Off day at Long Branch.

[stencollector]

Just thought I would post an oddity that I recently acquired.

Quite often we see where the LongBranch factory would pre-stamp most of a date on a receiver and then hand stamp the remaining necessary digit(s).
Here is an example: my 1956 dated LB #4, where it would appear the 6 is stamped separately from the 195. This actually is a pretty good job. A lot of them have worse spacing, and sometimes even a different font stamp was used.

Now here is a real off day. This is the markings on my 1943 LB training rifle. Or should I say 3194?

 

[greyman441]

Wow thats a pretty big fault. Very interesting though.

 

[cantom]

Wow thats a pretty big fault. Very interesting though.

That is definitely one for the ages...

 

[Hawkshadow]

Haha that's awesome. "just don't live a $ht" lol

 

[cantom]

Haha that's awesome. "just don't live a $ht" lol

...it's like that "not my job" poster where someone painted the white line on the highway right over a dead opossom.

 

[stencollector]

I just noticed, and it's not visible to the eye, but I think there is a faint 3 stamped after the 4. Maybe they had a problem with the roller and had to handstamp the last number.

 

[Nabs]

I just noticed, and it's not visible to the eye, but I think there is a faint 3 stamped after the 4. Maybe they had a problem with the roller and had to handstamp the last number.

Yep, definitely a faint "3" at the end, looks like they didn't bother to re-stamp it or is that what the lone "3" signifies ?

 

[purple]

I once owned a 1950LB which had been double struck on the left side. Everything was there; nice and clear stamping, but done twice.

 

[cantom]

I just noticed, and it's not visible to the eye, but I think there is a faint 3 stamped after the 4. Maybe they had a problem with the roller and had to handstamp the last number.

Yes...now that you mention it, it is there.

 

[stencollector]

It's amazing how a digital camera can catch subtle markings that the eye can't. Cantom and I found this once before with regard to a T on the sidewall of a no4 sniper. By simply looking, I would have sworn there was no T. But after taking some photos to send to Cantom, the T was plainly visible.

 

[McCDan]

In my first machine shop we hand stamped all of the downhole tools when they went out. Hand stamping is definatley a skill and if you fudge it there is little you can do other than grind it out (if you were allowed). The stamp blocks the veiw of the position and stamping on a round surface makes it worse.

 

[Tex Critter]

Gotta love those dyslexic stampers.

 

[A-V]

Gotta love those dyslexic stampers.

That's mean

So, this kind of fail-stamping is common on those WW2-era rifles?

 

[stencollector]

That's mean

So, this kind of fail-stamping is common on those WW2-era rifles?

Not common, but never bad enough to hold the piece of equipment from service. I have seen small arms relegated to DP status due to machining errors, but not for cosmetics.

 

[purple]

Military procurement is subject to quality control and acceptance standards to verify compliance with terms of a contract. Inspections are done either at the manufacturer's plant or point of entry into military inventory, or at both locations. Functionality trumps cosmetics, especially during the press of wartime production.

 

[cainesy]

The guy in charge probably had a bad hangover that day and left his glasses home, well its possible.

 

[tiriaq]

I know to a certainty that at least one 2.75" folding fin rocket warhead went out with its roll stamped nomenclature double stamped. Hit the control twice.....