1942 Long Branch renumbered
Printed From: Enfield-Rifles.com
Category: Enfields
Forum Name: Enfield Rifles
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URL: http://www.enfield-rifles.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=4591
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Topic: 1942 Long Branch renumbered
Posted By: scale18
Subject: 1942 Long Branch renumbered
Date Posted: May 29 2011 at 9:09pm
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Hello friends I am new here!!Thinking to buy my first Lee-Enfield #4Mk1*. Local seller offers very nice rifle. But there is strange number stamped on it. As I know serial 74L0569 doesnt correspond to 1942 year of manufacturing. Any ideas there and when new serial was stamped?!
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Replies:
Posted By: Ed Hill
Date Posted: May 30 2011 at 4:28am
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Hi,and welcome! After WWII, Enfields traveled all over the world, India, Pakistan, Greece, S.A., and several Arab countries. It was not unusual for the armorers to scrub the original number ( as on this example) and renumber. Any other marks on the barrel or receiver? Ed |
Posted By: scale18
Date Posted: May 30 2011 at 4:42am
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Thanks for welcoming! There are no more pix at this time but I have asked seller for extras. As you can see, there are some markings above the new serial number. Any ideas what they are about? |
Posted By: Ed Hill
Date Posted: May 30 2011 at 5:04am
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I can't make them out from the photo. The two in the upper left look like typical inspection marks, someone should be along that might recognize one of the others. Enfields have lots of markings, inspection stamps, acceptance marks, armorers marks. Part of the fun is trying to find them all! Ed |
Posted By: Cookie Monster
Date Posted: May 30 2011 at 7:04am
| Also could have been the importers number? |
Posted By: Ed Hill
Date Posted: May 30 2011 at 7:31am
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This isn't unusual for an Enfield and wouldn't be a deal breaker in my decision to buy. Check and see if the bolt has the same number. It was common practice for armorers to set up the rifle with an appropriate bolt and bolthead that would headspace properly and then renumber. If the bolt doesn't match, then it was swapped at some point, and in addition to checking the bore and muzzle for wear I'd like some evidence that it was headspaced properly. Ed |
Posted By: scale18
Date Posted: May 31 2011 at 4:12am
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Friends! Thank much for info. Here are some more pix I have made some research and found that PSF under star means Italian proof mark "Polvere Senza Fumo". Also "CD" letters mean 2009 year of inspection mark. As I understand this Enfield was in commercial use in Italy?? Am I right?? Are there any ideas about barrel markings and bolt?
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Posted By: Bear43
Date Posted: May 31 2011 at 4:40am
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The Italian proofs and date code are in the proper format, and that date code would mean a proof date of 2009. The only thing I have ever seen them on before is Italian made blackpowder firearms, that's how I know what those are. I would imagine they have a similar policy in Italy as other European countries do and that being the firearm must be proofed prior to release for commercial sale. I would say that's what those marks denote, a release from military storage onto the civilian market. Concerning the serial number, at least they renumbered the bolt to match the receiver. Apparantly they didn't have an "L" stamp when doing the bolt since they just flipped the "7" around.
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Posted By: Ed Hill
Date Posted: May 31 2011 at 5:21am
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See this link: http://www.euroarms.net/EFD/introduction.htm The Italian Navy had a number of Enfields and I'd suspect that is where this rifle came from. Anyone know what the CD in a box is? Ed |
Posted By: scale18
Date Posted: May 31 2011 at 5:30am
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As I mentioned before CD in a box mean 2009 year. https://store.bluebookinc.com/Info/PDF/POWDER/MBPProofmarks.pdf |
Posted By: Ed Hill
Date Posted: May 31 2011 at 6:20am
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Right, sorry. I guess my mind went blank on the black powder thing. Ed |