Interesting Long Branch *pics added*

Your wood's been stripped of finish, and the barrel is a Fazakerly 1955 dated piece.

Probably a British FTR or shortened barrel sporter that has been redressed in "cleaned" LB wood.
 
Lee Enfield said:
Your wood's been stripped of finish, and the barrel is a Fazakerly 1955 dated piece.

Probably a British FTR or shortened barrel sporter that has been redressed in "cleaned" LB wood.
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OK, but how do you come to that conclusion? There are no FTR markings. The Canadian receiver is virtually new with no wear and perfect blueing. Why would it have been FTR'r in the UK with a Brit Barrel? All other pieces have C broad arrow or LB markings. For sure the wood has been refinished due to the light markings.

How do you know the barrel is Faz '55? Do we know what The "H" and the large "A"are ?. The inward pointing arrows with an "s" is said to mean "sale mark, Sold out of service"

Thanks, any help is greatly appreciated!
 
macadoodle said:
OK, but how do you come to that conclusion? There are no FTR markings. The Canadian receiver is virtually new with no wear and perfect blueing. Why would it have been FTR'r in the UK with a Brit Barrel? All other pieces have C broad arrow or LB markings. For sure the wood has been refinished due to the light markings.

How do you know the barrel is Faz '55? Do we know what The "H" and the large "A"are ?. The inward pointing arrows with an "s" is said to mean "sale mark, Sold out of service"

Thanks, any help is greatly appreciated!
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Your wood shows shading on protected surfaces, but most of markings remain, probably chemically stripped with steel wool. I have a stock with almost the same yellow cast, which was sanded. The original finish was stained hardwood (usually a dark red/brown).

F55 is "Fazakerly 1955" on the barrel reinforce. This means that the barrel was originally made (or installed) at Fazakerly in 1955.

If your receiver doesn't show any electropencil or stamps, then it's not a Brit FTR. The barrel was installed outside of British or Canadian service.

A post service damaged barrel replaced with a salvaged one...
 
Lee Enfield said:
Your wood shows shading on protected surfaces, but most of markings remain, probably chemically stripped with steel wool. I have a stock with almost the same yellow cast, which was sanded. The original finish was stained hardwood (usually a dark red/brown).

F55 is "Fazakerly 1955" on the barrel reinforce. This means that the barrel was originally made (or installed) at Fazakerly in 1955.

If your receiver doesn't show any electropencil or stamps, then it's not a Brit FTR. The barrel was installed outside of British or Canadian service.

A post service damaged barrel replaced with a salvaged one...
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Yes, that makes some sense...
 
Hear seems to be a pritty good place to look. might get lucky and find the right year, in good shape. at the very least, i would put a LB bbl of any year on it, if i could find one in good shape. personal prefrance again, id restain it that nice red/ black walnut color aswell.
 
Not quite sure I understand what your all saying, I have 1943 longbranch and it has the round shaped safety with a hole in it. All matching and in pretty good condition.
 
Stain the wood dark? Are you serious? Those blond wood stocks are not very common anymore and I have been searching for a nice example for several years now. macadoodle, if you want a dark stock I'll buy yours and then you can put one of many dark wood stocks that are available on your rifle.
 
Maybe I'm way off here, but the whole rifle seems suspicious to me. I'm guessing it was rebarreled and reblued by a gunsmith or someone's garage build. Even the butt plate is black. A very nice rifle none the less. If I was you I'd just enjoy it for what it is and not sink anymore money into it. My take on it is this, you have a nice barrel on it already - I'd leave it. You'll never be able to restore it anyway as the barrel number won't match. Further, if it was done at FTR (which it doesn't sound like), then that's the barrel that is correct for that rifle.
 
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Infanteer90 said:
Stain the wood dark? Are you serious? Those blond wood stocks are not very common anymore and I have been searching for a nice example for several years now. macadoodle, if you want a dark stock I'll buy yours and then you can put one of many dark wood stocks that are available on your rifle.
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The blonde wood is what i love about it...
 
Vimy Ridge said:
Maybe I'm way off here, but the whole rifle seems suspicious to me. I'm guessing it was rebarreled and reblued by a gunsmith or someone's garage build. Even the butt plate is black. A very nice rifle none the less. If I was you I'd just enjoy it for what it is and not sink anymore money into it. My take on it is this, you have a nice barrel on it already - I'd leave it. You'll never be able to restore it anyway as the barrel number won't match. Further, if it was done at FTR (which it doesn't sound like), then that's the barrel that is correct for that rifle.
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I agree there are lots of things that don't add up, thats why I was asking for input. The butt plate is actually blued. What I don't understand about someone re-barreling it is that if you see it in person it is obvious that the receiver has not been used. it's not possible that someone shot out the barrel with no receiver wear. It seems more likely it was put together from parts or that the original barrel was damaged and then changed.
 
could be a bew reciver. there is a fellow close by me, who i wont name, who has a basement full of enfield stuff. every now and then, he digs out a 22 marked #4 reciver thats new in grease, and builds one from all new parts. thats fine, nothing wrong there, but then he pawns them off as originals. yours could be something like that.?
 
Beater said:
could be a bew reciver. there is a fellow close by me, who i wont name, who has a basement full of enfield stuff. every now and then, he digs out a 22 marked #4 reciver thats new in grease, and builds one from all new parts. thats fine, nothing wrong there, but then he pawns them off as originals. yours could be something like that.?
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quite possible, although I do know the rifle has been stored as-is for the last 25-30 years. Lots of time before that though when what your suggesting could have resulted in this rifle.
 
Vimy Ridge said:
Maybe I'm way off here, but the whole rifle seems suspicious to me. I'm guessing it was rebarreled and reblued by a gunsmith or someone's garage build. Even the butt plate is black. A very nice rifle none the less. If I was you I'd just enjoy it for what it is and not sink anymore money into it. My take on it is this, you have a nice barrel on it already - I'd leave it. You'll never be able to restore it anyway as the barrel number won't match. Further, if it was done at FTR (which it doesn't sound like), then that's the barrel that is correct for that rifle.
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The common "slipper" LB safety starts in @late'43- early'44.

Long Branch No4 rifles were originally blued until midway thru 1950.

LB butt plates are either diamac/zinc alloy or blued/blackened steel.

LB barrels are not serial numbered after @mid 1941. < (whoops)

LB Forends are not serialed after @mid1943. < (added)

I know a number of people who change barrels regularly to get one with the minimum bore dimentions, smoothest internal finish, correct chamber or headspace problems.

I know people who seek out 2groove barrels and those who avoid them.

If you like it keep it. It's whatever makes you happy...
 
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