1943 Long Branch

[Peter Laidler]

Not so much 'force matched' as simply re-numbered. And Armourers would do that every day, especially with bolts, fore-ends and magazines. After correctly fitting of course.

[Frederick303]

I have an early 1941 action body LB that has the /46 mark on the buttstock. It lacks the R LB mark or the month mark. 0L80xx serial. In discussing it with Brian in a previous thread and taking it all apart I found one of the hand guards was not a long branch and the magazine had been force matched with three serial numbers of a non corresponding font. It also have a what looked to be a brand new Canadian MK III sight, but retained the early waisted sight protector and the hinged front band.

Leads me to believe that these rifles were post war clean up and that they were not done at LB, but some Canadian work shop, likely overseas. That was Brian's hypothesis and this rifle posted seems to support that:

Long branch rebuilt: R LB Month /46

Workshop: /46

anyone ever seen a /47 date?

[englishman_ca]

Try not to use too much force matching stuff. You might do permanent damage.