No4 mk1 with muzzle cut down

[DirtyLarry79]

Hi guys I found a 1943 long branch no4 mk1 with matching receiver and bolt. I believe all the furniture matches also. It has the first style rear sight with the knob on top to adjust elevation.
The rifle is in pretty good condition no rust small dings on the wood.

The only “problem” with it is the barrel has been cut and recrowned flush to the base of the front sight block, it’s a 2 groove barrel, I wasn’t able to take the gun apart to check the barrel out any more. Still chambered in 303.

Why would that been done? Taking the bayo lugs off I can understand because of some places import laws or being leased to other country’s or whatever.

On this rifle the whole last 2-3 inches of the barrel is gone, and it’s been recrowned and refinished flush with the forward face of the front sight block.

I know if a gun was over cleaned or possibly worn out the end of the barrel could wear out first and they might be cut back to get rid of the problem area.

I don’t have access to bore gauges or anything, gun belongs to a friend of mine. It’s fires but he doesn’t know anything about the accuracy or real condition of the barrel.

I’m apprehensive because while I have wanted a enfield (I love ww2 weapons and tools) I want a shooter I can ring steel with. Originality doesn’t matter as much as a working rifle. I also realize this rifle is in really good original condition. Hes asking $500. Which is a really good deal on a matching 43 long branch I THINK. With a whole barrel.

If I knew the barrel was in otherwise good condition I’d probably jump on it but I’m worried the barrel was chopped for a reason and what’s left might be toast.

What do you guys think? Google brings up a lot of rifles with missing bayonet lugs, but not with the last 2-3 inches removed.

 

[HFS]

I read an article some years back in Handloader or Rifle magazine about reloading the old .303 British round and the writer said his dad or grandpa or somebody back in the day had one just like that.
He said they only wanted a hunting rifle and the last couple inches of the barrel were badly rusted.
What you describe was their solution.
Good luck.

 

[Bill_Long_Tan]

Hi guys I found a 1943 long branch no4 mk1 with matching receiver and bolt. I believe all the furniture matches also. It has the first style rear sight with the knob on top to adjust elevation.
The rifle is in pretty good condition no rust small dings on the wood.

The only “problem” with it is the barrel has been cut and recrowned flush to the base of the front sight block, it’s a 2 groove barrel, I wasn’t able to take the gun apart to check the barrel out any more. Still chambered in 303.

Why would that been done? Taking the bayo lugs off I can understand because of some places import laws or being leased to other country’s or whatever.

On this rifle the whole last 2-3 inches of the barrel is gone, and it’s been recrowned and refinished flush with the forward face of the front sight block.

I know if a gun was over cleaned or possibly worn out the end of the barrel could wear out first and they might be cut back to get rid of the problem area.

I don’t have access to bore gauges or anything, gun belongs to a friend of mine. It’s fires but he doesn’t know anything about the accuracy or real condition of the barrel.

I’m apprehensive because while I have wanted a enfield (I love ww2 weapons and tools) I want a shooter I can ring steel with. Originality doesn’t matter as much as a working rifle. I also realize this rifle is in really good original condition. Hes asking $500. Which is a really good deal on a matching 43 long branch I THINK. With a whole barrel.

If I knew the barrel was in otherwise good condition I’d probably jump on it but I’m worried the barrel was chopped for a reason and what’s left might be toast.

What do you guys think? Google brings up a lot of rifles with missing bayonet lugs, but not with the last 2-3 inches removed.

It was likely done to remove cleaning rod wear and thereby improve accuracy. I have seen one go from about 6 moa to 3 moa at 100m after having that done.

Many soldiers are less than careful when cleaning their rifles. The emphasis is more on speed or cleanlyness than care for the rifle. Add in segmented cleaning rods, corrosive ammo etc and the muzzel starts looking like an ice cream cone.

Since the bayo lug is cool it is often preserved while cutting back enough to get an even crown with rifiling showing. The bullet leaves the muzzel more consistently so accuracy often improves.

 

[silverarrow]

Hi guys I found a 1943 long branch no4 mk1 with matching receiver and bolt. I believe all the furniture matches also. It has the first style rear sight with the knob on top to adjust elevation.
The rifle is in pretty good condition no rust small dings on the wood.

The only “problem” with it is the barrel has been cut and recrowned flush to the base of the front sight block, it’s a 2 groove barrel, I wasn’t able to take the gun apart to check the barrel out any more. Still chambered in 303.

Why would that been done? Taking the bayo lugs off I can understand because of some places import laws or being leased to other country’s or whatever.

On this rifle the whole last 2-3 inches of the barrel is gone, and it’s been recrowned and refinished flush with the forward face of the front sight block.

I know if a gun was over cleaned or possibly worn out the end of the barrel could wear out first and they might be cut back to get rid of the problem area.

I don’t have access to bore gauges or anything, gun belongs to a friend of mine. It’s fires but he doesn’t know anything about the accuracy or real condition of the barrel.

I’m apprehensive because while I have wanted a enfield (I love ww2 weapons and tools) I want a shooter I can ring steel with. Originality doesn’t matter as much as a working rifle. I also realize this rifle is in really good original condition. Hes asking $500. Which is a really good deal on a matching 43 long branch I THINK. With a whole barrel.

If I knew the barrel was in otherwise good condition I’d probably jump on it but I’m worried the barrel was chopped for a reason and what’s left might be toast.

What do you guys think? Google brings up a lot of rifles with missing bayonet lugs, but not with the last 2-3 inches removed.

I have never seen a numbers stamped stock. Unless you exchange the barrel , the matching numbers mean less. $500.00 is too much in my opinion. But good luck whatever you do.

 

[Firpo]

I’ve had a couple MILSURP rifles that had the bores countersunk but never encountered one with the end of the barrel removed for the sole purpose of cleaning up the barrel. Seems like a lot of extra work. Hard to give anything a value that you can’t see but I’d agree that $500 seems too high. I’d also suggest if you’re able to order go/no-go gauges or take it to a gunsmith to have the headspace checked.