Ishapore "FN"
- Thread starter peterdobson
- Start date
"...advice on the value..." Extremely limited market.
"...if a buyer can be found..." That'd be the key.
Rumour has it that when Trudeau closed Canadian Arsenals - Longbranch, in '75, the rat offspring of unmarried parents sold all the C1A1 machinery to India shortly after. Ishapore being Indian. Pakistan wasn't in the picture. Bangladesh had been part of Pakistan until 1971.
"...if a buyer can be found..." That'd be the key.
Rumour has it that when Trudeau closed Canadian Arsenals - Longbranch, in '75, the rat offspring of unmarried parents sold all the C1A1 machinery to India shortly after. Ishapore being Indian. Pakistan wasn't in the picture. Bangladesh had been part of Pakistan until 1971.
The rifles were sold surplus from Bangladesh - that is what the chap (who had been there as part of the buying team) at Century told me when I was buying a couple of other rifles which had been part of the same purchase. Rifles I bought were a Mauser Type A sporting rifle, and an Anschutz Model 54 Supermatch. Some odds and ends of non-military rifles were included with the FNs. Odd seeing rifles like that in third world military surplus condition. Really used to enjoy visiting the Century warehouse, and seeing all the stuff that mever made the catalogues.
- Location
- central alberta
I have fired an old Ishapore FN many moons ago. Not the most accurate but it never jammed. Fun toy.
Just a clarification, but an 'Ishapore L1A1' would be manufactured in West Bengal in India by Ishapore Rifle Factory in India. Depending on date of manufacture, the stock may be marked either GFI or RFI.
To my understanding, these locally manufactured rifles, being the main arm of the Indian Army at the time, were not imported to Bangladesh. Their finish may be a little rougher, but they function just as an FAL should!
To my understanding, these locally manufactured rifles, being the main arm of the Indian Army at the time, were not imported to Bangladesh. Their finish may be a little rougher, but they function just as an FAL should!
My Ishapore is stamped RFI 1974. The metal is in really good shape, but the bore is a little rough presumably from corrosive ammo. The wood was a little beat so it has been replaced Canadian C1 wood. When I could shoot it it shot pretty good...
tiriaq: My post was not meant to pick on you or your source, but rather, a generalized "FYI" as I see a lot of dis-information floating around about these rifles. I do apologize if I offended you 
Note that predominantly the lots of L1A1s that are seen on the market are EOL decommissioned Indian Army units or battlefield captures from the various insurgencies in the area. The Indian Army still uses a large number of them in front line service alongside the bean medley of INSAS, CZs, AK variants, Travor et all. Almost all Grade A L1A1s not in use are in war reserves. Most second string L1A1s with some use-able life left are refurbished and transferred to the paramilitary forces and the state police forces.
Note that predominantly the lots of L1A1s that are seen on the market are EOL decommissioned Indian Army units or battlefield captures from the various insurgencies in the area. The Indian Army still uses a large number of them in front line service alongside the bean medley of INSAS, CZs, AK variants, Travor et all. Almost all Grade A L1A1s not in use are in war reserves. Most second string L1A1s with some use-able life left are refurbished and transferred to the paramilitary forces and the state police forces.
I owned two Ishapore FNs. Once I found the right mags they fired quite well and were as accurate as my issue C1. the wood was rough to say the least but overall condition was good and very functional. As a matter of fact I bought them at Wolverine Supplies. The only thing wrong with them was not having a C1 rear sight.
Just to be pedantic, they are not actually L1A1's. They are actually called IA's.
The Indian government also has a large number of genuine L1A1's purchased from the British and Australians. (MARSTAR has a couple of these former Indain L1A1's for sale). They also purchased some FN FALs from FN, and wanted to produce them themselves, but didn't like FN's high royalties per weapon and the offsets FN insisted on (i.e. buy our machinery and technology package, hire some of our engineers etc).
As a result, the Indians reverse engineered a set of drawings using both the L1A1's and FN FALs in hand. Production started in 1963 at RFI (Rifle Factory Ishapore). They never did get any kind of license or agreement with FN, so it is technically an illegal copy.
Because of this, while the rifle looks like an L1A1, it has both metric and "inch" features. This makes it unique, but since it is closer to the "inch" patern, there are lots of them out there with Canadian wood and topcovers, because they were cheap at the time (still are relatively speaking), and C1A1's were rare.
The Indian government also has a large number of genuine L1A1's purchased from the British and Australians. (MARSTAR has a couple of these former Indain L1A1's for sale). They also purchased some FN FALs from FN, and wanted to produce them themselves, but didn't like FN's high royalties per weapon and the offsets FN insisted on (i.e. buy our machinery and technology package, hire some of our engineers etc).
As a result, the Indians reverse engineered a set of drawings using both the L1A1's and FN FALs in hand. Production started in 1963 at RFI (Rifle Factory Ishapore). They never did get any kind of license or agreement with FN, so it is technically an illegal copy.
Because of this, while the rifle looks like an L1A1, it has both metric and "inch" features. This makes it unique, but since it is closer to the "inch" patern, there are lots of them out there with Canadian wood and topcovers, because they were cheap at the time (still are relatively speaking), and C1A1's were rare.
I believe you're misinformed - they have never been called "IA" in any literature I have come across. Perhaps a colloquial term in use by Canadian firearm dealers to provide a distinction with the Canadian versions.
The official designation for these rifles in the Indian Army is "Rifle, 7.62mm 1A1". In common useage in the armed and paramilitary forces, they are referred to "L1A1s" just like the Enfields are called the "3 naught 3s". Why ? Dunno. They just are.
However, you are correct, they are technically unlicensed copies of the FN FAL and incorporate both metric and imperial measurements for the components.
Found the Ordnance Factory Link where they advertise them for foreign sales: http://ofbindia.gov.in/products/data/weapons/wsc/15.htm
On a different note, I like the .22 revolver!
The official designation for these rifles in the Indian Army is "Rifle, 7.62mm 1A1". In common useage in the armed and paramilitary forces, they are referred to "L1A1s" just like the Enfields are called the "3 naught 3s". Why ? Dunno. They just are.
However, you are correct, they are technically unlicensed copies of the FN FAL and incorporate both metric and imperial measurements for the components.
Found the Ordnance Factory Link where they advertise them for foreign sales: http://ofbindia.gov.in/products/data/weapons/wsc/15.htm
On a different note, I like the .22 revolver!
Blake Stevens UK & Commonwealth FALs (vol 2 of the Collector Grade Publications series) page 231-233
To be fair the font is Arial/commercial gothic so it could be 1A not IA, so you are probably right, likewise the 1 might be a product inprovement like C1/L1 vs. C1A1/L1A1.
