I was wondering if there is a specific year that Long Branch began to use two-groove rifling instead of four. I am thinking it was part way through the war, as my dad has a 1943 LB with the two groove bore. Is there any specific date?
enfield rifling dates
- Thread starter LeeEnfieldNo.4_mk1
- Start date
I think they went back and forth. I had a 1942 LB two groove, and a 1943 LB five groove. An old vet told me that overseas units got priority for five groove rifles, while two groove rifles were for home service. I've never seen anything in writing to confirm that, though.
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
1942 seems to be the answer to your question. No4 rifle production started at Long Branch in 1941, and all of the 1941 breech dated barrels I've seen are 5 groove.
The majority of 1941 dated receivers seem to have 1942 dated 2 groove barrels.
When I was actively collecting Long Branch's I deliberately avoided buying 2groove barrels; the first 2 groove I owned was a 1941 w/'42 dated barrel.
Since then I have had 1942, 43 & 44 dated No4MkI* actions with the original 1942-44 dated 2 groove barrels, so production of 5 & 2 groove barrels seems to have been concurrent through out the war.
I have seen (but haven't owned any) 1945s that were equipped with 2 gr ; and have had a 2groove 1950 reported to me.
However, I can state that in 1941, '42, '43, '44, '45, '49, '50-51 Long Branch production No4 rifles were equipped with 5 groove barrels; and '42, '43, '44, '45 production rifles were also equipped with 2 groove barrels.
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My only LB's with 2-groove barrels are late 1942 production, 1943, and 1944 No4MkI* rifles. I don't have any 1945 dated ones, but I believe I recall seeing them with either 2 or 5-groove.
My 1941 & '42 No4MkI and early 1942 No4MkI* rifles, as well as 1950 are all 5-groove. The only other oddballs are the 1950 dated one with the later 6-groove right-hand twist, and one bubba'd wartime-dated 'sporter' I bought that had a 4-groove right hand twist barrel, and no knox form. I figured the latter for some after-military replacement. There was a wartime rifle that was briefly produced with a 4-groove barrel (Savage perhaps, anyone?), but I've never seen one myself.
My 1941 & '42 No4MkI and early 1942 No4MkI* rifles, as well as 1950 are all 5-groove. The only other oddballs are the 1950 dated one with the later 6-groove right-hand twist, and one bubba'd wartime-dated 'sporter' I bought that had a 4-groove right hand twist barrel, and no knox form. I figured the latter for some after-military replacement. There was a wartime rifle that was briefly produced with a 4-groove barrel (Savage perhaps, anyone?), but I've never seen one myself.
