+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: 1950 Long Branch markings

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Advisory Panel

    jmoore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    06-09-2023 @ 04:20 AM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    7,066
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    04:22 PM

    1950 Long Branch markings

    There's small "A" in a circle on most of the parts of a 1950 LB CNo4Mk1* that I was looking over this evening. No book refs that I could find regarding these, I suppose its just an odd inspector's stamp, yes?
    ( Its even just below the S/N. )

    (Not a "C" w/ broadarrow, I'm not that blind, yet, I hope!!!)
    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.
    Last edited by jmoore; 01-14-2010 at 05:05 AM.

  2. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #2
    Moderator
    (Lee Enfield Forums)
    No4Mk1(T)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    09-26-2021 @ 09:58 AM
    Location
    Vancouver Island
    Posts
    407
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    01:22 PM
    It is actually an A inside a C and stands for Canadianicon Arsonals. After WWII the name of the Crown Corp. that made Long Branch No4's etc. was changed from SAL (Small Arms Ltd.) to Canadian Arsonals.

  4. The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to No4Mk1(T) For This Useful Post:


  5. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  6. #3
    Advisory Panel

    jmoore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    06-09-2023 @ 04:20 AM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    7,066
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    04:22 PM
    Thread Starter
    Time to break out the magnifying lens. "You gotta be tough to get old," my aunt always told me...

  7. Thank You to jmoore For This Useful Post:


  8. #4
    Administrator

    Site Owner
    Badger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    @
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Age
    75
    Posts
    12,944
    Real Name
    Doug
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    04:22 PM
    My Videos in Video Club
    12


    With thanks to ~Angel~, one of these added to the Canada - Milsurp Knowledge Library (click here) a few years ago ...

    These "Canadian Arsenal" marks should be all over most components on the rifle.

    (Click PIC to Enlarge)


    1950 C No.4 Mk1* Long Branch Rifle (click here)

    Regards,
    Badger

  9. The Following 2 Members Say Thank You to Badger For This Useful Post:


  10. #5
    Legacy Member limpetmine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Last On
    04-16-2024 @ 09:18 AM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    979
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    03:22 PM

    Here are a few

    Shots of the CA mark.
    [Note I removed the incorrectly posted WWII "C" / Broad arrow and replaced with A in C roundel.]
    Last edited by limpetmine; 02-26-2010 at 10:48 AM.

  11. #6
    Advisory Panel

    jmoore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Last On
    06-09-2023 @ 04:20 AM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    7,066
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    04:22 PM
    Thread Starter
    Yup, that's them. Still can't find mention of them in any of my books.

    As most are on curved surfaces or are just incomplete, it didn't occur to me that the ROUND character surrounding the "A" was a "C". Like Badger's photo above, the "C" is usually interrupted on the LH side as well, especially on flat surfaces.

    This all leads to another question: Why are the "new" mags ( marked with the above symbol) in these rifles so wretched looking in general? They are usually brown and old looking even in otherwise "newish" rifles.

    BTW, limpetmine, your right photo isn't the mystery character! Its the familiar "C" broadarrow.
    Last edited by jmoore; 01-15-2010 at 11:01 AM. Reason: Clarification of RH photo.

  12. #7
    Legacy Member limpetmine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Last On
    04-16-2024 @ 09:18 AM
    Location
    US of A
    Posts
    979
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    03:22 PM

    CA

    The picture on the right is the clearest picture I have of the CA brand. The one on the left, fully round, is the tiny one that is on lots of the metal parts, magazines and some wood. The one on the right is found on forestock and butt stocks; I have examples of these.
    I've seen dozens of the 1949/1950 magazines with the brown patina; too many to say it's not right. I speculate that they used a weak batch of parkerizing. You will note, too, that they are often the folded bottom type, with a unwelded seam, very different that the earlier Long Branch type magazine.
    Which poses a question: Did LB make their own magazine bodies during the war? Did they not later? Who was the vendor used in the last run(49/50)? Why the change of style?

