Price check on a 1945 Long Branch Lee Enfield

Norseman

Norseman

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I was looking at one today,Full military with bayonet. The wood is exellent as well as the exterior metal, The bore however has a bit of rust from sitting, and the original serial numbers were stamped out,

Just wondering what price I should offer?
 
Do the serial numbers match?
Also, when you say they're "stamped out" do you mean they were crossed out and new serials stamped below the originals?
 
'45 Lb

Probably re-numbered by some other country ie:Belgium,Greece etc. New-Zealand contract rifles received their own NZ#'s but original numbers were retained. If you could identify country that re-numbered it would help its collector value, otherwise it would be good "shooter" grade in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that, but wouldnt be worth as much as a clean, un-molested piece. If bore cleans up well without much pitting and is strong, maybe worth $350 if still original blue, less if parked or black painted IMHO. 1945 is actually second lowest production war year as I recall and possibly a multi-groove bore. If you want a collectable piece then pass on this one.

Geoff
 
Thanks, Its going to be a shooter :)

All of the numbers were stamped out and only a new 3 digit number is on the left side of the receiver where the stock fits in.
 
Norseman said:
Thanks, Its going to be a shooter :)

All of the numbers were stamped out and only a new 3 digit number is on the left side of the receiver where the stock fits in.
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Rusty bore and numbers molested like that really are two big factors killing the value of that rifle...a bad bore is a very expensive thing to fix and it will still be a mismatched rifle.
If it's much more than $250...I'd keep looking. Every time you look down that rusty bore you'll regret buying it...
 
How's the headspace? A bit of rust in the barrel isn't the end of the world unless it's heavy rust and there's pitting. However, don't touch it unless he can prove the headspace is ok. Bolt heads are pricey and can be difficult to find.
Matching serial numbers gives no guarantee that somebody hasn't changed the bolt head at some time in the past 62 years.
 
sunray said:
How's the headspace? A bit of rust in the barrel isn't the end of the world unless it's heavy rust and there's pitting. However, don't touch it unless he can prove the headspace is ok. Bolt heads are pricey and can be difficult to find.
Matching serial numbers gives no guarantee that somebody hasn't changed the bolt head at some time in the past 62 years.
Click to expand...

Headspace is mentioned so often...I have yet to see a rifle I've checked even come close to failing. This was mainly on No 4's, I've heard SMLE No 1 Mk III's are a different story though.
 
I've seen it on both. Especially any rifle Century touched. Had a bubba'd No. 1 with a nice Fajen walnut stock that slammed shut on a Field guage. Parted it out. There were no parts in those days.
Checking the headspace is a CYA thing. Thousands have been assembled out of parts bins with zero QC(Century did this for eons with both models) and there are people who think you can change or put in a bolt without doing anything else. All those mis-match serial numbers were not all done by qualified people with the right tools.
 
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