1943 Long Branch No.4 REME marked

[flying pig]

A few photos of the markings on mine:

The mark on mine is slightly different though. I should spend some time and see what I can learn about this rifle. Time for a photo shoot.

 

[cantom]

There were some Enfields in Indonesia. They stamped a star on the receiver. I think the Indonesian star was bigger than yours though.

There's also the story out there that they stamped a star when a barrel had rust in it.

Uploaded at Snapagogo.com

 

[mkrnel]

See my posts #.16 and 22, I believe this particular star mark is for a form of proof test and when I see it on the bolt head too this only reinforces my belief in this hypothesis as when proof testing a LE they usually did mark the bolt head as passed as well if changed. The crossed flags is the usual mark for proof passed on the bolt head and receiver and if these rifles with the large stars on them do not have recent crossed flags I think that these star marks are armourer substitutes during refit.

 

[flying pig]

Surely if it had been in Indonesian ownership it would have have had the 7.7 stamp and their serial number as the example you pictured does Cantom? Did they use an actual star for the rust mark or has it always been an *? The green paint does scream jungle use though. I wonder if any of the other Indian reworked Long Branch rifles JP brought in have the same markings on the bolt head and receiver? Could be a post colonial proof? Maybe that explains why almost all of the colonial ownership marks have been removed by grinder. Doesn't seem to matter if they were C^ or just ^ on small parts they still got wiped out. Yet the old Long Branch FTR stamp is there. Very interesting!

 

[cantom]

Found this on the excellent Milsurps.com site. We're not the first to wonder about this mark (or very similar marks)

http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=41078&page=1

 

[cantom]

Aha! Weedon Supply Depot. Courtesy of the fine folks at Marstar.

W
-
Found inside 5 pointed star - Weedon Supply Depot
UK

http://www.marstar.ca/html/reflibrary/LeeEnfieldManufacturerMarks.html

 

[flying pig]

Ok so what went on at Weedon then? Was it a pit stop for my rifle between its FTR at Long Branch and it's then new post in India?

 

[LawrenceN]

Gentlemen, I think I may have a handle on the star mark on the barrel. From what I've been reading on this site and the Military Surplus Collector site, it seems the "N" is actually a mis-struck "W" for the Weedon Supply Depot. The fonts match and that would also explain the "REME" stamp on the butt, and perhaps the "B" marked micrometer rear sight and the brass butt plate. I thank you all for your interest and comments (except for a few off-topic posts).