My first: 1944 Long Branch No4 Mk1*

[vermintrex]

Hi,

New here and new to Lee Enfield.

Was hoping you guys could take a look at this barrelled action and help me out with some markings. The wood is off right now, it looks to be either part of an FTR or just plain repro. The front wood is definitely older, the butt stock looks brand new, probably walnut, but I can't tell what the forestock wood is but it's a lighter orangy brown.

I know it was "sold out of service" as it's stamped NP (or WP) 3632 22 185T0NS (or 5 not sure) at the end of the barrel by the bayonet lug. I don't have pictures of the bolt, but it doesn't match the reciever and has no serial number. It has Long Branch stamps on all parts except for the bolt handle which has a C-broad arrow on the ball and an A stamp on the front of the handle. The sights are MkIII, stamped I think.

I'm mostly wondering what the X stamp means on top of the receiver ring ? Looks to be a 43 dated barrel on a 44 dated receiver.

That's everything I know by looking at markings and searching the net.

Thanks for any info !

Information

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[mtbikerwvu]

Looks like you have a project there but it looks like a good one. The X on top of the receiver means that during an inspection there was rust found in the bore/chamber of the rifle. It was treated at that point and the mark was a signal during the next inspections to keep an eye on that barrel for the rust to have come back. Post some pics when you get her back together,

[vermintrex]

Looks like you have a project there but it looks like a good one. The X on top of the receiver means that during an inspection there was rust found in the bore/chamber of the rifle. It was treated at that point and the mark was a signal during the next inspections to keep an eye on that barrel for the rust to have come back. Post some pics when you get her back together,

Thanks for the info ! The bore looks pretty good, no pitting and I can't see any rust, so hopefully it was taken care of.

Will definitely post pics of the rifle when she's back together. I have a few parts coming that I want to replace. Looks like somewhere along the line a previous owner decided to cut the rear stock band and braze it back together rather than remove the front sight to get it over the barrel, plus the middle stock band screw lugs were poorly welded so i want to replace it. Oh..and I had to get a bayonet, so that's coming too : )

The trigger has absolutely no tension on it until the second stage lobe contacts the sear. The trigger can swing freely just by tilting the rifle like a seesaw. Is there something that can be done to fix that ? I've looked a few pictures of trigger's correct for the rifle and mine doesn't look to be modified, the first stage lobe doesn't appear to have been ground down and is the same size as the second stage lobe.

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

With the action uncocked it's normal for the trigger to move freely approximately 1/2", cocked about 1/4". If you mean it's only operating as a single stage then you've got some work to do.

* And welcome to the forum.

[vermintrex]

I'd say it moves freely at least 3/4" maybe more..I haven't got it together right now to measure accurately, but from what I can see / feel...I don't think the first lobe makes contact with the sear at all, but it's hard to tell as it needs to be bolted back into the stock to operate. I guess I could make a bushing the same depth as the stock bedding so I could bolt the trigger group to the receiver outside of the stock to see what's happening. But that would me playing gunsmith when I have no business doing so lol.

The previous owner claims she fires just fine...but I haven't confirmed that myself yet.

and thanks for the welcome !

[Peter Laidler]

The ONLY way you can truly test the trigger load, pressure and pull-offs on your rifle is with it fully assembled with a correctly fitted fore-end. Can I suggest that you don't attempt ANY alterations in that department until it's assembled

[vermintrex]

The ONLY way you can truly test the trigger load, pressure and pull-offs on your rifle is with it fully assembled with a correctly fitted fore-end. Can I suggest that you don't attempt ANY alterations in that department until it's assembled

Definitely won't be trying to correct anything myself. I was thinking I could mock up a bushing / spacer to the same size as the inlet for the forward trigger guard bolt so I could bolt the trigger group back to the receiver whilst out of the stock, just to see what's going on. Would really be nothing more than an exercise for me to learn more about how it all works. If the rifle needs any real work, I'll be seeking out a gunsmith. I just like to have more than a rudimentary understanding of the mechanical workings of my firearms.

That being said, I dry-fired the rifle several times when I first got it (fully assembled), and even with the bolt cocked, I couldn't feel a first stage at all...nothing. With the bolt cocked I can "teeter-totter" the rifle and the trigger will freely dangle back and forth. When I angle the rifle with the butt end low the trigger will "fall" backwards until it "taps" the sear audibly with what I have to assume is the second stage lobe as I can feel pressure against the sear when pulling the trigger, but at this point it is definitely a single stage pull until dry-fire.

Cheers !

[vermintrex]

Just a correction for the "sold out of service" stamp... it actually says NP (or WP) 303 2 22 185 TONS. I learned a little more about it and realized it's denoting the calibre, cartridge length and max barrel pressure (at least I think that's what the 18.5 Tons marking means).

I couldn't edit my original post so I'm correcting it here.

[Beerhunter]

Just a correction for the "sold out of service" stamp... it actually says NP (or WP) 303 2 22 185 TONS. I learned a little more about it and realized it's denoting the calibre, cartridge length and max barrel pressure (at least I think that's what the 18.5 Tons marking means).

That is nothing to do with "sold out or service" as such. It is a British civilian Proof. (The Gunmakers Company, London, in fact.)

All firearms sold in the UK must be Proofed. However the Government is exempt. Therefore if one wishes to sell an ex-Government firearm in the UK it must be Proofed first.

[vermintrex]

That is nothing to do with "sold out or service" as such. It is a British civilian Proof. (The Gunmakers Company, London, in fact.)

All firearms sold in the UK must be Proofed. However the Government is exempt. Therefore if one wishes to sell an ex-Government firearm in the UK it must be Proofed first.

Hmm..ok. But it's a Long Branch....does that mean this rifle was in the U.K. at some point ?

More research...I see now that the first marking is "NP" under a crown which I believe means Birmingham Nitro Proof between 1912-1954.

thanks for the info !