Well, I guess I bought an EAL!
- Thread starter CUSTOM441
- Start date
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
I was thinking the same thing about the number: It looks similar to an accession number for a museum. When I enlarge the photo, it looks like 200959-0 which would be the 59th donation made to that museum in 2009, and the only item in that batch of donation. I could be wrong...I'll show the photo to one of the curators at work and see what they think.
I was on Op NANOOK in Sep of 2014 when Mr. Harper showed up. I can’t recall the name of the place but it was some barren Sound 100 Nautical Miles from Iqualiut. He went and fired the Lee Enfield with the Rangers. I’m not sure if that was the only time he’d done that.
I’m really liking that stock. Are there repros available? I’ve got a sporterized Lee that could use some sprucing up.
Think this is the pic of the PM with the Rangers. It is a sporterized No 4.
I wonder if "Justine" would be inclined to do the same as Harper....probably couldn't find a sissy pad thick enough for the drama queen!��
Too bad about the number on the trigger guard but not the end of the world.
Pretty much a standard EAL otherwise.
The mag isn't right. Most I've seen on EAL's were LB marked and often the ones with little bluing or finish for some reason.
Nice find OP!
BTW, if the rear sight doesn't have 300/600 under 200/400, wonder if they were purpose made at that point?
Pretty much a standard EAL otherwise.
The mag isn't right. Most I've seen on EAL's were LB marked and often the ones with little bluing or finish for some reason.
Nice find OP!
BTW, if the rear sight doesn't have 300/600 under 200/400, wonder if they were purpose made at that point?
Thanks! I'm pretty happy with it overall, especially for what I paid.
As for the sights, I haven't found any explanation why some are 200/400 and others are corrected. This is the best website I've found for info on these rifles https://sites.google.com/site/essentialagenciesltd/home
I would suggest that the 200/400 sight came about because of the shortened barrel and new front sight system.
All the EALs that I saw issued to the Rangers seem to have had the two leaf flip sight dovetailed into the Nock's Form of the barrel.
The Rangers I knew didn't particularly care for the EALs (compared with the No. 4) because of the increased recoil and short magazines. A 10 rd magazine is a good thing in the cold.
All the EALs that I saw issued to the Rangers seem to have had the two leaf flip sight dovetailed into the Nock's Form of the barrel.
The Rangers I knew didn't particularly care for the EALs (compared with the No. 4) because of the increased recoil and short magazines. A 10 rd magazine is a good thing in the cold.
It makes sense however many examples have the 200/400 overstamped ie on top of the 300/600 markings.
I think we would need to micro a 300/600 and compare to a 200/400 to see if there is any difference in the dimensions.
About the number on the trigger guard: That AFAIK is just a standard approx 1944 LB stamped trigger guard.(all the 44's had them) There are lots more just like it.
If you found another one and it was otherwise identical, you could knock out the pin, remove the loop and swap it in.
Not a costly or rare item.
Or, have someone polish the number off and reblue it.
No biggie but personally I wouldn't want that on there.
If you found another one and it was otherwise identical, you could knock out the pin, remove the loop and swap it in.
Not a costly or rare item.
Or, have someone polish the number off and reblue it.
No biggie but personally I wouldn't want that on there.
Coincidentally I stopped in at Valley Guns in Pet on my way home. He had a very nice looking EAL for sale that he claims was RCAF issue, serial No. in the 6500 range or thereabouts. Blueing was in extremely good shape but i think the mag (10rd) and trigger guard may not be original to the rifle.
Loved the feel of the stock in the hands. Nice slender forearm.
Loved the feel of the stock in the hands. Nice slender forearm.
CaribouHunter
Member
- Location
- Yellowknife, NWT
Hello. Nice Rifle. I stumbled across this thread while researching an EAL I aquired on trade. Unfortunately mine doesn't have the peep site on the rear, but a leaf site dovetailed into the barrel. Mine still has the breach cover loop in front of the magazine well. There doesn't seem to be alot of info out there on these EAL below the 2000 serial number.
Why is that unfortunate???
Your rifle is the more desirable of the two models. It's the military version.
The rifles with the rear "peep" sights are the civilian versions.
If CaribouHunter's rifle is in the 2000 or less range...it may well be one of the Buckhorn sight models like I had previously. In that s/n range it's not likely military.
Although Bearhunter, I recall you worked at Lever and saw rifles come in from EAL!
Although Bearhunter, I recall you worked at Lever and saw rifles come in from EAL!
I did and I bought three of them
I also had the opportunity to inspect over a hundred of them at one point in Mr Lever's basement. All were surplus and they ranged from Fair to Excellent condition.
I've sold them all since.
The rifle you had, would have been a special order. There was a time when you could order them with special features.
As for the serial number range of the military rifles, I believe there were more than a few discrepancies in the numbers.
Wheaty, Warren Wheatfield, worked on them.
Some of the milspec rifles had Weaver scopes mounted on them, with a side mount. The serial numbers were out of the posted ranges on some of those.
Very nice and handy rifles to shoot/hunt with. They kick like the proverbial mule.
stencollector
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- shilo MB, the armpit of Canada
It would seem that the military pattern started around serial 5000, and ran into the 6500 range But I think the military used ones were closer to the 6000 serial range. I think I have a Cdn Arsenal product downstairs that is identical to the EAL. It would also seem that LongBranch rifles may have also been modified into RCAF survival rifles.
According to Warren Wheatfield, the Canadian military purchased far more than 1500 EAL rifles.
CaribouHunter, I wonder if you could show us some pictures of your rifle. Particularly the dovetailed rear sight and the rear receiver area where the 200/400 would normally be.
There may well be EALs out there with legitimate dovetailed buckhorn sights. But every one that I have seen has either had a sight elevator that was much too high or the sight was mounted too far back to be factory done.
The rear sight ears were also removed in a fashion that was less than what I would expect from EAL or Canadian Arsenals.
I did see one EAL rifle that had barrel mounted Buckhorn on a Williams base that looked professional, but the rear sight ear removal was even worse than most.
There has been lots of good info on EAL rifles since Warren did his write up a few years ago.
diabeticfreak
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- The fields of Ontario
Congrats! That's a great looking rifle
