Canadian marked No.1 on the EE?

T

Tanis

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
64   0   0
Location
North of the imaginary line
Soooooooooo..... Was flicking through the EE at work and thought I saw an ad for a Canadian marked No1. Didn't have time to take a look at it, and now I can't find it.

Did it disappear, or was I just dreaming? :confused:
 
I've always been surprised there's not more of these around.

Do Enfield collectors have a criteria of what to look for in originals? Have many SMLE's been 'enhanced' with C broad arrows post war?

This is a subject I'm not overly familiar with.

Regards,
-Steve
 
Great question! I have 2 C broad arrow stamped No. 1 Mk3*. One is all numbers matching from 1918 with a somewhat intricate C broad arrow engraving.. The other is dateless due to sporterization but barrel is stamped '43 and receiver has the c broad arrow somewhat crudely stamped.
 
Not sure how many of these are original, or faked c broad arrows, but they are around... It should also have the LB stamp as well. Longbranch re-barreled an unknown number of #1 MkIII rifles at the very beginning of the war as the arsenal was brought into production. The heat was on to "put rifles into hands" and so re-barreling No1 MkIII rifles - of which fairly large numbers were in the Canadian forces' arsenals, was an expedient solution. They were, from what I gather, largely lefotver rifles from the end of the production runs near the end of WWI, that were then used for training rifles between wars. As a result, they were pretty thoroughly shot out, with not much rifling left, so Longbranch was given the ones with the best condition receivers to re-barrel.

I have one with all the right stamps on the receiver and barrel to match this history (it was actually a gift from a friend), but after WWII, Bubba got hold of it and... Well... I've got most of the parts tracked down to bring it back to its former glory, and it's going to be my winter project.

At some point, Smellie will likely poke his noes in here, correct my errors, and dump some much better info.

They're interesting rifles, with interesting history. If you have one of the real ones, cherish it. They're effectively "Two War" rifles.
 
grelmar said:
Not sure how many of these are original, or faked c broad arrows, but they are around... It should also have the LB stamp as well. Longbranch re-barreled an unknown number of #1 MkIII rifles at the very beginning of the war as the arsenal was brought into production. The heat was on to "put rifles into hands" and so re-barreling No1 MkIII rifles - of which fairly large numbers were in the Canadian forces' arsenals, was an expedient solution. They were, from what I gather, largely lefotver rifles from the end of the production runs near the end of WWI, that were then used for training rifles between wars. As a result, they were pretty thoroughly shot out, with not much rifling left, so Longbranch was given the ones with the best condition receivers to re-barrel.

I have one with all the right stamps on the receiver and barrel to match this history (it was actually a gift from a friend), but after WWII, Bubba got hold of it and... Well... I've got most of the parts tracked down to bring it back to its former glory, and it's going to be my winter project.

At some point, Smellie will likely poke his noes in here, correct my errors, and dump some much better info.

They're interesting rifles, with interesting history. If you have one of the real ones, cherish it. They're effectively "Two War" rifles.
Click to expand...

Would it be possible to have some nice pictures with the markings you described? I would like to see them!

Thanks,

Martin
 
Lot of money is right! Last year I bought an identical fully matching 1917 MkIII* (inc. forend, nosecap, sight, etc,) for $275.00 at a small show. There are still occasional bargains to be had out there if you are very patient. I actually think there are few collectors that make an effort to pass along rifles at reasonable cost. But man, I think a 1917 (made by RSAF Enfield) is pretty run of the mill- if one of these gets $1200, what will it cost to buy a pre-war MkIII. The price on that Enfield makes a recent Mk V I bought look like a bargain at a little over $2000.00.

milsurpo
 
dauph197 said:
Would it be possible to have some nice pictures with the markings you described? I would like to see them!

Thanks,

Martin
Click to expand...

Sure... Won't be until next week though, didn't bring it with me up north on my hunting trip. We're having a bit of a "let the muscles heal a bit" morning today. Lots of coffee and fish tales before heading back out this evening and all day tomorrow.

*sigh* This is how man was meant to live. Wandering around the bush with a gun in your hand from before dawn until last light, taking the odd day here and there to let the muscles mend. To bad us modern "civilised" types can only get this kind of time in for a week, maybe 2, a year.
 
One thing wrong with that add is that he states that it was a Canadian WWI rifle used after the Ross was pulled from service. Fact is this is impossible to prove. And to be in reality the likelihood it was one of the rifles acquired from the British during the interwar period. The Canadians during WWI would have been using fully British proofed LEs, as the C/l\ mark was not in existence until after WWI. Although it can't be ruled out as not seeing WWI usage without in-depth research, It is clearly in WWII configuration with the later cocking piece, selling it as a WWI rifle is pretty dubious. For that kind of money I think this community is a bit too knowledgeable about these guns to bite.
 
20140920_104402_zps7602715b.jpg


20140915_194941_resized_zpsbwuqktru.jpg


There are the two that I have. The first is all matching except magazine and is a 1918 BSA No1Mk3*. It has the early style cooking piece. The trigger is stamped IVI.

The second one was a sporter that louthepou restored and it's markings have been linnished - probably by a sporterization. It has a much different style C broad arrow and the barrel has a 1943 stamp. It also has the early style cooking piece. I'm guessing it's a mix master of parts and the bolt came out of an early gun.
 
For any question regarding the use of the C Broad Arrow, I suggest this thread and maybe ask the question to GrantR if you need more details. He taught me lots of things regarding the C Broad Arrow.

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1134417-canadian-broad-arrow-stamp-info

So, it was adopted in 1907 and the reason why we can say it was in use before the Great War is the Ross rifles and their bayonets were stamped with the C Broad Arrow.

Martin
 
I just picked up a 1915 BSA Co. No 1 Mk III* (from this thread) http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...51-Need-Help-with-the-value-of-a-few-firearms , and mainly because of the Canadian Broad arrow. Unknown when it was stamped, may have seen service in both wars? Sadly, it has been sporterized , and barrel is stamped EY ( Emergency Use) but I would think in a war time situation, any time you fired your rifle it would be an emergency.
http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa480/vandmatt/image4.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom