As the title says this project revolves around a recently acquired 1943 Enfield #4 Mk1* Long Branch.
I thought that all of the Long Branch guns were made in Canada?, however this one has Long Branch stamped below the model designation and England stamped into the wrist of the action.
Serial #'s on the receiver and bolt handle match.
The gun had been sporterized by someone. and then I think it was "refurbished" by someone else. It has a Parker Hale ramp type front sight soldered on slightly cockeyed.
It also has a two groove barrel that has been cut to 22" and upon closer examination it has had a little cosmetic welding done on it and subsequent grinding to fair in the spots of weld. (probably done to fill rust pits.) I hope I can sand all of this bubba work out and after bead blasting the barrel have the bluing hide the weld spots. Or maybe this one will get the Cerakote Treatment. Or maybe a different barrel.
The intention on this gun was to have the barrel rebored to .35-303, but if the exterior won't clean up then it will get replaced as I'm not going to spend $250 getting a ugly barrel rebored.
The action is sweet! it is much smoother than my other gun is and the trigger doesn't have all the creep that the other one has.. Also the machining on this one is much nicer than the other gun.
The wood is garbage and I wouldn't even burn it. It might taint my fireplace.
More as I progress. and I'll put up a before pic soon.
Randy