Question for the Longbranch experts out there
- Thread starter 36 hamon
- Start date
A 1942 receiver with a 1941 barrel meets that description "at the very least the barrel should be 41."
If in service its barrel was replaced, a rifle's identity would be determined by the serial number on the receiver. You could replace every other part and it would be the same rifle, with some new parts. Unfortunately not what you as a collector want, but that's what it is.
And there is always the chance that it is a turn-of-the-year rifle, action built and dated in late December of one year and barreled a week later..... in the new year.
Switchovers of that type are more common than one might think. I have an SMLE Mark I***, factory dated 1907 and with the extra * applied at a later date. It is a January rifle and cannot be anything else. Whyso? Because the Mark III became the rifle of manufacture at the end of January of 1907, changeover to take effect immediately. So the Mark I* went out of production and was superceded by the Mark III. Existing I* rifles were updated to ** and *** while new-manufacture Mark IIIs would be updated to III* when the orders were given for that alteration and new rifles built as Mark III*.
Perfectly normal..... unless you are a collector a century or so later!
Switchovers of that type are more common than one might think. I have an SMLE Mark I***, factory dated 1907 and with the extra * applied at a later date. It is a January rifle and cannot be anything else. Whyso? Because the Mark III became the rifle of manufacture at the end of January of 1907, changeover to take effect immediately. So the Mark I* went out of production and was superceded by the Mark III. Existing I* rifles were updated to ** and *** while new-manufacture Mark IIIs would be updated to III* when the orders were given for that alteration and new rifles built as Mark III*.
Perfectly normal..... unless you are a collector a century or so later!
Last edited:
Lee Enfield
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Republic of Alberta
Approximately half of the 1941 dated receivers have 1942 dated barrels.
This is also true of the 1950 dated actions - approx half have 1951 dated barrels.
- Location
- Manitoulin Island
I have a 43 Long Branch that was FTR'd in Fazerkerly in 1951. I picked it up when the asinine long-gun registry was coming in and people were dumping firearms. It has a beech stock which was never used by Long Branch. I would have to take the handguards off again to determine what year of barrel is on it. When I bought it, I couldn't see through the bore. Several passes through with cleaning materials revealed a five groove bore that looked like new once the cosmoline was out. I think whoever had it before me had cleaned off the outside, but never the bore. Good reason to check the bore before you shoot a rifle. I realize that a collector would scoff at this rifle, but it shoots very well and at $75 is in my opinion the best deal I have ever made on a rifle.
Last edited:
Deep Breaths.... deep breaths..... ok thanks..... yes I can now lead a happy and productive life. I thank you good sir for freeing me of this burden!!!
LOL
