Long Branch and Canadian Arsenals No4 Rifles WW2 and on

1942 2L**** series serial Long Branch No4 mk1* (DP) Rifle

1944 75L**** series Long Branch No4 mk1* - marked for Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The No4 rifle was in development to replace the venerable No1 SMLE during the late 1930's - of which the major goals for improvement were parts standardization for manufacture and service (no more special "Enfield threads"), the bayonet type and fixation were greatly improved and so was the ladder rear sight and longer sight radius. After the massive loss of men and material as the BEF were pushed back to Dunkirk the British government opened contracts for millions of the new rifle from various sources internal and external to the British Isles. These proved themselves in North Africa and were the principle rifle in the push back into and through France to Germany.

Canada had long been a user of British made small arms and had not produced their own SHTLe / No1 Rifle - instead importing and adding their ownership marks to these made by BSA and Enfield Lock. In 1941 with the upcoming standardization of the No4 rifle Long Branch started production - in 1950 this sight was renamed Canadian Arsenals.

The rifles produced at Long Branch are desired for their build quality and precision. The mk1* simplification was adopted in 1942 and an alternative pattern for fabricating the magazine box, front band and trigger guard. Worn tooling in Britain lead to them relaxing the chamber tolerancing to stay in production longer. These exemptions were not taken on by Long Branch and as a result this has derived their reputation for precision.

1942 2L**** series serial Long Branch No4 mk1* (DP) Rifle - sold to a private collection November 2019.

A standard (complete) 1942 Longbranch Lee Enfield No4 Mk1* Rifle made for Canadian forces during WW2 and supplied to other commonwealth nations as needed. A super nice example exhibiting many L over B marked parts and early features - low side fore wood and rounded cocking piece. The wood shows scuffs and bruises from handling - may clean up even nicer, metal is 90+ condition original finish. Marked with a stamped DP on the top of the receiver ring and with a small DP just ahead of the magazine. These early rifles were put in the DP program for various reasons.

Canadian made rifles used locally sourced Walnut and some Beech. Long Branch retained the attractive and practical fluted / grooved upper rear wood. In 1944 Long Branch received many spare parts originated at Savage in the USA - these were incorporated into their spares and build program. Here we can see that the earlier rifles used the round topped safety with the grooved grip. This rifle also has the Cmk3 fabricated rear sight originating and sustained on Canadian rifles for late 1945 and remaining on the rifles through the Cold War and Korea - Briish armouries were replacing these with the Machined Micrometer mk1 sights when found in service.

1944 75L**** series Long Branch No4 mk1* - marked for Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

For sale on guns Internation July 2026 # 10370281 - Showing signs of FTR style rebuild - possibly in Canada. With Fazakerly marked *F49" front lower wood making up a set of matching replacement "sooted" and brown stained Beech wood - with a N49 contractor marked butt stock. All metal seems to be in the original blued (receiver) and phosphate finish (barrel and bands).

The RCMP did not keep complete records of arms in service or repair - this example has ownership stamps in the correct place - left charger bridge guide - with the correct "MP" stamp under a reapplied and partial "RCMP".

Of note are the rare mk1 Milled Rear Sight - made by Long Brnach - these were made in 1941 and then held back in stores to allow the mk2 flip sight to feed and ease production for speed. They were not reapplied to Canadian Rifles en massse - but as per this RCMP example there were added to rifles as they also had the original small sized battle peep sight - which was regarded as better fro precision shooting. British mk1 sights were nearly always made or converted to a larger battle peep sight hole size - this was doen for low light and general speed of target acquistion.

Also present are the "Kicked Toe" safety lever that eas unuique to later Long Branch production - a fabricated trigger guard - which was made from several pressed pieces rather than a machined forging and a simplified rear sling swivel loop.