Help choosing a Lee Enfield

[danlm]

Hi everyone,

I want to buy my first Lee Enfield and I have to choose beetween a 1943 No4 mkI Maltby 2 groove barrel, and a 1950 Longbranch No4 MkI*.
Both of them are in VG+ condition.
Please help me to decide!
Which one would be the better choice?

Information

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[Bindi2]

1950 lb

[muffett.2008]

As Pauline Hanson would say, "Bindii, please explain".

[Beerhunter]

I would always go for a Mk.1 (no *) because of the number of chipped rails I have seen in Mk.1*s in the past.

[No4Mk1(T)]

Speaking from a collector’s point of view I’d vote for the 1950 as well all things being equal. The 1950 represents a high water mark in post war build quality (other than the stamped trigger guard). As regular 303 No4 production ceased in 1945 and latter restarted for the 1949-1950 run they can be considered a sub-sect with in a Long Branch collection. Though not rare they are by no means common which also adds to their appeal.
As an aside if the Maltby escaped the massive post war rebuild program and is all matching I’d likely buy both and just eat mac and chees for the next two months though.

[RobD]

I'd go for the Maltby because it served in WW2 - unless it has been re-built.

[tlvaughn]

I have both a 1943 Maltby and a 1950 LB in my collection. If I was told today that I had to sell one of them, I would sell the 1943 Maltby.

[Bindi2]

Because it has not had the riggers of war or war time production. The machine tolerences are closer has a better barrel and will out last many owners if looked after. I doubt if the rail would chip in the type of shooting it will do nowdays. To tired to think of any other reasons MUFF

[Aussie48]

It would depend on what you want it for? purely as a historic collectable get the Maltby, if you want to have some fun and fire it as well the Longbranch for sure.
Just because the Maltby was churned out in 1943 does not mean it saw any service, it might have sat in some depot for years doing SFA.

[muffett.2008]

I have examples of both Maltby Attachment 38021
and Longbranch Attachment 38022
in pristine condition, (both 1942) the british one outshoots the others, is far slicker compared to it's overseas counterparts and for a clunky No.4 is a pretty nice rifle.
That, coming from me is a good recommendation, being anti No.4.