Enfield No.4 MK I *T Long Branch WWII Sniper Rifle

[303sniper]

Enfield No.4 MK I *T Long Branch WWII Sniper Rifle


Hi All,

On the Gunbroker site is another Long Branch sniper for sale.

Here is the link:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...?Item=78684475


Quote from the seller:
This rifle is an Enfield No.4 Mk I *T dated 1944. This is the sniper version of the standard WWII service rifle used by Great Britain and the commonwealth countries. This rifle was manufactured at the Long Branch Arsenal in Ontario, Canada. This arsenal produced the fewest of these rifles. I have read accounts ranging between 500 (pg 88 Rifeleman, August 2007)and 1,800 of these rifles produced at Long Branch, either way, very few compared to tens of thousands produced in Britain.

This rifle has the correct No. 32 MK II scope on it that is also dated 1944. The rifle serial no. is 68L3232, and the rifle is marked with the broad arrow inside of a C, the Canadian Army acceptance stamp on the buttstock, trigger guard, bolt, and the rear fold down sight. I do not know where to look for it on the receiver. The bolt is a zero bolt. The long branch arsenal symbol(a merged LB)appears at least on the rear sight, front sight, front sight guard, front sight lug, front barrel band, safety, and rear barrel band. This stamp may appear elsewhere but I have not removed the wood to inspect deeper. The maltese cross stamp appears on the bottom of the front handguard, just behind the nose cap. Inspection stamps include an oval encompassing a Canadian broad arrow and the number 57, and others.

The sling on the rifle is a correct No.4 sling that is dated 1944 and marked with the British Army broad arrow, but it is not correct for the sniper version of this rifle. The rifle is in excellent condition, and I would say from the condition of the wood and bluing that it may never have been issued...but that is just a guess. The scope, on the other hand, appears to have been issued and used. The scope is in good condition but some of the enamel is chipped off in a few locations. As with so many surplus Long Branch *T's, the scope serial does not match the scope number stamped on the buttstock. I do not have the transport case for the rifle or scope.

This rifle was purchased from a surplus house in Chicago in 1962 or early 1963 and has shot less than 100 rds. since then. In fact it fired no rounds until about the year 2000.

I regret that I could not get more pictures to upload, but I will email additional pictures upon request.

Buyer to pay actual shipping charges. Interested foreign bidders please contact me by email.

End of quote.

Information

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[Badger]

Yup, saw that one....

We had previously posted it here in the Quartermaster Stores as a "for sale elsewhere" *Notice* type ad showing all of the pics ...

Enfield No.4 MK I *T Long Branch WWII Sniper Rifle - Quartermaster Stores (click here)

It will be interesting to see what it goes for considering the missmatched No.32 (not Long Branch built) scope.

Regards,
Badger

[tiriaq]

Disregarding the scope and bracket, is there any reason to believe that the rifle is a legitimate LB sniper? OK, a Maltese cross on the forend.... Is that bracket an original one? No visible numbers on it. Maybe it just my suspicious mind, but I just wonder if the rig is a genuine bitser.

[Lee Enfield]

Disregarding the scope and bracket, is there any reason to believe that the rifle is a legitimate LB sniper? OK, a Maltese cross on the forend.... Is that bracket an original one? No visible numbers on it. Maybe it just my suspicious mind, but I just wonder if the rig is a genuine bitser.

You would have to see it. Because it doesn't fall within the "block" system it has to be treated with EXTRA suspicion.

The initial production of LB snipers was chosen along the same accuracy system as the H&H snipers, while the block system are basically ground up "custom" rifles.

The real question is whether any "non-block" snipers were completed after 1943?

I do know a dismounted scope in this range area.