A nice looking Long Branch, a nice catch for someone......

[limpetmine]

The fellow that landed this one is lucky he caught me on a thin week.
This is a nice rifle; a little rust on the butt, but a great looking, typical 1950 Long Branch.
But look to the next post and see and see what you find!!!
I would like to know the story about this one. A very interesting piece, and I wish
I'd jumped.
I can't complain, I've been blessed.

Information

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[limpetmine]

So here's the kicker!!!
Anyone have an idea about this one?

[Mag Fed]

Limpetmine, I'm missing something.....was this rifle advertized as a 1950 LB ?

[Peter Laidler]

I'm confused too..............

[limpetmine]

No, it's a 1943, but it has ALL appearances of a 1950 LB. I mean to a "T".
Proud wood on the butt plate.
Black steel butt plate.
The dimple on the top front stock band, by the front sight, which was only done on 49's and 50's LB's.
The cartouches by the trigger guard are post war vintage. The front handguard flat has the postwar style, not the more rounded war years style.


I could go on and on. If I put this one next to 10 other 1950's that I have, I'd challenge you to spot it.

It's an anomaly. I wonder if they "found" this receiver laying around the shop, say, mid 1950, and ran it through the process. It looks too clean to be a put together. Not a messed up screw head on the thing.

But then, I'm a Long Branch geek.

[Brian Dick]

Don't forget the post WWII C Mk.3 rear sight.

[limpetmine]

Brian, you've probably handled more 1950 LB's than anyone this side of the northern border. What do you think of this rifle?

[Ridolpho]

Limpetmine: Checked my "43" Longbranch after seeing your post. It has some similar attributes including the black steel buttplate with "proud" wood. As you can see on the photos it was re-barreled in the fifties with one of the 6 groove reverse twist barrels. While the bolt/ receiver serial bumbers match, it is pretty clear the left cheek was ground off and restamped. The action body has a nice black (parkerized?) finish and is in excellent condition. Am I incorrect in assuming this was a '43 rifle that was re-barreled postwar? As you can see I've installed a PH aperture sight and tunnel front sight in order to do a little target shooting with it but it came with a MkIII sight.

Ridolpho

[limpetmine]

A CNo.III or a NoIII back sight?

The big fat CA stamp to the left of the receiver markings is what J. Edgar Hoover would call a clue. I think yours in a post war rebuild.

The black steel butt is one more clue as well, along with the nice looking wood. Typical 50's LB to me.
The wood of a typical 43 would run the gamut from shipping crates to fine furniture.

[Ridolpho]

Limpetmine: My sight is marked MkIII with a C+broadarrow right beside it. Any idea why the action body serial number would be scraped off and restamped during an overhaul?

Ridolpho