Sporterized Long Branch No 4 MKI

[rondog]

My CNo4 MkI* Longbranch is still in full military trim and is in very good if not excellent condition. Been thinking of selling it but every time a thread like this comes along I think I need to shoot it more often........

Attachment 211506Attachment 211507

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but I believe your rear sight is for a No.5 Mk.1 Jungle Carbine. I know those were graduated to 800, I think the No.4's were graduated to 1200.

I recently sold my No.5 carbine to finance another rifle. Hated to do it, but that kept the Financial Officer off my back.

[Larry Gibson]

No idea, that's how I got it. Someone above my pay grade with knowledge of these rifles will have to answer that......

[tbx-4]

Pardon me if I'm wrong, but I believe your rear sight is for a No.5 Mk.1 Jungle Carbine. I know those were graduated to 800, I think the No.4's were graduated to 1200.

Ron,
You are correct.

Larry,
I may know this but I ain’t above your pay grade.

[W.R.Buchanan]

The gun you have is probably a Parker Hale "Deluxe Sporter." They were made from surplus #1 and #4 guns. Thousands of surplus guns were converted after WWII when things were lean and PH's Cash Flow was weak.

The Standard Sporters were made by simply removing the upper handguard and cutting the stock back a little. Some but not all got sling swivels. Mine didn't have them.

The Deluxe Sporters were made from guns that probably had bad muzzles worn from excessive cleaning. So they cut off 3" and Silver Soldered on a PH Ramp Front Sight. They also got a 5 round Santa Fe Magazine which is worth more than the gun.

I have one of both, however my Deluxe Long Branch had a funky two groove barrel that was toast. I had it bored to .35-303 but haven't finished the gun yet. Soon maybe. My Standard Sporter got turned into a L39 Resto Mod, and is a great shooter. It had an excellent barrel.

Here's pics along with a Catalog Page showing the two models. They were $65 and $75 respectively.

Randy

[Larry Gibson]

That's certainly interesting, a #5 rear sight on the CNo4 Mk I*. Do other CNo4 Mk I* (made at Longbranch after 1950) rear sights go to 1200 yards?

[higgins]

When I got interested in military rifles and ammunition many years ago, one of the first things I learned is that you very seldom say "always" or "never" when it comes to just about anything pertaining to military arms. While it's not normal for a LB No.4 to have the 800 yd. No.5 rear sight, anything is possible when people in the armories start grabbing parts for assembly, and even more possible when they go through rebuild or get sent to an ally whose armorers may not be as aware as UK armorers.

In the early 50s LB may have been trying to use up leftover No.5 sights they somehow had on hand (maybe someone in England sent LB the wrong backsights during the war, or LB made No.5 sights to be sent to England for assembly); since Enfields were used all over the world, maybe it was installed in a foreign armory; maybe a previous civilian owner installed it. In any case, if it is stamped with the intertwined LB logo that's where it was made. If that mark that looks like a B is indeed a B instead of the LB mark, it was probably made in England. Confusing enough?

[Kevinakaq]

No idea, that's how I got it. Someone above my pay grade with knowledge of these rifles will have to answer that......

From British Enfield Rifles vol2 by Stratton (way above my grade...). Hope this helps.

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Looks like the 8th variation used at Longbranch until 55 went to 1300. Picture of my 1950 LB which indeed does go to 1300.
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Additionally...the leaf on my 1950 LB is a seventh variation as the
8th variation leaf is milled and goes to a 1000 (the 8th variation sight used the 7th variation leaf). Your leaf appears to be a fourth variation. I knew there was a reason I invested in these books...
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[W.R.Buchanan]

Larry: They are all over the place and parts tend to be mixed and matched with no regard for anything.

neither one of my guns had a ladder rear sight. Both came to me with a simple L shaped rear sight with two apertures set for two different ranges 300-600 yards. I bought a "Machined Ladder Sight" for my first gun (the Resto mod.) and played with it until I made the adapter for the Redfield Olympic which is far superior to even the PH Target sights.

PH also made an attachment for the Ladder Sight which allowed Windage adjustments (PH 8-53) which I looked for, but they go pretty dear on Ebay.

Here's a pic of my Front Sight adjustment tool.

Randy

[curator]

[Pioneer2]

I have mint walnut stocked 1950 LB with 5 groove barrel unmessed with.These were made in Ontario.

[Pioneer2]

I too have a sporterized 1950 LB, but mine was done by an American trying to make a hillbilly deer rifle. Fortunately the metal was unmolested, the bore is very good (probably only fired with commercial SP hunting ammo). I have all the Canadian pieces to restore it except an uncut forearm. The chances of finding one intact are slim. Mine was cut off on the forward edge of the lower barrel band. I've decided to try to epoxy a forearm tip on the forearm, with the joint under the barrel band. Anyone have a dark walnut cut-off forearm tip laying around that includes some of the barrel band groove?

https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...&idcategory=63