Wonder if anyone can help me. I have purchased an Ishapore with the marking RFI 1942. My research left me to believe that RFI was only put on rifles from 1947 onwards after independence. There is no GRI marking present, only the serial numbers which match on bolt and barrel. All contributions gratefully rec'd.
Ishapore Enfield Mystery.
- Thread starter historyman
- Start date
Thats for sure. I have an Ishapore rifle that looks an awful lot like it was made by a Pakistani kid in the Khyber Pass because.....well...it was! And it is on the chopping block for sale. It is kinda funny to look at considering how they tried to fake the Ishapore factory markings.
A Pakistani kid in the Khyber Pass wouldn't be a kid. He'd be the kid's very highly skilled da. That stuff was almost entirely made by hand using files and black smithing techniques.
Any S↑A over an I on it? That's a post independence stamp. What other stamps are there?
Any S↑A over an I on it? That's a post independence stamp. What other stamps are there?
Actually, after further examination, I have found a tiny GRI, Crown and Pillar on the bolt. The only other markings are SA (one kind contributor already explained that was post independence, three tiny MSA in circles, a C 40 in a circle on the butt and R 88 82 also on the butt. Am arranging to send some pics later this evening. I feel a bit cheated, because I really wanted a WW2 SMLE, rather than one that might have seen service only with the new Indian army. Perhaps they just scrubbed the GRI after 1947, but in this case, is it not standard practice to insert the date it was refurbished? Thanks for everybody's input.
