Milsurp After Hours

Has anyone ever seen a Longbranch No.4 with a "US" stamped on the receiver ring?

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s194 ... nfield.jpg[/pic]
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s194 ... field3.jpg[/pic]

If so, what can you tell me about it?

Thanks

Not seen it before.
Gee that was helpful wasn't it ?
Better make sure it doesn't stand for Unservicable.

Having trawled Skennerton it seems that if it were US it should have PROPERTY as well which means United States Lend Lease, WW2 but that was stamped on the left side of the action body.
Seems that the No:4 Mark1* was manufactured by both Long Branch and Stevens-Savage from 1942 but Stevens-Savage serials contained the letter C so should be easy to ID.
Anyway, there are far more knowledgeable people than me here who will probably have an answer for you.

When the Production run by Savage was completed all the remaining parts and partially completed guns were sent to Longbranch and there was a number of No4 Mk1* completed with mixed Savage & Longbranch parts. Though Savage did not mark US on the receiver ring. It is possible that some country got some after the war and put the mark on them though that is unlikely, due to the confusion it would create. I have seen Savages with the US Property mark removed. My best guess is that someone got clever and added it trying to create another "Rare never before seen" varient. I could be wrong, Heaven knows it wont be the first time, but that is my guess.

I think that the answer may have come on another forum from Capt. Peter Laidler, a former UK military armorer and current Technical Officer to the Small Arms School, who advises that "US" is a nomenclature used in the UK military for "unserviceable".

Glad I didn't bid on it

Same as IF - it's fuc**d

That being said, some pour soul (not me!) paid $230 plus auction fees for this rifle. The auction listing included the above pictures along with the description:

#74L2676; 303 cal, 1944 dated in good condition w/ US marked Receiver.

I'd be willing to bet that the buyer assumed that "US marked Receiver" meant that it was "US property" and not "unserviceable"....caveat emptor..

ive seen it elsewhere and the responses are similar to here , some of the 'old guard' have not responded which might have swayed me , but ill take peters word for now as ive not seen a US Proerty mark like that before , and why would they put such on a canadian made arm ?

if not im with the camp of secondary - third tier service marking ......