1943 long branch no4 mk1* 303-Enfield

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

Did some trading and picked up this Enfield. I believe the long branch were Canadian made rifles. It's in pretty good shape, some old dings. Metal looks fine, needs a good cleaning tho. bore looks great.

Came with about 100 rounds loaded commercial ammo of different flavors some dies and about another 100 or so of mixed ppu and r-p brass. Gun looks all matching from what I see.

I have to see about a bayonet, cleaning kit and a sling. I made out pretty good, sorry for the bad photos.

Merry Christmas.

stillquietvoice · Dec 24, 2019

troy fairweather said:
Did some trading and picked up this Enfield. I believe the long branch were Canadian made rifles. It's in pretty good shape, some old dings. Metal looks fine, needs a good cleaning tho. bore looks great.

Came with about 100 rounds loaded commercial ammo of different flavors some dies and about another 100 or so of mixed ppu and r-p brass. Gun looks all matching from what I see.

I have to see about a bayonet, cleaning kit and a sling. I made out pretty good, sorry for the bad photos.

Merry Christmas.

View attachment 879937 View attachment 879939 View attachment 879940

Nice rifle looks unmolested. Let us know how it shoots.

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

stillquietvoice said:
Nice rifle looks unmolested. Let us know how it shoots.

Ya untouched has a arsenal repair on the butt stock but there fairly normal. Should shoot bore looks good even the bolt race is clean.

stillquietvoice · Dec 24, 2019

Nice.

Had to fix the lock on my 58 carbine. Had malfunction at range while unloading it. Hammer kept dropping off the full cock notch.

Jessesky · Dec 24, 2019

I think you need to ask for a new camera this Christmas lol. Great looking rifle though. Merry Christmas!

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

Jessesky said:
I think you need to ask for a new camera this Christmas lol. Great looking rifle though. Merry Christmas!

Thanks I have a slightly better one but can't find my dang memory card adapter lol.

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

Looking at it I think this has the mk3 target ladder sight?. Has mk3 on it with the small hole. I don't know much about the enfields.

saiga308 · Dec 24, 2019

hows the wood grain look

i thought my camera photos were bad :uhoh:

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

saiga308 said:
hows the wood grain look i thought my camera photos were bad

looks good, I still can't really tell if it's beach or walnut. I'm taking the handguard off now.

351 WINCHESTER · Dec 24, 2019

troy fairweather said:
looks good, I still can't really tell if it's beach or walnut. I'm taking the handguard off now.

Long Branch were walnut.

saiga308 · Dec 24, 2019

100 meters grouping looks good on those

troy fairweather · Dec 24, 2019

Took all the wood off except the butt. Thing is like new underneath. When did they use the different grove barrels.Mine has the 5. Wood all looks good to no cracks.

LoonWulf · Dec 25, 2019

Nice snag, those enfields were/are one of the few milsurps I actually like in stock configuration.

Speedo66 · Dec 25, 2019

Shot a friend's Enfield, nice gun. Very smooth action, accurate, and surprisingly little felt recoil.

Good luck with yours!

Curator · Dec 25, 2019

troy fairweather said:
Took all the wood off except the butt. Thing is like new underneath. When did they use the different grove barrels.Mine has the 5. Wood all looks good to no cracks.

Troy,

At the Long Branch factory, they assembled rifles with both 2-groove and 5-groove barrels in 1943. However, most were 2-groove until 1945. It is also possible that your rifle was rebarreled at some time as well, The safety lever is not original Long Branch. It was probably originally equipped with the "Mark II" flip-type 2 aperture rear sight, not the Mk III stamped ladder sight. Most of these rifles had parts replaced each time they were reissued, so finding one with all original parts is extremely rare. Long Branch No.4 rifles were the finest Lee Enfields made since they had access to excellent steel and weren't being bombed like those in England. Because of this, they were the preferred rifles for conversion to 7.62 NATO cartridge and made into target rifles for the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA)

troy fairweather · Dec 25, 2019

Curator said:
Troy,

At the Long Branch factory, they assembled rifles with both 2-groove and 5-groove barrels in 1943. However, most were 2-groove until 1945. It is also possible that your rifle was rebarreled at some time as well, The safety lever is not original Long Branch. It was probably originally equipped with the "Mark II" flip-type 2 aperture rear sight, not the Mk III stamped ladder sight. Most of these rifles had parts replaced each time they were reissued, so finding one with all original parts is extremely rare. Long Branch No.4 rifles were the finest Lee Enfields made since they had access to excellent steel and weren't being bombed like those in England. Because of this, they were the preferred rifles for conversion to 7.62 NATO cartridge and made into target rifles for the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association (DCRA)

I see there is the is the mark where it for rebuilt can't remember the letters right now. No date when it was done tho. I I see now the cocking peace has mkll on it. Note looks very good, I will slug it one day to. Have to see what the wwll load was. I see on the safety there is a b inside a L
Thanks for the info.

1943 long branch no4 mk1* 303-Enfield

troy fairweather

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stillquietvoice

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Jessesky

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351 WINCHESTER

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