Enfield Indian? Sniper

[Brian B]

I picked up this sniper a couple of years ago and dug it out of the safe this weekend to take some quick pictures. I missed the two most important pictures and will try to add them tomorrow. I missed the pads and the receiver markings between the pads. Between the pads it is marked No3 Mk 1/2.

The rifle seems to be an Indian rework. It has a Springfield Sporters (SS) hang tag on it. Bolt, Receiver, Stock, mag match. I purchased it without a scope and mount.

I would appreciate any thoughts on the rifle.



Thanks,

Brian

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[jmoore]

First one I've ever seen that was completely "Indianized". Very interesting.

[Peter Laidler]

Yep, just like the serial number of the one described by frogpilot in a more recent thread. Ex Indian Army

[Melanie_Daniels]

My A0286T (with scope) was refurbished by RFI in 1963.

[Roger Payne]

Yes, there must have been a few released as Charnwood Ordnance also had some over here in the UK. I bought a couple just to get the No32 Mk3 scopes off them!
ATB

[MJ1]

Received one about six years ago. Shoots very well.

[Brian B]

Received one about six years ago. Shoots very well.

MJ,

How is yours marked on the left side of the receiver? (No 4 Mk 1/2) and is it stamped on the right with "FR / Year / RFI"?

Did you restock yours? It looks very clean.

Thanks,

Brian

[robbie]

Its awesome, i think it looks great, its indian for sure but tell us, how does she shoot!

[bearhunter]

The Indian snipers, can come with just about any mark REL. I had one with a Mark I REL. I sold it to a friend. The bracket caps are held in place by hex head screw and aren't staked. Many of the rifles are ex UK snipers. The first ones the Indians received, were almost all equipped with the REL MkI scopes, as they were the first scopes the UK surplussed. The rifles, went through a lot of FTRs. They were popular amongst the men and highly sought after. When the rifles just became to much trouble to refurb, for whatever reason by the army, they were given to police forces.
They did a lot of things to keep the rifles functional. Some of the things they did wouldn't be acceptable to most services.
There are some picture of that old sniper rifle in one of the earlier threads. The Indians did a fine job of refurbishing the scope and mounting the brackets. They almost held to zero, when the scope was removed and replaced. Zeroing that Mark I scope, was a PITN to put it mildly. The markings on the side, were all British with the exception of the stamps to show it had been converted to a MkI/3. It was very nice to shoot. I think we give these rifles a bad rap. They are well made and well maintained. The ugly, peeling, black paint, all to often found on them doesn't help their looks either. It also doesn't help that most of them came over here after being stored in dusty conditions for many years. They sure are covered in it anyway.

MJ1, that is the cleanest Indian rifle I have ever seen. Do you have the scope to go with it?

[MJ1]

I can just see the marks on the left after the scrubbing job and the wood had been replaced before I found it. I have two MkI scopes I have used on it and now I have a third from Oz that a guy contacted me and then sent for $400 that sits on it now. A friend of Rogers was kind enough to part with one of his original run brackets. I I need to get it back and stain the wood darker, boy it shoots well.