  13. Thank You to limpetmine For This Useful Post:


  14. #8
    Moderator
    (Lee Enfield Forums)
    No4Mk1(T)'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    09-26-2021 @ 09:58 AM
    Location
    Vancouver Island
    Posts
    407
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    01:22 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by limpetmine View Post
    The picture on the right is the clearest picture I have of the CA brand. The one on the left, fully round, is the tiny one that is on lots of the metal parts, magazines and some wood. The one on the right is found on forestock and butt stocks; I have examples of these.
    Is there any chance you could have confused your photo on the right with another one on your computer?
    When I click on it to enlarge it is clearly the classic C-Broad Arrow Canadianicon property mark/inspection stamp as used through out WWII. It is not at all uncommon to see post WWII Long Branch rifles with these WWII produced parts as there was vast inventories of parts on hand when production ceased at the end of WWII. It is my understanding that as production was being wound up in 1949 that any parts that were not yet in production would be substituted with parts held in inventory. Later as production was winding down and as newly made parts would run low parts would again be pulled from inventory to keep the production line running. Of the examples I’ve managed to view this seems to be born out as many of the rifles in the 91L to low 92L and then the 95L serial number ranges have a higher mix of C-Broad Arrow/ LB marked parts.
    Quote Originally Posted by limpetmine View Post
    I've seen dozens of the 1949/1950 magazines with the brown patina; too many to say it's not right. I speculate that they used a weak batch of parkerizing.
    I think your rite on target here and this is what most of the other Canadian collectors I‘ve talked to feel as well. The other two theories put forward are
    1) Mettle prep wasn’t done properly before it was parkerzed or it wasn’t left in the bath long enough.
    2) A different type of steel was used and the parkerizing method not modified.
    Quote Originally Posted by limpetmine View Post
    You will note, too, that they are often the folded bottom type, with a unwelded seam, very different that the earlier Long Branch type magazine. Which poses a question: Did LB make their own magazine bodies during the war? Did they not later? Who was the vendor used in the last run(49/50)? Why the change of style?
    That’s a great question and one I haven’t been able to find a answer to. I think I’ll have to ask around a bit on this one.

  15. Thank You to No4Mk1(T) For This Useful Post:


  16. #9
    Administrator

    Site Owner
    Badger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    @
    Location
    Toronto, Canada
    Age
    75
    Posts
    12,944
    Real Name
    Doug
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    04:22 PM
    My Videos in Video Club
    12

    Question

    Quote Originally Posted by limpetmine View Post
    Shots of the CA mark.
    I'm confused ...

    This pic (the one on the right in your post) is the regular WWII Long Branch C Broad Arrow?

    Attachment 9463

    It's not the later Canadianicon Arsenals marking A wrapped in C...

    Have I misunderstood the context or something else?

    Regards,
    Badger

  17. #10
    FREE MEMBER
    NO Posting or PM's Allowed
    Infanteer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Last On
    06-27-2018 @ 10:31 PM
    Posts
    15
    Local Date
    04-25-2024
    Local Time
    02:22 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by Badger View Post
    I'm confused ...

    This pic (the one on the right in your post) is the regular WWII Long Branch C Broad Arrow?

    Attachment 9463

    It's not the later Canadianicon Arsenals marking A wrapped in C...

    Have I misunderstood the context or something else?

    Regards,
    Badger
    That's correct, this is the C broad arrow. If you look close you will see an arrow inside the C and this is a military acceptance / property mark that was used since long before WW1 up to the early 1950's on all types of military items (see my avatar). The post war mark of an upper case letter A inside the C is a maker mark for Canadian Arsenals.

+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. New Long Branch No.4 Mk.1*, a few questions
    By kar98k in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 12-29-2009, 10:56 AM
  2. Long Branch Question
    By Hip's Ax in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 07-17-2009, 07:42 AM
  3. Long Branch No 7 rifles
    By Mac308 in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 13
    Last Post: 02-11-2008, 04:43 PM
  4. My K98 and Long Branch
    By David1974 in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 11-05-2007, 06:13 PM
  5. What safety on a 41 Long Branch?
    By Cantom in forum The Lee Enfield Knowledge Library Collectors Forum
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 01-21-2007, 03:10 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts