All original Long Branch - price check

Dark Alley Dan

Dark Alley Dan

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
89   0   0
Location
Darkest Edmonton
Gents, Ladies:

I have and opportunity to save a rifle from the RCMP (Rifle Chopping Mother Pluckers). Specs as follows:

- #4 Mk 1* (NOT a "T", dang it)
- Long Branch 1944 mfg.
- Absolutely stock- no bubba here.
- Flawless provenance - carried through Holland by a member of Her Majesty's Royal Canadian Army for the last 2 years of the war.
- Comes with some ammunition of the time, a large wooden case built by the gentleman who kept it. I'm working on getting a copy of his service record from the widow.

The Widow doesn't like guns and wants it out of the house RFN (Right Friggin' Now). It's been passed to friends of hers who are friends of my Mrs. They don't like guns either, so I'm making the long drive to Lethbridge a week from Saturday to liberate the old thing and make everyone a lot happier.

I haven't seen it yet, so I can't speak to condition. However, if it's as nice as they say it is, what would be a fair price? Assume solid mantenance, good bore, old and dusty but complete and not rusty in the least. I have no interest in ripping off a widow, so I'm looking for the right price here.

Many thanks, lads.

Dan
 
woodchopper's estimate is fair. I recently saw a superior one sell for $375, but it was much nicer than average. I do not know how the provenance of the rifle would affect value. After all, its not just a rifle that sat in an armoury somewhere, then got sold surplus.
 
I actually am a little low on the estimate, not seeing the rifle I dont' want to overestimate. But $300 should get you a nice enfield in good - very good condition with all matching parts. Any higher and the rifle better be a No4Mk2 or No4Mk1 - Mk1* in excellent condition. If its a UF or PF serial number and looks like it just came out of the wrapper I would go as high as $500.
 
With it's history and I assume lack of commercial markings I'd be willing to go higher... maybe $500 pending seeing it up close.
 
If it's minty and not commercially marked, or if it carries odd issue markings such as NZD issue, it could go as high as $700. It's it's a plain used but not abused '44 LB, $300 would be a good price, $400 is what I'd expect to see here on the EE in today's market. Not too many nice $250 Longbranches out there anymore lads - trust me!
 
Claven2 said:
Not too many nice $250 Longbranches out there anymore lads - trust me!
Click to expand...

Your telling me, I keep looking. I've had start buying nagants to feed my need to buy cheap guns.

I did pick up 2 sporters a Savage and a Long Branch for $45 each recently, now I need to keep searching for wood bits that match, and are reasonable correct.

yes I know its an addiction, :)
 
The old fella may have fallen out for the last time, but my understanding of Army regulations wouldn't have let a man keep his rifle upon demobilizing. They had gun control rules back then too. This morning I was idly skimming through Edgeworth's (?) book on Dominion Rifles from 1867 to 1955, and hahhazardly read that most big disposals didn't start until a few years after 1945. I didn't expect to be answering this sort of question.

Bruce Canfield has a website and a great posting on buying old guns. He says buy the gun, not the story. That Long Branch may have been one exactly like the veteran's wartime gun, but I sincerely doubt it was his all along.
 
Hey, if you don't buy it, they're going to send it to the chopper!!! Offer them $200 and see what they say.....

(good intentions never go unpunished!!)

Oh second thought, don't offer them anything, just ask them what they want for it.... you're not ripping someone off, they don't want the damn thing, and would be just as happy giving to the cops..... so you're saving a piece of history, not ripping some kid off at a gun show!!
 
Last edited:
- Flawless provenance - carried through Holland by a member of Her Majesty's Royal Canadian Army for the last 2 years of the war.
Click to expand...
I think it was His Majesty's Army, at least if your talking WWII

I must say that I find these estimates of the value of the no4km1* to be scary. Here, on the prairies, they still show up around the $200 mark. Anything much above that has to have something special about it. I recently turned down an RCMP marked LongBranch (in the 5L serial range) at a gunshow for $300. At the same show, I did manage to buy a batch of 16 sets of no4mk1* (well actually, it was Cno7) wood, along with bands, some cleaning rods, a couple slings, and 7 transit chests, for $350. Unfortunately, there were only 4 lower forestocks there. All 16 butstocks were complete and most even still had the screw still in the oil bottle hole. I also got a DP marked LongBranch for $150, and a very nice Brit no4mk1(T), complete with accessories. Theres still bargains out there if one waits for them.

The story of how he got it home would be interesting. I started a thread a while back about vet bring-backs, and there were very few stories about Cdn vets managing to get their service rifles home.
 
Gentlemen,

Our demand sets the price. Our demand is up. The price is up.

IMHO $250 i s fair. $150 is "if you did not buy it- yer gonna regret it"

But that being said...only the "true Enfield addicts" could tell you what they would pay for it. That being said, I hope they pass this on to their kids so they respect the history as well.

If your confused about this, you can seel it to me for $120. :)
 
Whatever you decide is fair, I'm sure the lady will accept. Be a gentleman and buy her some flower to boot. It's the right thing to do.
 
Gents:

Thanks for your input. It was indeed "His Majesty's Army" during the war (I stand corrected), and we haven't seen anything documentation-wise to prove this rifle went to Holland, but if we do, ooh boy!

My fear is that I'll drive 6 hours through a blizzard and find she's been bubba'd after all. Snif. One week to go and we'll know.

Thanks again,

Dan
 
Best to have it in your hands first and post pics. You don't know what has been done or not done to it or the condition of the bore. Certainly offer a fair price.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
my understanding of Army regulations wouldn't have let a man keep his rifle upon demobilizing. They had gun control rules back then too.
Click to expand...

I recall my father saying that at the end of the war, they did have have the opportunity to buy their rifle. However, no one told my dad and his buddies how much. They assumed it was for the same cost that htey would be charged if they lost a rifle during the war, $60. Keep in mind that $60 was a HUGE amount when they were paid about $1.30 spending money a day. So this group did not buy their guns. When they boarded the ship to return home, someone else told them the price was $12.

Unfortunately my dad is no longer here to confirm this for me.


BTW, I have to take better care of mine, if those prices are true! I got a 1950 LB about 15 years ago for $100.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom