# Rifle for Canadian Forces Mapping Division?



## cantom (9 Jan 2008)

In the fifties or sixties, a purpose built rifle was made for the Mapping Division of the Canadian Forces. It was very similar to the EAL .303 rifle made from Long Branch No 4 Mk I * actions by a company in Toronto.  There was a run of 200 rifles made specifically for the Mapping Division, presumably for protection from bears and wolves. The EAL rifle is still found among Ranger units in the far north. The EAL's were supposedly issued to SARTECHS and aircraft crews initially.

This was a .303 rifle with shortened wood and an exposed barrel, similar to a sporterized hunting Enfield but purpose built this way. My request is, does anyone have  pictures of the specific rifle made for the Mapping Division? It is very similar to the EAL but with differences, specifically the buttstock and front sight. Also wondering if these rifles are still in inventory? I'd love to see some pics of this variant. On this site

http://www.sfu.ca/casr/101-rifle-enfield.htm

the use of .303's by mapping teams is mentioned but only the full wood version is shown.

Here's a pic of the military version of the EAL rifle.







Here's a pic of the civilian(?) version of the EAL rifle.






I'd appreciate any info anyone can add.


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## 1feral1 (9 Jan 2008)

As far as I know, the only .303 rifles used by the Rangers is the No4 Mk1*. I would consider myself in the know about this subject matter, and I have never heard of this EAL rifle.

Can you tell us what EAL means?

EDIT : Essential Agencies Ltd, out of Toronto.

After over 30 yrs of collecting .303 rifles, I have learned something new 

Here is a few paras.....

http://enfieldrifles.profusehost.net/ri14.htm

The E.A.L. Rifle



Warren Wheatfield 
© 1999 Enfield Research Associates



In the mid- to late-1950s, an interesting variant of the No. 4 Mk I* was produced in Canada by the firm of Essential Agencies Limited (E.A.L.) of Toronto. Several thousand were manufactured, and at least 1000 were purchased by the Canadian government and issued to the Royal Canadian Air Force for use as a survival rifle, and to the Canadian Northern Rangers for use as a standard longarm. This variant is a "sporter" version of the Long Branch military rifle, but it is NOT a "sporterized" No. 4 Mk I*--it is a newly-manufactured rifle! This variant of the No. 4 rifle is generally referred to as the "E.A.L. Rifle." 

Within the past five years, 19 E.A.L. Rifles have been shipped to military repair depots, all coming from Ranger units in the Northwest Territories. In addition, quite a few E.A.L. Rifles have turned up here and there and have been snapped up by collectors. It is not clear how many E.A.L. Rifles are still in existence. 

The major distinguishing features of the E.A.L. Rifle are a full-pistol-grip buttstock with a rubber recoil pad, a shortened and slimmed down fore-end with a Schnabel tip, a shortened barrel, and a heavily modified action body. The charger bridge and most of the top portions of the action body are milled away, leaving only the base for the backsight axis pin. The action body and other metal parts are polished and blued rather than oil-blackened. The E.A.L. Rifle is also distinguished by its action body markings. A second style of marking has been observed, having no caliber designation and no periods after the letters: "EAL 2580". 

The E.A.L. Rifle is found in both civilian and military models. The civilian models are serial numbered in the range of 2000 to 5000, while the military models are numbered in the 6000 to 6999 range. The civilian models have 10-round magazines and military Mk II (two-position flip-type) rear sights, while the military models have 5-round magazines and an express-type rear sight with two folding blades. Also, the civilian models have ramp-type front sights with bead-type blades, while the military models have standard military front sights. Military models have been observed with holes drilled and tapped for Parker Hale scope mounts, and at least one military model exists mounted with a Tasco 4x scope. The wrists of the military model buttstocks bear military acceptance proofs. 

Various Canadian government documents refer to the E.A.L. Rifle military model as NATO stock number 1005-21-8-8-9499 and RCAF number EO.30-65FE. Other RCAF documents list the E.A.L. Rifle as ".303 cal rifle sports model". Rifles in the range of 6280 to 6999 appear to have been issued to Ranger units. 

Essential Agencies Limited was founded in 1945 as a sporting goods importer/distributor. In 1950s, E.A.L. apparently purchased surplus action bodies, barrels, and small parts from Canadian Arsenals Ltd. (C.A.L.) of Long Branch, Ontario. Records indicate that E.A.L. contracted with the firm of S. St. Francis and Sons at 166A York Street, Toronto to do the machining on the action bodies. 

The action bodies are not stamped with the usual "No. 4 Mk I*" model identification or the "Long Branch" factory designation, nor were they dated or serial numbered by C.A.L. They do bear Canadian proof marks and C.A.L. inspector's marks, however, these being from the time period of 1953 to 1960. In addition, bolts, cocking pieces, trigger guards, and safety locking levers bear "CA" markings. No sign of thinning is apparent on the portions of the action body where model and factory identifying marks are normally found. Also, high magnification reveals no signs of Long Branch serial numbers having been removed. 

The furniture as well is newly manufactured. The buttstocks are thinner in cross section and deeper at the toe than are No. 4 rifle buttstocks and have full pistol grips; hence, they cannot be modified military buttstocks. The recoil pads are JOSTAM "Anti-Flinch" pads of the same type found on No. 67 sniper rifles. The fore-ends bear a resemblance to standard No. 4 fore-ends but they lack the lightening cuts in the barrel channel. 

The barrels appear to be No. 4 military rifle barrels shortened to 21-3/8 inches and re-crowned. The barrels have "CA" markings on the Knox form and "crown and lance" proof marks on the right side. 

On E.A.L. Rifles observed, the breech cover loop has been removed from the trigger guard. The sling swivels are late variants of No. 4 rifle swivels. The butt swivel bracket is standard military, and the front swivel is a standard military butt swivel bracket inletted into the bottom of the fore-end. 
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Cheers,

Wes


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## YukonJack (8 Feb 2008)

Didn't we have a short nasty-looking Ruger 77 catalogued? I saw one on a "Small Arms of the CF" poster somewhere...?


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## mudgunner49 (8 Feb 2008)

YukonJack said:
			
		

> Didn't we have a short nasty-looking Ruger 77 catalogued? I saw one on a "Small Arms of the CF" poster somewhere...?



Ruger M77 in .30-06 with a weird folding wooden stock (hinged mod of the factory stock) and a 16.5" barrel.  Ostensibly for use by SAR Techs to repel boarders - I mean polar bears...


blake


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