Re-barreled Longbranch (6 groove)

[browningautorifle]

no evidence of amateur work here- not a mark on the barrel

A man that's done several won't damage a barrel installing it.

[Brian Dick]

One small clarification. The C Mk.4 marking on the barrel designates the six groove rifled barrel. Five groove barrels made at Canadian Arsenals are not so marked. The 58 stamp must be the date of the build. I inspected one that was done at the factory and it's dated 50 but stamped on the top right side of the Knox Form. Not on the flat on the very top.

[green]

I have a brand new never installed CMk4 bl with 58 marked on the noxform as above, date barrel was made. Also LB No1 bl new in wrap dated 41, date bl was made.

[Brian Dick]

That certainly answers the question about the 58 date stamp. It's just placed in a different spot.

I've had a couple of Long Branch SMLE barrels in the past as well as other small replacement parts for the SMLE made in Canada during WWII.

[CODFan]

I have only seen '49 and '50 dated 6-groove barrels.

Did the ones produced later on also have the marking on the bayonet lugs?

[Ridolpho]

I have a brand new never installed CMk4 bl with 58 marked on the noxform as above, date barrel was made. Also LB No1 bl new in wrap dated 41, date bl was made.

Green: Does it have any other markings on it?

Ridolpho

[Ridolpho]

I have only seen '49 and '50 dated 6-groove barrels.

Did the ones produced later on also have the marking on the bayonet lugs?

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...4d0b2fa9-1.jpg

Codfan: Mine has that "6" stamp in that location. Regarding the origin of my rifle (Canadian Arsenals or private build) I would ask if anyone knows if the CA Maple Leaf proof was placed on spare barrels or only after assembly? Rgg 7 seems to think this gun might have been re-barreled at the factory while others (correctly) point out that there are many out there with the ability to install a spare barrel. I'm not sure why anyone would stamp the serial #'s as done in rather large font that doesn't resemble original factory numbers or why body and bolt would be simultaneously scrubbed and stamped with a number that doesn't agree with the date stamped on the body?? After reading a bit about DCRA 7.62 conversions I stumbled on photos of #221 which has a renumbered bolt with serial stamped in font that looks very similar to that on mine. Anyone have any last comments? Regards.

Ridolpho

[browningautorifle]

stamped in font that looks very similar

It's just a stamp set. I have one here.

[Ridolpho]

Jim: Perhaps I've been getting into Mosin's too deeply where serial number fonts from different factories and different times are instantly recognizable by the experts. But tell me, if you were personally re-barreling a No. 4, would you bother re-stamping bolt/ wrist with stamps that are so obviously not original Long Branch production fonts? It certainly wouldn't fool anyone, especially with the grind marks on the wrist! It's a repair job by someone and I'm just curious as to whether the repair might have been done at CA. From what I see on various DCRA posts, the stamping and quality of finish have little to do with original wartime or post war standards. It really doesn't matter much as this is a fine target rifle with barrel that's hardly been used. I may even take it to the range tomorrow as we're having unseasonably fine November weather here- +20C! regards.

Bill

[Surpmil]

I know we didn't have the facility at our base for barrel change, perhaps at the Navy base close by as they had Parkerizing facilities. Once I mentioned changing an FN barrel to the effect of unscrew it and change it...the weapon's Sgt just made fun of the remark. It was like it was the hardest thing to do. Not all of them seemed to be savvy to changing a pipe... The stampings on the knoxform are crude, not a CAL type of job.

HMC Dockyard did indeed have all the tools and jigs for the No4, also the Bren and the Sten. They overhauled thousands there for our grateful NATO allies in the 50s and 60s.