Longbranch No4 Mk1* Mystery

The militaries of various countries did all kinds of things with Enfield serial numbers.

I've seen pictures of lots of Cno7 .22 receivers on which the serial number was scrubbed off the butt socket just about like on this rifle shown. Not sure why they did that but it may have been a fairly normal thing the military did when stripping a rifle down for parts.

We've seen a number of .303 Long Branch rifles on CGN that have never had a serial number as well. Lunchbox specials I believe they've been called.
 
Own it without fear as others have said. While it may be illegal to remove the numbers, you were not the one doing it, and the military likely did it long before the FA, nor would the FA affect them otherwise. Nothing illegal about owning guns without serials either.
My interpretation
 
There is a numbers there can't make it out but when I enhance it on my computer I can see a shadow of it you can't get rid of a number without welding over it first and then filing it, with the right equipment you would be able to see it ,but no one is going to go that far with this. I just can't understand why someone would do that to a matching rifle unless they were hiding something, completely destroys the value of it because there is always the question is it matching or not. The other questions that come up is it stolen was it used in a murder etc etc.
 
Anybody else remember the early days of the LGR when people tried to register their Lee-Enfield, the nice folks in Miramichi would get back to them that that number was already registered in the system by someone else. Took a while for them to be convinced that a lot of different factories made Enfields and a serial on one rifle could be duplicated on another made elsewhere. Shoot it in good faith. Appears to me that some of the parts are from different years of manufacture.
 
I have a sporterized LB no.4 with a 'sticker' that was issued when they had to be registered. IDK....maybe yours fell off and the original owner didnt bother to get another because the registry is defunct.
 
in the 50's early 60's the serial number was removed off of rifles no longer deemed useful and the rile would either be turned into a DP purpose or used as a trophy. The ser no was removed as it was reused with a new receiver.
 
3CDO said:
in the 50's early 60's the serial number was removed off of rifles no longer deemed useful and the rile would either be turned into a DP purpose or used as a trophy. The ser no was removed as it was reused with a new receiver.
Click to expand...

Seems like the regulations have evolved over the years.


I have had dozens of drill purpose Brens, and they had the original serial number milled off the receiver and a DP serial number engraved in it's place.

From weapons regulations I read back in the 80s, the CFs rule was that if a receiver was being transferred to another weapon as part of a repair, the original serial number (on the replacement receiver) was to be barred out so as to be still legible, and the number of the weapon being repaired would be stamped on the replacement receiver. I have seen examples of weapons done this way.
 
stencollector said:
Seems like the regulations have evolved over the years.


I have had dozens of drill purpose Brens, and they had the original serial number milled off the receiver and a DP serial number engraved in it's place.

From weapons regulations I read back in the 80s, the CFs rule was that if a receiver was being transferred to another weapon as part of a repair, the original serial number (on the replacement receiver) was to be barred out so as to be still legible, and the number of the weapon being repaired would be stamped on the replacement receiver. I have seen examples of weapons done this way.
Click to expand...

It has changed. I no longer have the manual but there was a paragraph on removing or striking out a ser no so it can be reused. one printed. The manual was old that the original publication no was covered over and hand scribed in pen with the current marking C-71-111-000/mm-###.

The only reason I found this out was that when we had to register all our long arms, the firearms office contacted me stating that I had a rifle with the same ser no as another one in the system. What we found out was that the rifles had 2 different manufacture date but the same ser no.

As for the dates for when ser no were remove and reused I they may be wrong , I thought more as the dates for these rifles in question were wartime manufacture. Another clue is that the manual was written in English only which also indicates an early publication. Therefore the issue of removing and reissuing a ser no may be the 40's. and not the 50's 60's date.
 
667 said:
You know... There are some manufacturers you didn't put serial numbers on their product.
Doesn't anyone remember those little stickers the CFC would send you when your registered your non serialized long gun..?
Click to expand...

I have a couple of those pre serial number guns. Infact, I have a pre serial number Cooey 82 trainer that came to me with an assigned serial number in a small oval sticker under a clear laminate type sticker. I had to re blue the reciever so the sticker got scrapped off and because the LGR no longer exist, there will be no serial number for this rifle.
 
GlobeCo scrubbed the receivers they sporterized. i had a lot of fun with a few rifles that had no serial number or scrubbed numbers back when there was a registry.

you can send it to me. Ill hang on to it.
 
kjohn said:
You're better off to send it to me. I have a No. 4 with no serial number. I think they hang people that have old Lee Enfield rifles with no serial number. Best if I hang for having two rifles, than two guys hanged for having one each. :p

I can't imagine how many rifles and shotguns there are out there with no serial numbers. Tell your RCMP dad to cool down. This comes from a retired RCMP member and a collector for 50 years.
Click to expand...

Ken, you are much too polite, I would tell the RCMP dad to f'off!! wp
 
Garaldtao said:
I have a couple of those pre serial number guns. Infact, I have a pre serial number Cooey 82 trainer that came to me with an assigned serial number in a small oval sticker under a clear laminate type sticker. I had to re blue the reciever so the sticker got scrapped off and because the LGR no longer exist, there will be no serial number for this rifle.
Click to expand...
you probably should read post No. 9 again. Your memory might be faulty about the Cooey. I do not believe that the existence of a LGR or not is relevant.
 
I have a number of Lee Enfields that were made into target rifles. The serial number were all scrubbed. But to get a permit to take the rifles to England (Bisley) we had to list a serial number for each rifle.

One of my rifles got engraved with a number (4 digits from my phone number) and another got a number stuck on it with a labelling machine. That was accepted.

OP, your rifle is fine just the way it is. Enjoy.
 
Wendell said:
Here is the relevant section of law. Note the exception.



Criminal Code (R.S.C., 1985, c. C-46)
<http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/index.html>
Click to expand...

Wow...there are so many Lee Enfields around that were either made with no serials or have had them removed by the CF or other users...

I've seen tons of Cno7 receivers with a large rough patch where the CF removed the serial number.

Sold by gun stores too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom