what say you, experts?

TargetAcquired

TargetAcquired

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http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/964112-Long-Branch-1943

It would be my 3rd LB, so I don't need another, but no one needs another - I just want another. The furniture on this one is winking at me and I'm a sucker for good flirting.

Compared to... probably everyone here, I'm new to MILSURP, and admittedly, the 1st #4 I bought works fine, but doesn't shoot that great and I probably overpaid for it, but I'm not crying in my beer. I just have some to learn when it comes to evaluating a purchase based on pictures alone and what the right questions to ask are. (I'll assume the barrel here doesn't match, but does it matter? I get hung up on everything matching, but I'm not looking for an investment - just something to have fuin with).

I don't really need an evaluation on the asking price, I can manage that side of the equation, but just comments on the rifle itself. I don't buy guns to look at, I buy them to shoot, and would immediately want to take this for a test drive. And then again, often.
 
Why the hesitation? You want and have cash? Buy! It would have already been gone if I had the cash and I just might by the end of the day so get hopping!
 
can you put your hands on it. A real quick way to sort shooters from wall hangers is to check the muzzle for pressure on the wood. If you push up on the barrel, it should snap back onto the wood. if it does not, it won't shoot.

There are other issues, too, like barrel wear, but if there is a rack of rifles, i first identify the ones that are bedded at the forend.
 
I sent a few questions over, we'll see if I get a response. I'm not going to panic buy it because it might be priced lower than others - there might be a good reason for that. If someone comes along and buys it from under me, I won't lose any sleep over it. If I pulled my wallet out everytime I saw an Enfield I wanted, my wallet would forget what my back pocket felt like. There will be other pretty Enfields if I miss out on this one.
 
"...I just want another..." That's a great reason. Get proof of good headspace.
"...doesn't shoot that great..." Start by slugging the barrel. Lee-Enfields can have barrel ID's between .311" and .315" and still be considered ok. Most factory ammo uses bullets that are .311" or .312". Not going to be accurate in a .313" or .314" barrel.
 
It looks like a restoration project to me. Bluing on the bands doesn't match, wood grains and colours don't match and you already know the gun parts don't entirely match.

Guessing that it has been re-stocked I would say bedding the action will be your first task, but that could be said for almost any old rifle.

For a long branch of any kind, I think the price is reasonable.

So... it may not shoot very well til it's been bedded. It doesn't have "collectibility" as it is a parts gun.. but it is a LB no4mk1 with a full length barrel and uncut wood.
 
I dont like what i see, looks to be a bit of a "parts" gun, if it turns out not to be a good shooter what are you left with??
Be wary TargetAcquired, there is nothing more people like to do on forums than spend other peoples money.
 
Bedding is easy, once you know what you are doing.

Bolt and Body match, so they have been mated properly.

If it doesn't shoot, it can be bloody MADE to shoot.

It does have the early/late Mark 1 sight. Not correct to the period but a helluvva lot better than the Mark 2!

What's the trouble with the bands? I have a whole kitful here that look just the same.

Savage contract would have been ending by that time. Many of their parts came here. Are there any certified original LB rifles with Savage barrels?

It's a lot prettier than mine, anyway.
 
There's nothing wrong with any of it smellie - it looks like it could be a great gun! It's only when someone asks for advice.. that might not know that some of these things aren't germane to an "all original".. that these points need to be brought up. Especially since the canny seller has not mentioned them. I have a set of bands that look identical as well - but they came off a pakistani rifle, not a long branch.
 
TargetAcquired said:
I sent a few questions over, we'll see if I get a response. I'm not going to panic buy it because it might be priced lower than others - there might be a good reason for that. If someone comes along and buys it from under me, I won't lose any sleep over it. If I pulled my wallet out everytime I saw an Enfield I wanted, my wallet would forget what my back pocket felt like. There will be other pretty Enfields if I miss out on this one.
Click to expand...

Follow your instincts, your own post is the best advice given in this thread.
 
I thought that there must have been something out-of-whack about the bands..... and couldn't see anything wrong. They all interchanged, anyway. I guess I'm lucky that I struck it rich on a passle of parts which walked out of Long Branch, all by themselves, many years ago.

Rifle certainly looks nice enough to me; like I said, it's prettier than mine.

Point is that IF it's not shooting right, it can be MADE to shoot right. Bolt and Body MATED with the oiled round during Proof make the job a lot easier.

Rear sight may not be "period-correct" but it is an excellent sight. MANY rifles were retrofitted with these by the military.

I would advise getting a copy of "Shoot to Live!" for some of the best advice ever written on how to shoot the thing to the best of its ability.

Must run: just got a new extra-big hammer and some tiny files. A recalcitrant Police Positive awaits some doctoring.

Poor thing is more scared than I am!
 
"Rifle certainly looks nice enough to me; like I said, it's prettier than mine."
Hardly a reason to buy it.

"Point is that IF it's not shooting right, it can be MADE to shoot right."
Quite correct but it can also be made to shoot even worse if you are unskilled, wrong to just assume things can be a easy fix especially if the gun in question could be a poorly put together parts gun but then, why should you care, it ain't your money.
 
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