New Long Branch 1941...

[spinecracker]

I couldn't help it. There I am, trying to sell off my stock of .303 ammunition (wanting to focus on 7.62 Lee Enfields), and I find another 1941 Long Branch No.4 Mk.1. This time, unlike a previous 1941 Long Branch I recently had, the bolt is original to the rifle. The barrel is also original and dated 1942 (so the rifle is one that probably sneaked through early in 1942). The rifle will not be with me for a week or 2, but I thougt I'd share pics that the seller sent me.

New Long Branch 1941 pictures by spinecracker - Photobucket

Comments would be appreciated.

Information

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[Surpmil]

Looks genuine and relatively unaltered, except what is most likely a replacement forend (and perhaps the rest of the wood of course)

Nice find.

[jmoore]

Cocking piece as well is a likely replacement, but the upside is the '50 mark on the upper socket. No Bubba this time!

See what happens when you're "not" looking for something? Good find.

[spinecracker]

What exactly is the significance of the '50 mark? Year of FTR?

I swear I stumble into these things like a blind drunk...

[jmoore]

Seems to me to be a viewing mark after a minor overhaul. I've a '46 mark on my 3L in the same location. Or it could be a Canadian FTR mark, but the Suncorite indicates otherwise... I hope to be "edjumacated" shortly, don't recall seeing it in print before, but the mind is going.

[madcratebuilder]

I put one bid on that one. I like the serial number but I'm scared of the rest of it, and the seller. Looks like it may have been a grenade launcher at one time. Good luck.

[jmoore]

Don't know when I'll actually be able to really "see" pics. Work monitor is still poo. Probably won't even get the upcoming holiday off, so I won't be much help "destroying" this one for a while... Cruel lot we are!

[spinecracker]

Heck, it is not "destroying" - if this rifle is a load of donkey droppings, then I am not going to let them know my credit card info. Be brutally honest. This is why I ask for opinions. Thanks . I haven't paid for this yet, so I have room to manuveur, and I can handle a little bit of negative feedback from the seller. Anyone else?

[Surpmil]

Cocking piece as well is a likely replacement, but the upside is the '50 mark on the upper socket.

I'm not sure we can asssume that. We all love those MkI 'button' cocking pieces, but no one really knows at what point they stopped making/fitting them.

Looking at the dirt, grease and overall patination (which does look a bit steel-wooled in places), I'd say the metal parts have been married for decades.

Hard to say about the forend of course, but as Long Branch tended to do things logically, I wouldn't be surprised if the MkI spec was dropped around the time the other MkI or "trials rifle" features were dropped from production.

On the other hand, if that "50" is an overhaul date perhaps it got restocked then?

Backsight is a UK-made one?

[spinecracker]

No idea about the backsight. I did ask, but they said that they could not see any markings (I specifically asked about any LB and "C.A.S." markings, and they said they could not see any). What is the significance of the holes through the lower band? Something to do with Indian service?