Sporterized 42 Longbranch questions

[rgallant]

Hello I have been given a sporterized 42 No4 Mk1* Longbranch, and yes the barrel was shortened and the wood replaced. This was used regularly for hunting as I understand it. I am new to Enfield's had a few questions. 1st off the images

Receiver :

Barrel end - the barrel from the receiver to the muzzle is 23.5 inches, with about 15/16th's from the sight to the muzzle. Looks like the bayonet lug and all forward have been removed. Can anyone confirm, I have found conflicting information about overall barrel length.

Butt which as been badly refinished, it does still retain the Broad Arrow C at eh wrist although it is barely visible.

The foregrip wood, this seems to be an odd shape but appears to have been professionally done, can anyone shed any light on this ?

Finally the draws, as I understand it these need to be in good shape for any kind of accuracy. They look fine to me but can anyone verify?

Lastly I do not have to bolt currently the previous owner moved and is not sure what box it is in, but it be in my hands shorty.

The mag is unmarked other than the Broad Arrow C and a B in Circle on the follower.

The bore has pretty good rifling still.

I am aware it not truly be returned military configuration without replacing the barrel, but the rifle cost me nothing. My question is can I fit the original wood if I choose too, without replacing the barrel and replace the barrel at sometime in the future if I want to.

I am not looking to create something and make a ton of cash I just like the look the Enfields as issued.

Any feedback good bad or otherwise would be appreciated.

 

[sunray]

The rifle costing you nothing is a good thing, no matter what else happens.
First, before you do anything(especially shooting it), check the headspace. If the headspace is bad you need to fix that first. Not as big a deal on a No. 4 as it is a No. 1. Bolt heads(about $30 each) are at least numbered, but you still need headspace gauges when changing 'em. If you ever opt to change the barrel, you'll need the whole set plus an action wrench and barrel vise. Assuming you're doing it yourself.
Whoever chopped it took off an inch and half of barrel(For some reason it was thought bayonet lugs were considered unsporting.), but it also looks, from the side, that it was properly re-crowned too. That's another good thing. S'ok, 1.5" won't bother anything but it'll will never be worth what a full military rifle is.
The stock appears to be an issue stock that was cut, then painted. It'd make a good stock refinishing training stock. The butt plate is a regular zinc plate, but it looks like it doesn't quite fit that butt stock. The butt might be ok, but the plate doesn't fit right.
The biggest downside to the whole thing is the cost of complete stocks. Marstar wants $70 for a C Broad arrow stamped butt stock alone. Last I saw of a full set was well over $200ish. It might be an idea to refinish the stock and leave it sporterised.

 

[Lee Enfield]

Your barrel has been shortened by about 1-1/2", and the bayonet lugs removed.

The barrel length from front to end is 25.25", however you need to remember that part of the breech end of the barrel is hidden inside the receiver ring.

You can view the breech end of the barrel by looking at the chamber.

 

[rgallant]

Thanks for the replies so far, I look at this as a project gun and $200.00 ish to get the look I would like is not too terrible. As long as I know the wood will fit I can gather it up as find I it or allocate my "toy" fun towards it.

As to the butt fit I pulled the zinc portion off and it just a bad sanding job.

But I need to get a sight protector, and the bolt 1st and go forward. Considering it took me 30 odd years to finally get an Enfield I can spend a few dollars on it.

 

[vinver]

On the plus side- it's a fairly early Long Branch , Canadian made WW2 rifle. Assume the magazine is there somewhere?
Minus- downside is of course the cut off barrel, which means it can never be returned to it's military configuration without swapping barrels.
Plus- you have most everything to re-assemble into a sporter. Or, if you want to add full military wood, it will still need to be fitted and finished. And you'd still have a short barrel. My opinion, refinish and reassemble it into it's sporter wood, get to know it inside and out, play with it while you collect parts to restore to full stock. You may find that you want to get another one (we always do..) and along the way, find a sporter with a full barrel. Then restore that to original appearance. Then you'll have 2 Enfields that you'll be happy with, rather than one that you wish had a full barrel.

(Also- re draws, hard to tell from a picture, does the stock seem tight on the receiver end? Any cracks in the narrow part behind the trigger, sear slot? Various opinions on the bedding of sporter stocks but if it seems tight and doesn't wiggle when the trigger guard is tightened up, you're probably OK. Some "feeding" with a coat of raw linseed oil may help tighten it up too.

 

[points]

The knobbed forestock is not uncommon. A style early to mid last century. It would look very close to original with the addition of the full wood and metal bits. Why not? THe draws on the forestock need to be fit to the rifle. You need to se if they bear on the metal of the receiver. You can google a few good site for that. As a hunting rifle, even not properly bedded it should do fine at 1 to 200 yards.

 

[rgallant]

Well the good news is the ugly brown what ever it is came off easily, 15 - 20 minutes with a cloth and some acetone on the forestock, nice light wood there. The test patch on the butt also cleaned up nice leaving the more typical Enfield colour so a bit a gentle clean up and it will look nice at any rate. An hour so of cleaning of the metal bits should get all the mung and debris clear.

Assuming the bolt and head space are good I will start returning it to Military like condition this fall, I would like to start sooner but I am away for 7 days in Aug off roading and that has eaten up all my spare cash. This should be a nice fall project piece.

 

[stampede]

Hard to tell but from the photos but the draws look good and square. The wood in that area however looks pretty oily. This can soften the wood and weaken the draws.

If it was my rifle, I would try to draw some of the oil out (if indeed that is what it is). I use acetone and powdered chalk.

If the stock does not fit the metal tight at the draws you can easily bed this area.

 

[TheTooner]

...
I am aware it not truly be returned military configuration without replacing the barrel, but the rifle cost me nothing. My question is can I fit the original wood if I choose too, without replacing the barrel and replace the barrel at sometime in the future if I want to.

...

Yes, the part of the barrel that has been removed isn't needed to attach the original full stock. It won't look quite right, but if it's worth it to you it can be done.

 

[rgallant]

Hello thanks for the answers so far,I have started the process of cleaning and prepping for the change over of the wood bits. As I have cleaned I noticed a number 3 on a variety of parts as the serial ends in 13 is a just a fluke or part of the numbering system. The wood looks so much nicer minus that brown varnish.