Un-Bubbaing my Enfield

C

CanukMauser

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Edmonton Alberta
My dad bought a Sporterized No.4 Mk 1 Long Branch built in 1941 when he was 17 at a hardware store for the grand total of $22.95 which after it was wrapped with some brown paper and he got a box of rounds he had to ride the bus back home with!

Well we still have it and it still looks like a "new" sporterized enfield. All they did was cut the wood down make it shiney and unfortunatly from my measurements they cut the barrel down but about 1 3/4"

I'd like to put it back to its former glory. How difficult is it to change the barrel and how tough is it to find decent wood?
 
Restoration

CanukMauser said:
My dad bought a Sporterized No.4 Mk 1 Long Branch built in 1941 when he was 17 at a hardware store for the grand total of $22.95 which after it was wrapped with some brown paper and he got a box of rounds he had to ride the bus back home with!

Well we still have it and it still looks like a "new" sporterized enfield. All they did was cut the wood down make it shiney and unfortunatly from my measurements they cut the barrel down but about 1 3/4"

I'd like to put it back to its former glory. How difficult is it to change the barrel and how tough is it to find decent wood?
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Oh boy! I think you should keep that firearm your father bought and get a new sporter with an uncut barrel; there are scores of them around. I just saw a guy who wanted to sell three of them as a bunch. You would only have the wood and metal fittings to find, which is a lot less than paying for a new barrel, pay to have it installed and then, find new wood!
my .02$
Good luck!:)
OPP.
 
Well we need to do something with the front sight on it as is. They removed the side gaurds and theres a shim holding it tight to the barrel thats comeing loose. As far as a Bubba rifle goes it still looks nice with an original walnut but and a light beech stock.

I mostly find it amuseing in the difference of the laws how he was able to buy it at 17 on his own no licence and take it home on a city bus!
 
CanukMauser said:
I mostly find it amuseing in the difference of the laws how he was able to buy it at 17 on his own no licence and take it home on a city bus!
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Urbanisation is the bane of us gunnutz
 
OK, the rifle is a No. 4 Mk. I Long Branch built in 1941. In issue condition, this is a rare rifle, that will command a premium price. When was the last time you saw a Long Branch with a 0L or low 1L serial prefix for sale? It would be difficult to restore it with all correct 1941 parts. A 2 groove LB barrel can be found. A low sidewall forend is a possibility. The very early pattern bands and front sight guard may never be found. Should have a grooved rear handguard and a LB Mk. I sight. Does the bolt still have its round cocking piece and is it matching? Is the magazine matching? Had the rifle gone through a rebuild before it was sported?
 
My '41 Mk. I, 0C5### has a 2 gr LB barrel, '41 dated and serial numbered to the receiver. I have not had the opportunity to look through other '41 LBs.
 
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Enfield Rebuild

I found a 0C US built No 4 Last year and had a new set of S marked wood for it. The barrel was good and everything matched. I consider myself lucky that I have many sets of stocks to pick from when restoring No 4's. I have a hell of a time getting the front sight off to get the receiver band that holds the top wood on. I picked up sets of wood for years and won't sell them but I wait for No4's to show up. I have four under construction at the moment.
 
Wow... a 2 groove '41 bbl dated and serialled to a '41 LB receiver. I've never seen that before. You certain it's legit?

That has to be uncommon among 41's at the very least. the other 3 I've examined that weren't FTR (don't see 'em often at all) had 5 groove tubes. All 3 of the early feature 42's I've owned (ie, button cocking piece, Mk1 sight, serated round safety, lo-rise forestock) also had 5 groove tubes.
 
I think a lot of us have bits squirrelled away against the day that they might be useful. I have a new in the grease wrap No. 4 barrel for the bubba'd T that surfaces. And a new grease wrapped Enfield hammer forged 7.62 barrel that would go nicely on a L39....
As far as restoring 0C, 0L rifles goes, perhaps getting as far as the appearance of one that was rebuilt while in service is an achievable goal. Trying to get to the as originally manufactured state could be very difficlt.
 
tiriaq said:
As far as restoring 0C, 0L rifles goes, perhaps getting as far as the appearance of one that was rebuilt while in service is an achievable goal. Trying to get to the as originally manufactured state could be very difficlt.
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+1 :)

But a rebuilt 1941 is probably a mroe desireable and rare No.4 than a correct 1943 or 1944 LB...
 
tiriaq said:
A low sidewall forend is a possibility.
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I recently picked up 10 LB lower forestocks, and 4 of them were of the low sidewall variety. The serial numbering on them indicate that the low sidewalls were used to at least 4L.

I concur with most of the guys above; a 41 LB is worth the time, effort, and cash to restore.
 
Claven2 and I have been discussing whether a 2 groove barrel would be correct for a '41 LB. 2 groove barrels were made at LB in the latter part of '41, but it is uncertain if they were used on LB production, or if they were primarily shipped to the UK. A 5 groove barrel would be far more typical.
 
I'm almost lost already! I goofed on my dates its a 43.

Theres not a whole lot of markings on it, I need to take the stock off as hidden just below the surface of the barrel there is more markings something about 18.5 tonnes and some more.

I've serched the bolt all over but haven't seen a number on it anywhere. where should it be? All in all the finished looks very uniformed and not like a mix master blend.
 
At the least there should be a serial on the left side of the butt socket, and on the rear of the bolt. Sometimes enthusiastic polishing prior to refinishing makes numbrs hard to find or read. Is there a serial on the Cert. for the rifle? That will tell you the number to look for.
 
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