"Eatonia Sporters"(Long Branch No4's)

[John R.]

Waayy back when I was a kid Eaton's(The T.Eaton Company now defunct) used to sell a rifle similar to what we know as the EAL Sporter made out of Long Branch No4MkI* actions and parts thereof.
One edition of Major Reynold's book on the Lee-Enfields showed a small photo of one.
Eaton's store in Kirkland Lake, Ontario certainly had a supply of them and they ALL had that orange 'rubber' buttpad you find on the EALs and the No4MkI*(T)s with the C No 67 scopes(the buttstocks with the integral cheekrests).
Does anyone hereabouts have any concrete information on these rifles ?

I and no doubt many others would like to hear more about these purpose built sporterized Long Branch No4's.

How are we all aclimatizing to our new"home" here ?

Cheers,

JR

Information

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[RJW NZ]

Hi JR,
EALs are quite collectible when found, not so many in the US but they're there. I've not heard of that sniper version you mentioned but it does sounds highly desirable, if you have a couple I'm sure our host Badger would like to post a test report (nyuck nyuck, thats assuming every Canadian has one)

I like our new home a lot. I miss the long string format from CSP as one could get a great rambling conversation going.

I'm looking at my new no8 .22, which must be the heaviest .22 rifle ever made known to man, I wonder if I'll even know the rifle has fired, the recoil must be zip and the noise about the same as an ant f*rt. Might be just the job for a spot of possuming, my buddy didn't want to bother the neighbors with a 303 cabooming off the hills at 11 pm.

[Warren]

John:
Are you and I are the only ones who remember EATONIA.... They did sell a rifle that was a dead ringer for the EAL, and when researching the EAL did find they were done down east also but our old friend (Mort) at GLOBAL had a hand it it.
More later....
Cheers,
Warren

[John R.]

Mort English was a gentleman and may he rest in peace.Eaton's in KL had quite a few of the Eatonia Sporters so WHERE did they all go?Reynolds devoted a half page in one edition of his Lee-Enfield book to them along with a very small photo.
Eatons wouldn't have ordered ten rifles either;more likely something like 500 I should think.So,WHERE DID THEY ALL GO ? Like verything else that just morphs into the "woodwork" I guess.I WOULD like to find one(or more) as I have a few EAL's.
Are you doing Calgary ?Johnski and I are sharing 6 tables again.
Cheers,

JR

[Warren (Original)]

Have a good time in cow town....Wish I could be there...and ya nevva know!!
I have seen so few EATONIA arms around I also wonder what or who swallowed them up. I know there was hundreds if not thousands made and where did they all go?? Same as the Martini's that FRAM oil Filters gave away with each case of oil filters back in the 50's. I spent my saturdays going to garages and attempting to beg or bum the old Martini rifle sitting in the owners office. I did get a few..:-)## But, they also have just evaporated from the hundreds that were given away...God...how times have changed.
I know that Mort did several thousand EATONIA rifles along with the great Canadian classic sporting rifle, the MOHAWK 555 (a Tokarev with a .303 barrel, bayonet lug removed and a 5 shot mag. Also, the GLOBECO mauser made from old 98's and VZ 24's. They were actually quite nice and in a variety of calibres. The old military wood was used to keep the barn at the farm (warehouse) warm in the winter along with the Browning pistol butts with no iron on them. At today's prices, probably a million dollars in wood went up the stove pipe. anyhow, I digress... I think the lions share of the EATONIA arms were sold in the west, but you know...I've seen very few out there and even asking some of the shops they also have seen very few. The .22's made by Cooey still show up, but not the .303's. I must search the Ottawa citizen data bank and see how many did get registered. Considering thousands sold, maybe 100 got registered. The numbers would sound right at that.

[John R.]

Mort and Globe Firearms got most if not all of the log backup spares as well as tools and gauges for the number 4's and C No7's circa 1966-1967.I must have bought ten CORDS of LB No4's and C No7's all of which were brand new.I had a 1966 Olds 442 with a HUGE trunk and used to go to Mort's every few months and fillerup.What with Mort and the mint/new stock No4 and 7's and Al Mucher with the brand new LB T's for $50 with the full issue in the chests how could one go wrong ?Mint metal M2 Carbines both Inlands and a few Winnies absent the go fast parts(stocks were oil soaked firewood BUT Numrich would sell you ALL the brand new in the wrap ORIGINAL M2 parts INCLUDING the brand new Inland buttstocks and 4 rivet handguards for $19.95 )so you had a mint new M2 for about CAD$60!! OH for a time tunnel or time machine to go back and stock up again.I was watching the RECKMES torch cutting brand new MkII Brens at Downsview while working on a 25pdr and it was HARD to see what with all the tears.I got about 20 transit chests and something like FIFTY uncut,un-numbered brand new barrels though.The RECKME WO2 put them in the limber for the 25pdr on the sly and I left HIM a few jugs in the limber for the Bofors Gun..NOT a bad trade methinks.
Now to my bed here cuz ahs tard.Cheers,JR

[Warren (Original)]

John: We have to stop reminiscing for we will just cry ourselves to sleep...the kit we say come and go, and so much of it "airborne" ..up the chimney!!!

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

PM me if anyone wants to see the official Gubmint of Canada Firearms Reference Table pictures of Globeco firearms. Including the .303 Mohawk. which sold for $134.50 in 1969-70

[John R.]

Trust me sport,The Eatonia Sporters that Warren and I are referring to were made WELL before 1969-1970.Somewhere back in the pleistocene more likely.