Any EAL experts PICTURES ADDED!

I have a particularly nice EAL with a serial number in the mid-6000 range. It's particularly nice with what appears to be a very polished bluing and the stock has some really nicely done checkering. It does not appear to be bubba'd but instead a more upscale version of a fairly plane rifle.As i understand it was purchased this way from a shop new and knowing what i do about the PO he would not have had the mean to get the customizing completed. here are some pics:
Is there any EAL experts or pseudo experts I can contact?





[U











 
Last edited:
Apparently 7000 were made from long branch receivers in Ontario and EAL stands for essential agency limited?
Most of them were hunted hard and typically have plain jane stocks with no checkering!

I'm not to sure if there's a huge market but this year the prices for them reached astronomical prices!!, when they used to be priced around run of the mill no.4 sporters but me personally I would like one just for hunting not for collecting as I would rather spend my hard earned cash on a lee speed or Mauser!

I would love to see a few pics as they are often a under appreciated sporting rifle made right here in Canada!
 
Some people have been asking astronomical prices for them recently...not sure who is going to buy them though at that. They've been around the $400-$500 or so mark, for a decent original example, for quite a while. They don't sell that fast even at that level.

And that's CGN prices...try getting that at a gun show.

As for EAL experts...the only ones that exist are on this forum.

Wheaty wrote the article you see online.

Woodchopper had a blog about them.

Bearhunter worked at a shop that got shipments of them in.

We've had dozens of threads about EAL's on CGN.

I've never seen one with fancy wood before, not to say they don't exist. I did recently see the pics of the one that was for sale.

I think they'd make whatever you wanted.

When they were new, they did indeed have very nice, glossy bluing.
 
Last edited:
The EAL was introduced in the 1950's to produce a sporting rifle for the Canadian market. The rifle was always regarded as just a "sporter" until Warren Wheatfield published his research. His research revealed that SN's 0 to 5999 were commercial and 6000 to 6999 military. As you progress through the serial numbers you will see some changes in small details...early one used the military butt with a Jostam pad, no calibre. Later calibre was stamped. Then there was the military order for the RCAF, Forestry Service and Rangers. A few were scoped (very rare). I've seen two stock variation for the military forend and acceptance marks on the butts.

Your SN is within the military order. As such the stock is correct however been checkered....most likely after being released for sale. The rear sight has also been changed...appears to be a folding Lyman and should be a 200/400 flip blade sight (very rare). Like to see a picture of the front sight as they were unique to EAL. The mag and finish is correct for the military style.

My conclusion and I owe a few of these is that yours has been detailed to a hunting rifle. Could be put back to original...someone may have a stock set to sell or trade. Rear sight could be had..I found one from my EAL on eBay a few years back.

If you need more info pls PM

Ron
 
Last edited:
Would the fore stock of this EAL be thinner than the 10round civilian EAL?

That's a nice looking rifle you have there. Nice checkering on it.

We'd all be guessing as to who did it.

Bearhunter said he saw them come in with various different options right from the factory. They did have individual variations.
Who's to say whether checkering was one of them?

I've seen lots of EAL's but only 1 or 2 had stock checkering.

Thank you for the pics!
 
I recall when the supply of LB No. 4s was exhausted, and EALs were issued in lieu, long after EAL ceased to exist. Were these rifles originally made for Ranger use, back in the day, and held in stores, or were they ones that just happened to be on hand, and were issued to the Rangers when needed? Incidentally, the Rangers I knew really disliked the EALs, much preferring the No. 4.

Whoever checkered those stocks was good. The question is, when was the checkering done?
 
I recall when the supply of LB No. 4s was exhausted, and EALs were issued in lieu, long after EAL ceased to exist. Were these rifles originally made for Ranger use, back in the day, and held in stores, or were they ones that just happened to be on hand, and were issued to the Rangers when needed? Incidentally, the Rangers I knew really disliked the EALs, much preferring the No. 4.

Whoever checkered those stocks was good. The question is, when was the checkering done?

Maybe we could do carbon dating...:)
 
Back
Top Bottom