Longbranch No4 Mk1* Parkerized

[Frank LE]

I found a very nice No4 Mk1* Longbranch 1942 with all matching numbers and I am thinking of buying it. The rifle is in very good condition, all the metall parts are parkerized except the bolt and the rear sight. It is the first early Longbranch rifle I have seen with this finish.
Is this common for 1942 or was it refinished in a FTR Program. If FTR should there be any marks of the year or so?

Regards
Frank

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Thanks ...

Regards,
Doug

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.

[jmoore]

Yowsa! Not the original finish! It's eye catching though.

Note the metal on the front handguard, the cross piece at the rear of the fore stock and the other various small bits. Those are likely original finish.

If the price isn't bad to you (a subjective thing) get it. I would, especially if the bore's good. Just don't think of it as investment grade.

[limpetmine]

I would get it for the serial number alone. That is an EARLY rifle. It has been bead blasted and parked, but that's part of its history. If the fellow isn't asking an arm and a leg, but a price for a worn No. 4, I'd jump in a NY minute.
From the looks of the button knob, it may well have the original bolt.

[Brian Dick]

It looks like a typical post WWII FTR done at Canadian Arsenals, Ltd. in the 1950's. Many of these rifles went back to Europe under the Marshall plan for Reserve War duty and were reimported after being surplused in the 1980's and 1990's.

[Simon P]

My 1944 Long Branch has been Parkarized, but is a much darker green & has a 2 groove barrel. Its not a pretty rifle but is one of my favourites.

This one followed my dad back from the Suez Canal Zone around 1954 when he was posted back to the UK.

[Lee Enfield]

I found a very nice No4 Mk1* Longbranch 1942 with all matching numbers and I am thinking of buying it. The rifle is in very good condition, all the metall parts are parkerized except the bolt and the rear sight. It is the first early Longbranch rifle I have seen with this finish.
Is this common for 1942 or was it refinished in a FTR Program. If FTR should there be any marks of the year or so?

Regards
Frank

The little red tag in the pic attached to the rear sling swivel may be the original arsenal work tag.

[bearhunter]

I'm surprised to see the early cocking piece still left in place. I don't remember seeing one on a rifle of such late manufacture before. Still, a very nice rifle it is. I have to dig through the pile, I think I have a Savage that is parked like that.

[Pablo]

I'm surprised to see the early cocking piece still left in place. I don't remember seeing one on a rifle of such late manufacture before. Still, a very nice rifle it is. I have to dig through the pile, I think I have a Savage that is parked like that.

man, i wish i had that many rifles that i lost track of what i owned!
Maybe some day when the kids are grown up and move out......and the wife follows

[jmoore]

My "3L2888" (I think that's right) also has a Long Branch "button" cocking piece. Bolt isn't renumbered, but it has a few replacement parts mostly a Savage buttstock and a steel buttplate. Oddly, it also has a LB hinged front band. Bought long before I knew any real details about No.4 rifle collecting.

Dang, I'd buy that rifle just because I like the buttstock- it's "purty"!

[stencollector]

I saw a similar rifle here in Canada at Wolverine's a couple years ago. I believe it was also a LB 42, fresh park, still had the Cdn Arsenals tag on it, but it had Savage wood on it. John wouldn't sell it to me at the time, but later did sell it and it went to an Alberta collector. In fact, it was up for sale on gunnutz just a week or two ago.