Mystery in early Long Branch No. 4 MK. I serial numbers

[Seaforth72]

The General consensus is that SAL's Long Branch serial numbers had a prefix number(s) starting at "0" (Zero), followed by "L", followed by 3 digits in the "0L" series (e.g. 0L123) and then 4 digits after the "0L" (e.g. 0L1234). After that ALL Long Branch serial numbers have one or two prefix numbers, followed by "L", followed by 4 digits (e.g. 68L3200).

The mystery is why do some No. 4 MK. I rifles have only 3 digits after the "1L" instead of four? In local collections (Greater Vancouver, B.C. area) I have encountered two 1941 No. 4 MK. I rifles with this anomalous numbering pattern. The two rifles are 1L314 and 1L481. Note that both of them only have THREE (3) digits after the "1L". 1L314 is very original with its 1941 dated body, matching bolt, MK. I (button) cocking piece, low wood fore end, hinged upper band and MK. I early (wasp waist) foresight protector. It has a large C/|\ stamp on the barrel seating. Barrel has the matching serial number 1L314 and is dated "42". The wood furniture is all Canadian. The front hand guard was made by CCM. (Canada Cycle & Motor Company Ltd.) The fact that this rifle has all of the early features supports my theory below.

Governments and firearms manufacturers are known to have made serial numbering errors including repeating allocated numbers either at two different factories (U.K. WWI S.M.L.E. production) or with two different models (e.g. U.S. Remington M1903A3 and M1903A4 Sniper where the duplicate M1903A4 serial numbers later had an "X" prefix added.)

Theory: My suspicion is that as it was a new numbering system in a brand new factory, the person(s) doing the numbering made mistakes. After the initial 999 Long Branch No. 4 MK. I rifles were numbered, and moving into the 1,000+ numbers, the numbering person put the "1" before the "L", presumably replacing the "0", instead of adding a fourth digit after the "L". Thus the factory put the "1" in front of the "L" at the 1,000 mark instead of at the 10,000 mark. The error was caught before they reached the 3,200th one made as CODfan on Milsurps has 0L32xx. I believe that 1L314 would be the 1,314th one made and 1L481 was the 1,481st one made. If they had been "properly" numbered they would have been 0L1314 and 0L1481 respectively. At some point soon afterwards, the factory corrected the error by changing to 0Lxxxx (4 digits after the "L") but they did not renumber the incorrectly numbered rifles as there was no actual duplication. If this is the case, then there could also be a 1L1314 and a 1L1L481 produced as well, and their serial numbers would have remained unique.

This was either an error or production planning staff expanded the number to 4 digits after the "L" to allow for greater quantity to be in the numbering sequence. I believe it was an error.

Information

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[Lee Enfield]

It's not a mystery. The official serial number scheme (received from the brits according to a document I read) for No4 rifles from Long Branch (no4s and Stens) and Savage was supposed to follow the following system:

0L1 to 0L9999
1L0 to 1L9999
2L0 should have been the serial number for rifle 20,000 but it appears that by then they had abandoned that system and started using all of the zeros, ie 2L0000

Using this system, the last production long branch known 96L0012) dated 1950 should have been serial number marked as 96L12

The specific serial number you refer to: 1L314 corresponds with rifle number 10,314.

[CODFan]

I think the '42 barrel date confirms the sequencing.

I have - 0L3231, 0L3954 and 0L5712 all with '41 dated barrels.

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[Seaforth72]

Thank you very much Lee Enfield and CODFan. An odd numbering sequence to be sure. Thank you for clarifying the matter.

[Surpmil]

Another way to approach this is the observed serial numbers vs. the date year marked on the receiver. AFAIK no Mk.I rifles have been seen with 1942 dates, but some '41 0L MkI receivers (aka "bodies") have been seen with 1942 barrels.

There was a two volume report published post war by the Ministry of Munitions and Supply (the Canadian one that is), which is about as much published information as we have on S.A.L. I have a copy of it but haven't look at it for years. IIRC it mentioned the total number of rifles produced in 1941. Anyone else have a copy?

Have three digit serials been noted on Long Branch Sten Guns?

[CODFan]

I usually refer to this ....

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