New acquisition. Ugly but salvageable I think.

[scout7]

I think that the issue of the wood will be the most challenging. Any of the "new" wood that I have tried looks wrong and is usually too large (proud of the metal?). Any "old" wood will probaby be beat up or DP stuff that will have to be repaired to work. A fun opportunity to have...

[Rumpelhardt]

You guys should understand that this rifle is far from pristine. Though functionally it seems to be in great shape it has been polished to within an inch of its life and had a half assed re blue job applied. I think any attempt at refinishing it to resemble its original finish would render most of the markings unreadable. It does not look all that bad but it is far from the original military finish.
I am going to restock it with as much Long Branch stuff as I can get but I don't think this will ever be as desirable as it could be because of what was done to it.
Bubba should be castrated so that he can not breed to save future generations of milsurp collectible firearms.

[scout7]

The good thing is that it is yours and that you don't have a lot in it. Do as little or as much as you want and enjoy it. Bubba is not so bad, he makes original rifles more valuable every day!

[browningautorifle]

Like I said, if you silica sand glass bead blast it the marks that are there will remain. Parkerize with some sacrificial steel(steel wool) submerged in the bath and it will come out black and perfect.

[Rumpelhardt]

Like I said, if you silica sand glass bead blast it the marks that are there will remain. Parkerize with some sacrificial steel(steel wool) submerged in the bath and it will come out black and perfect.

This sounds like a plan. I have been thinking about trying ether the Brownel's or Shooters Solutions home parkerizing. I have two other guns that need refinishing also so this just might be the answer. I was worried about more loss of markings on this rifle but the bead blasting would do the trick.

[jmoore]

A LIGHT bead blast and phosphate finish followed by a proper Suncorite finish would be entirely proper for a rebuild with it's current barrel. It would follow that the wood would be newer than 1941/2 as well, easing your hunt for parts. Lots cheaper, and less frustrating. Nor would it be "incorrect" esp. if you hunt for whatever parts you can find w/ South African ownership marks. That would be a good project on it's own! No real sense in trying to wind the hands of the clock back to 1941, when it's 1961 configuration is obtainable.

Does Brain Dick still offer the Suncorite finishing service?

[Lee Enfield]

A LIGHT bead blast and phosphate finish followed by a proper Suncorite finish would be entirely proper for a rebuild with it's current barrel. It would follow that the wood would be newer than 1941/2 as well, easing your hunt for parts. Lots cheaper, and less frustrating. Nor would it be "incorrect" esp. if you hunt for whatever parts you can find w/ South African ownership marks. That would be a good project on it's own! No real sense in trying to wind the hands of the clock back to 1941, when it's 1961 configuration is obtainable.

Does Brain Dick still offer the Suncorite finishing service?

A 1941 Long Branch rifle should be a blued finish. Parkerizing (phosphating) was not introduced until midway through 1950 production. Canada never used suncorite....

[jmoore]

A 1941 Long Branch rifle should be a blued finish. Parkerizing (phosphating) was not introduced until midway through 1950 production. Canada never used suncorite....

I understand all that, but the rifle was in service past 1961! Ended up in South Africa. So whatever finish would be best for a 1960's SA issue weapon seems the way to go.

I've been looking closely at your pictures, and I blew up the Knox form..... looks like your rifle does not have its original barrel, but that it was re-barreled in 1961 while in South African service.

Esp. considering it'll never look "new" again and the minor shortage of 1941 Long Branch barrels with no serial number...

[browningautorifle]

Agreed a light bead blast. That's what silica sand does. anything harsher can obliterate markings and change sharp corners to round. I can't vouch for the home parkerizing solutions, the only one I used was the Brownells Parkerizing solution. Before you get to serious work with the critical guns, have a sacrificial barrel or receiver you can do first to check for results.

[vintage hunter]

I have a Long Branch mk1* thats park'd so i assume this means it was refinished at sometime in it's service life?