Long Branch serial number listing

[limpetmine]

This serial number is right in the middle of 1945 production. Can you post a picture of the sidewall with the date and serial. Interesting rifle!!

Just got a 1943 Long Branch No.4 Mk1*, MKIII site, Grooved Hand guard, Steel Butt Plate and Serial 88L0103

[limpetmine]

I'm working on the update, and hope to have this posted in a couple of weeks.
With hundreds of numbers in the data now, serials with XX's in them are becoming irrelevant.

I know of at least two changes in the data now, with a new low number.
Keep posting your data, especially if marked with N^Z markings.

[limpetmine]

Here is the March 20 2017 Long Branch serial number update.
Due to the large number of numbers in the list, serials with XX will no longer be added.
As noted previously, there is an overlap of serial numbers especially between 42-43 and 44-45.
Please privide this minimum data:Year/Model/Serial number/FTR date/sight/Butt/oddities
If you have a 1942 Mk 1, please include your data! A picture would be great.
Also /2 and /3 conversions. There are two known /2 conversions.

1941 Mk 1 0L79
1941 Mk 1 1L6926

1942 Mk 1* 1L5979
1942 Mk 1* 21L7473

1943 Mk 1* 21L9027
1943 Mk 1* 57L4906

1944 Mk 1* 53L2028 OUT OF RANGE ODDBALL* SEE SIDE LIST
1944 Mk 1* 83L3171

1945 Mk 1* 71L0030 L-42 Conversion
1945 Mk 1* 90L8318

1949 Mk 1* 91L0013
1949 Mk 1* 91L5133

1950 Mk 1* 73L6811 DRCA SERIAL 268 7.62
1950 Mk 1* 91L66XX
1950 Mk 1* 96L0012



LATE ODDBALLS
1952 94L7567 CNO.4MK1*
1955 89L76XX ????
1955 0C28471 CNo4MK1*
1955 27L66XX CNO.4MK1*
1956 91L5XXX DCRA SET UP

652 DATA ENTRIES


SIDE LIST FOR 43-44 RANGES
1943 55L1679
1943 55L6161
1943 55L7022
1943 56L06XX
1943 56L9938
1943 57L1158
1943 57L4906
1944 57L6342
1944 50L66XX
1944 53L2028
1943 54L1280
1943 56L7200
1944 57L6082
1944 58L2395
You can see that the 43/44 serial number ranges are co-mingled greatly. Nailing down a definitive serial number change over number is problematic.

[evang]

1950 LB No 4 Mk 1*
s/n 98L5846, matching bolt, mongrel mag
C#3 vernier backsight
All blued, steel buttplate
All birch furniture, grooved handguard, all stamped S
Sling swivel band also S

No FTR markings - might it have acquired Savage furniture at a depot?

[browningautorifle]

might it have acquired Savage furniture at a depot

As Peter and some others have repeatedly pointed out, if a rifle went in for work and needed wood, it would get a mostly matching set of whatever happened to be available. Matching was the criteria...the markings not a concern. These have been around now idle mostly for decades and that wood could have come from anywhere since. The Greeks used them for instance in a serious war, although short, in the '60's and again in the '70's. They'd have used whatever replacement parts they could get.

[Lee Enfield]

1950 LB No 4 Mk 1*
s/n 98L5846, matching bolt, mongrel mag
C#3 vernier backsight
All blued, steel buttplate
All birch furniture, grooved handguard, all stamped S
Sling swivel band also S

No FTR markings - might it have acquired Savage furniture at a depot?

If you look closely your serial number is probably 93L5846

Long Branch serial numbers topped out at approx. 96L0000 (highest documented is 96L0012).

[limpetmine]

It may well have acquired Savage wood at the factory. Long Branch and Savage were known to share component parts when there was a choke point in production. And when Savage shut down in 1944, their excess stock of parts went to LB.

1950 LB No 4 Mk 1*
s/n 98L5846, matching bolt, mongrel mag
C#3 vernier backsight
All blued, steel buttplate
All birch furniture, grooved handguard, all stamped S
Sling swivel band also S

No FTR markings - might it have acquired Savage furniture at a depot?

[Strangely Brown]

1950 No. 94L0623

[JJR*67]

Just bought my first Enfield, an now my first post.

Long Branch 1944 Serial # 70L2599

[phyrfitr]

1944 #4 MK1*.303 Longbranch sporterized serial # 71L2856 stock band and bolt #s match, no serial# on magazine. strikings on barrel F, H,44, (67) with arrow under numbers pointing left numerous other unidentifiable markings. clean, good shape, no rust or pitting on barrel. 5 Groove. bore is shiny, no pitting or rust. stock is in very good condition. got it cheap, shoots well, straight.