1944 Long Branch Bolt force match re punched or not?
- Thread starter Davegelinas
- Start date
Definitely sleazy. But the good news is, it is factory done by the looks of it.
Hah! No kidding. I was a 421 tech. If a rifle was missing a bolt, we threw it away. Just kidding. If a new bolt was needed on an Enfield, I would fish through my slush pile and fit a spare, then re-number it to match. It is always nice from a collectors view to have the original parts but not a deal breaker. I still rebuild a lot of rifles and will re-stamp a bolt once matched. Just like I would have in the old days.
- Location
- Western Manitoba
Is perhaps a bit curious about the significance of the "matching" number on the bolt - after that bolt was fitted, I believe it was numbered, to keep it with that receiver. Then I believe the militaries had regular maintenance / inspection to continue to verify that fit - FIELD gauges, among other things, were involved. But with most milsurp rifles being turned loose in 1950's, has likely been 70 years since a military armourer inspected them - so parts wear with use - that number on the bolt no longer guarantees much, I don't think?? Actually have to do the checks and verify, I think. Sort of fooling self to think all is okay, solely because the stamps match, after 70 years of use?
At one time the final "precision fitting" of the bolt to the receiver, with Lee Enfields, was done with the final proof charge. This would give you a bolt uniquely mated to that receiver in terms of the lug to locking shoulder fit. I've been led to believe that the main reason for action bodies ultimately being out of spec is further deformation of the locking shoulders such that the rifle can't be headspaced with any bolt/ bolt-head combo. If your rifle will still easily headspace with it's factory original bolt and available and properly fitting boltheads then you're in good shape whether the rifle is 50 or 125 years old. A replacement bolt will have been selected for even lug bearing or, possibly, had one lug stoned to even up the fit and that will have been done as well as the particular armourer (or owner/bubba) was inclined to do it. A factory original matching bolt is always best unless it has an issue like pieces spalling off the bearing surface.
milsurpo
Originality is important to collectors and has some relevance for shooters as well. Factory original matching is what you want to see. There are very few known exceptions to the rule that the font will match on the various stamped parts. Next best in terms of numbering originality might be FTR'd rifles where the numbers on bolt, etc., were clearly applied during the refurb by the factory. Anything else is an unknown- armourer or bubba? To call these "matching" is misleading and quite meaningless but not technically incorrect. A buyer has to ask for clear photos of the marked pieces and make up their own mind about the numbers and pay accordingly. This applies to many types other than Lee Enfields- there are still many out there that think only electropencilled Mosin bolts, etc., are "force-matched". Many refurbed Mosins have stamped numbers including letter prefixes, but the font of the letters will always be very or subtly different from the numbers on the barrel.
milsurpo
milsurpo
