at 5:47 pm

In Response To: jean, I pulled some strings last night (dcv)

I had 200 Long Branch rifles in 2001 imported back from Greece through England. The Parkerized finish was prevalent after the mid 93L serial range as stated before. There were no blue bodies and barrels after that point. Some were in near new condition and had obviously never seen CDN/FTR. There were also CDN/FTR rifles with Parkerized finish and WWII dates in the mix but the 1950 rifles all sported original finish. Some with more use had seen work in Greek workshops and had a mix of British and Canadian woodwork and the usual stock patches, etc.

[Cantom]

Claven, you should take another look at the (admittedly) incomplete data in my second post.

The change-over from bluing to parkerizing appears to occur between 93L1 & 93L6.

I looked at 95L4x65 which was the middle # of 10 consecutively serialed 1950 LBs, which were Belgian bring backs. I hope to get back early next Sat to examine the original shipping crate.

Disproving the theory: Unfortunately every part was parkerized (and CA marked) including the bands & barrel. Didn't pull the handguard off to check the bbl date because the gun is still cosmo'd & the bolt un-opened.

Why anyone would have FTRed a case of brand new guns is quite the puzzle...

Actually, if you don't take my word for it, you could check out Brian Dick's comments in the thread on Jouster. He said:

Are these rifles for sale or are you in the army?

[Lee Enfield]

Are these rifles for sale or are you in the army?

Neither, private "museum"

Yes I have tried to buy stuff out of it before, but I didn't like the terms...

[Cantom]

Neither, private "museum"

Yes I have tried to buy stuff out of it before, but I didn't like the terms...

Ouch! I get the brick wall part...

[Claven2]

I see what you're saying, but hte greeks could be refurbs. I've had TWO 1950 LB's, both 95L's and both with factory blue on every part. Of course, they could be aberrations. One had an RSAF Enfield front handguard and was ENGLAND stamped (re-import) and the other came slathere in cosmo from a gunshow - likely unissued. Sadly, both have been sold off a few years ago I did have pics, but lost them in a HDD crash

The 15 or so rifles in your survey are hardly representative IMHO as with that small a sample most might be refurbs - who knows?

Everything I've ever read in books (as oposed to forums) indicates the switch to park happened AFTER 1950 at CAL.

[Cantom]

I see what you're saying, but hte greeks could be refurbs. I've had TWO 1950 LB's, both 95L's and both with factory blue on every part. Of course, they could be aberrations. One had an RSAF Enfield front handguard and was ENGLAND stamped (re-import) and the other came slathere in cosmo from a gunshow - likely unissued. Sadly, both have been sold off a few years ago I did have pics, but lost them in a HDD crash

The 15 or so rifles in your survey are hardly representative IMHO as with that small a sample most might be refurbs - who knows?

Everything I've ever read in books (as oposed to forums) indicates the switch to park happened AFTER 1950 at CAL.

My 1949 was supposedly back from Greece. It had a tag on the triggerguard in Greek...it appeared unissued and it is blued.