RCAF marked 1943 Long Branch No4

A

AdamP

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Ottawa, Ontario
I picked up this LB No4 in a local deal a few weeks ago, from a RCAF veteran, no less. I've had it out to the range once, and it shoots well but doesn't group as well as my other No4, though I haven't played with it too much, I only put about 15-20 rounds through it to make sure it functioned properly. Let me know what you guys think, and if anyone has any information about it, I'd be interested to know more about it.

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The gun is in pretty good shape, with the typical bumps and dings on the wood that go with sitting around in a safe for who knows how many decades. Forgive the less than stellar pictures, it was getting a bit dark as I photographed it. I may try again tomorrow.

Adam
 
Thanks guys... Albayo, the gentleman who I bought it from told me that at the time, all the RCAF slings and webbing were blue like that. To be quite honest, I don't know much about it and I'm not an avid RCAF collector, I just wanted a WW2 Long Branch and happened to luck into the RCAF model. I'll post the serial number range after work, I'm just running out the door and don't have time to dig it out of the safe right now.

Adam
 
I would expect an ex-RCAF piece to be in better than average shape. Not much square bashing or humping thru the boonies for the boys in blue:eek:.

Takes me back to a Board of Inquiry I was on around 1968 which involved the Air Force issuing 100 FN rifles with no records kept of the serial numbers. Now if that would have been 100 aircraft you bet there would have been a record of tail numbers and everything else.;)

BTW there are blue Cdn made .303 mag pouches in circulation as well.
 
Someone had a crate of RCAF unfired No.4 LE's at the Fredericton Gun Show quite a few years ago, probably the early 90's. They were $100 each and I tried to sell something for $100 before he ran out but they went too fast. I bought one 5 or 6 years later from a friend. It was still unfired but not for long. It wasn't very accurate but in great shape. A few years later I became interested in competitive shooting and sold my Enfield collection to buy a few that could shoot (a decision I have regretted ever since). Several years ago I saw a deal I couldn't resist on a P-14 ($35) that looked like crap but shoots better than any Enfield I've ever had. That started me on Enfields again And I now have 7 and counting. They are right when they say they are addictive!
Congratulations on your purchase.

Note: The RCAF Honor Guard at my father's funeral (1942) were shooting P-14's.
 
Gerry,

That's a neat story. It's nice that you got your hands on one of the ones from the show eventually.

I picked this one up with an M1 Carbine from a gentleman who is a member here. When we started discussing a price, he said he's not sure what they're going for now, but chuckled and said "I could tell you what I paid for it years ago". I didn't want to know, as I feel I was paying a fair, current market price for it. Inflation or not, I'd cringe with what I paid for it, knowing that he probably traded a pack of cigarettes or something for it, haha.

They definitely are addictive. I never liked the No4 or other full wood stock Enfields until recently... My first LE was a No5 Jungle Carbine (May 1945 Faz in excellent shape) this past winter, probably February or so, now I have that one, this Long Branch and a mid 50s Faz No4 Mk2. I may sell the No5 and/or the Mk2 soon to raise funds to keep the gun-buying machine running.... but I think this LB is a keeper.

Adam
 
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