What happened to this Indian 2A?

[louthepou]

Hi Guys, seem I never run short of strange questions.

What happened to this Indian 2A? Here are some pics sent to me be the owner of this 2A (or would it be a 2A1?). Why would its markings have been erased? And the star on the barrel knox?

http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/01/DSC01452-1.jpg
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/01/DSC01453-1.jpg
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/01/DSC01456-1.jpg
http://www.milsurps.com/images/imported/2012/01/DSC01455-1.jpg

Thanks for any input,

Lou

[jmoore]

The star would indicate corrosion or some drama in the chamber or bore. On these, it seems to also mean possible chrome plating issues in the chamber.

The removed markings would seem to indicate that someone was trying to hide the rifle's origins. If the S/N is gone as well, that would likely mean "Stolen"! It may merely be a Bubba paranoia- sort of like removing "United States Property" from the frame of a 1911.

[louthepou]

Yeah, the star was what would make me worry the most.

[limpetmine]

The Indians were pretty odd about some stuff. They "scrubbed" some No. 4's and remarked them with their markings. I have a No 4 Mk 1* that would at first blush look to be an Indian produced rifle. (as an aside, I need to tear it down to see if I can decern if it's a Long Branch (we can hope) or a Savage). It has a coat of black paint on it that would impress you-all drips, all runs, all over!

[jmoore]

The star probably won't mean a thing in a practical sense. Mine all seem to be associated with some imperfection in the chrome lining in the chamber area. Most look like plating deposition dramas, and were there from the time the bore was new.

The "scrubbed" areas don't seem typical of Indian linishing of old markings. It looks more like "Bubba".