Long Branch No4 MkI* marking

Infanteer90

Infanteer90

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Infanteer90 said:
A recent purchase from a friend. Long Branch No 4 MkI* dated 1943. It has CANADA stamped on the butt with the other usual markings. Most Long Branch rifles do not have this extra marking but I have seen it before. Any idea why it was applied?
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Very nice! Perhaps it was marked to show ownership? I just bought a very similar model, except it is marked with the NZ for New Zealand.
 
Hmmm
I've not seen that CANADA stamp before.
Facinating
The buttplate does not look longbranch - maybe savage.
I can't tell if this has been center bedded or not from the picture.
The target king screw is present. Is she free floated and do you see any dowel inserts at the side of the stock where it meets the receiver?

Picture154.jpg
 
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Something new every day.
The rifle is fitted with a centre swivel. No way of knowing who installed it, but this is usually an indication of a rifle set up for target shooting. I wonder if it was a team rifle? Any sign of the bedding ever having been worked on?
 
Probably an old US style Import marking from the sixties, I have had Carcanos marked Italy and Spanish Civil War issue Mosin-Nagant marked USSR on occasion.
 
The butt plate appears to be zinc and is stamped with the C broad arrow. I don't see any evidence of bedding but then I don't know exactly what to look for. There doesn't appear to have been any adding or removing of material from the interior of the forestock.

Oh, and it has a 5 groove barrel that is very bright and free from wear.
 
That could almost be a photo of my post-war refurbished 1943 Long Branch down to the Savage type, Canadian marked buttplate. Mine also has the exact same CANADA stamp in the same place.
 
JP said:
Probably an old US style Import marking from the sixties, I have had Carcanos marked Italy and Spanish Civil War issue Mosin-Nagant marked USSR on occasion.
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Previous to GCA 68 (gun control act of 1968) anything imported to the United States was required to have it's country of origin marked on it.

GCA 68 stopped the import of any military OWNED/USED firearm to the US, thus creating a "happy time" of Canadian milsurpness importing.

The only "milsurp" firearms able to be legally imported into the US were those issued to police forces (including "para-military" ones).

This ended in 1986 with the "Gun owners protection act" which is generally demonized for also ending the registration of new machineguns manufactured in the US.
 
Yes I know this, that is why I think that the Canada on the no.4 is from that time. Remember, before our new laws fiirearms moved across the border with minimal paperwork.
 
Canada

I can add some info on member #No.4 MKI (T)'s 1943 LB with Canada stamp. He's a local buddy of mine and thats the only reason he was able to pry it out of my hands. I got this particuliar LB about 8-10 years ago while living in Ottawa, from an elderly collector near Toronto. He told me they were all acquired locally from friends, auctions and gunshows over the last few decades. Also, #No.4 MKI(T)'s '43 appears to have been refurbed here in Canada, I would guess it didnt get imported. Just a guess.
Brings up another mystery, how to identify rifles that have been refurbished here in Canada. I've owned several suspects and apart from parkerized finish, the only marks I noticed were a small set of letter/numbers on leftside,lower butt-socket ie: F 11. Anyone else have input on this?
Cheers
Geoff in Victoria
 
longbranch* said:
I can add some info on member #No.4 MKI (T)'s 1943 LB with Canada stamp. He's a local buddy of mine and thats the only reason he was able to pry it out of my hands. I got this particuliar LB about 8-10 years ago while living in Ottawa, from an elderly collector near Toronto. He told me they were all acquired locally from friends, auctions and gunshows over the last few decades. Also, #No.4 MKI(T)'s '43 appears to have been refurbed here in Canada, I would guess it didnt get imported. Just a guess.
Brings up another mystery, how to identify rifles that have been refurbished here in Canada. I've owned several suspects and apart from parkerized finish, the only marks I noticed were a small set of letter/numbers on leftside,lower butt-socket ie: F 11. Anyone else have input on this?
Cheers
Geoff in Victoria
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I just looked at my 44 LB FTR rifle. Only thing I see is a 1 on leftside lower buttsocket, no F11.
I don't think I've ever seen any other factory that does that green parkerizing like Long Branch did. The Indians like black paint, the Brits like Suncorite over phosphate. The green park is quite distinctive. I didn't like it at first but it's grown on me.

I'd place it from 1950-1955 or so. The later guns like EAL's and FNC1's are grey parked, different process apparently.
 
longbranch* said:
I can add some info on member #No.4 MKI (T)'s 1943 LB with Canada stamp. He's a local buddy of mine and thats the only reason he was able to pry it out of my hands. I got this particuliar LB about 8-10 years ago while living in Ottawa, from an elderly collector near Toronto. He told me they were all acquired locally from friends, auctions and gunshows over the last few decades. Also, #No.4 MKI(T)'s '43 appears to have been refurbed here in Canada, I would guess it didnt get imported. Just a guess.
Brings up another mystery, how to identify rifles that have been refurbished here in Canada. I've owned several suspects and apart from parkerized finish, the only marks I noticed were a small set of letter/numbers on leftside,lower butt-socket ie: F 11. Anyone else have input on this?
Cheers
Geoff in Victoria
Click to expand...

I've been informed that your "F 11" stamping is apparently a "steel batch" or "lot" number.

They start appearing @ mid 1942 or early 1943 IIRC.

Because they also appear on obviously un-reworked LB's I don't think they are a re-work or rack/property number.
 
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