More questions about No4 Mk1

[dimon]

Hello everybody.

Just being visiting the "ol' skipper" to look at his "old 303" as he says...
So, it was a 1941 Long Branch No4 Mk1(no asterisk), full wood with the serial # OL471. The # seems to be original. Bolt is matching (just 471). No British proof marks on it( i guess it didn't make across the pond). Both bands are stamped with "C.E.W." There were some more markings on the receiver(just behind the bolt). Looks like it was a crown and X underneath with some symbols in between. Lots of LB and C with the arrow marks. Rear sight has two flip apertures with 300 and 600 stamped on them. The general condition is good with some surface rust on( no trouble to clean it), little finish left. He told me that he bought it off his buddy 30 or so years past and put a coat of warnish on the wood some time ago.
The question is: what's this markings are stand for, is this type of serial numbering is common for 1941 and what's the rifle worth(approximately)?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[moose fat]

A good site for marks.

Lee Enfield Rifle Markings

[stencollector]

The LB no4s without the * are fairly rare, with approx 20,000 produced. The majority went overseas and usually saw some level of Factory through repair, often being upgraded to mk2 configuration (making it a mk1/2). Sounds like this one hasn't been FTRd, although I can't recall seeing those marks on a Cdn barrel band.Barrel band at that stage of production should likely be hinged. Also, that rear sight has been changed, as a rifle with this low a serial should have the mk1 sight.

The Crown with the X sounds like the Canadian proof mark, which is actually a pair of crossed flags, and usually has the letters D, C, and P placed on the openings of the X.

Condition means everything, and also what portions are origional. Varnishing the wood did nothing to improve it's value. Things like a 41 dated barrel, and the proper low cut wood go a long way. The bolt serial number sounds a bit suspect, so it may not be origional. I recently bought one off gunbroker (gun is in the US so I won't see it for a few months yet) for around the $400 mark, but an origional without FTR in very nice condition could see around the thousand mark. Between the parts that sound like they have been changed, the surface rust, and the varnish, I would suspect the rifle would be towards the lower end of this spectrum. But certainly no lower than $300. The low serial number and lack of FTR markings make it a good candidate for restoration to a collector.