Long Branch Question?

jcbruno

jcbruno

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Edmonton Alberta
Hi all, I fellas has sold me a rifle on the E&E and claims it to be a long branch no4 mk1. I have some questions as I don't believe it is a long branch. The fela I have bought it from has been very forthcoming in answering my question's and so i believe there has been no attempt to deceive. The reason I don't believe it is a long branch is that it says England on the receiver, his explanation is that he was told that it was marked this do too commercial selling after the war. He claims the S mark on the bolt handle and receiver signify a long branch. I thought this would mean shirly or savage I don't see LB or the words long branch on any part of the gun?

Any advise would be helpful

Neil
 
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If it's a Long Branch, it will be marked on the left of the receiver with the words, Long Branch, No4MkI*, 1943 or similar.

Serial number will have L in it.

It sounds like the guy has no idea what he had or was trying to deceive, take your pick.

Many Enfields including Long Branch have England stamped on them, it was required by the US as an import rule as I've read. Means nothing re where it was made.

But I certainly wouldn't accept the rifle if it isn't what you were told it was.
 
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The small parts will also have the LB stylized symbol on them. The "B" is placed directly over the "L" makes it look like a dented "D" if you know what I mean. An "S" stamping is most certainly Savage.

images
...found a pic.
 
If the guy is as forthcoming as you say, it may be a case of him simply being uninformed with no intent to deceive. From what you've posted, I'd be leery of paying Long Branch prices for the rifle. If he's truly unaware of the actual provenance of his rifle, see if he'll do you a refund if the item is not as advertised. I'm sending you a pic of the receiver marking for Long Branch. This is what you should see.
 
Rifles made at Shirley were BSA. The S, a bit squarish so it can be mistaken for a 5, is the Savage marking. A Long Branch rifle might be assembled with some Savage parts, the two N.American factories would sometimes supply each other with components, and any rifle might get replacement parts cannibalized from other manufacturers during service - there was a war on - but the receiver is the essential identity of the rifle. If that has the Savage S stamp it's a Savage rifle, and if it's a Long Branch the receiver will be stamped as in post #5 by LawrenceN (possibly No.4Mk1 without the *, early production, and of course different years.)
 
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Thinking you were getting a Long Branch and then getting a Savage....would be like the difference between kissing your sister on the cheek and a hot model on the mouth....:cool:
 
Everything has been said... if it's not written LONG BRANCH, if there is no LB mark and no C Broad Arrow... it's not a Long Branch.

Have a look on some spare parts I have, there is the LB mark everywhere...








Now, I only need to find a nice sporter marked LONG BRANCH! Two must be better...

Martin
 
That guy doesn't know what he's talking about. All Long Branch rifles were stamped as such, like cantom says.
A Savage will have the 'U.S. Property' stamp on the receiver and 'S' stamps all over the thing plus a 'C' in the S/N(Long Branch rifles have an 'L' in the S/N.).
After the Savage contract ended, all remaining rifles, parts and machinery got shipped to Long Branch and were issued to CF units. (Had a Savage on my MIU, long ago.) Parts etc. were used to build or repair rifles. So finding a Savage receiver with Long Branch parts or the reverse isn't unusual.
The "England" is an export stamp, primarily for the U.S. market. It should have the BNP stamps too. All milsurps sold through England were required to be proofed, by English law, before they could be exported to anywhere. If those stamps are not on the barrel, usually on the chamber, the barrel very likely has been changed. Not a big deal if it was done correctly. Decidedly unsafe if it was not.
I think you have a genuine No. 4 Mk I Mixmaster. That'd be a rifle assembled out of parts. Possibly with no QC, so check the headspace before you shoot it.
 
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