.303 RFI No1 Mk III* Wire Bound

[Buccaneer]

This 1970 dated rifle won't win any beauty contests but then it was never meant to. This rifle came to me "in grease" and does not appear to have done a great deal of work as I suspect that it came at the time when they were converting to 7.62.
Like all "Enfields" it has been produced with some recycled parts the magazine and rear sight have both been re numbered to this rifle, it is all matching in its present form. I think the guy who did the stamping must have been a bit cross eyed as they tend to wobble about a bit.
Some time ago there were questions about wether a wire bound rifle could be proofed without removing the wire and the answer is yes it can, this rifle has just come from proof and the marks can be seen on top of the knox form where the top wood is cut out.
Most of the marks are self explanatory but I don't recognise the ones on the butt, SA with an arrow between and the circle with what looks like 506 over a broard arrow, any thoughts?

Information

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[Peter Laidler]

ISA = Inspector of Small Arms
506, presumably the Inspector/examiner who passed it on behalf of the ISA

[CINDERS]

I thought the wire bound ones were for Grenade launching as well being able to fire ball ammo.

[Peter Laidler]

The EY's are gauged and examined to fire ball ammo but to the lower Sub-Standard criteria. We don't have these EY or Sub St. categories now except for some old and clapped vehicles where the ASM is told from '.....on high' something like '.......I know it's xxxxed, you know it's xxxxed, everyone knows it's xxxxed but just keep it going for a few more months and it'll be replaced by something that's not quite as xxxxed'

We still had No1 EY rifles in the very early 70's when several hundred were taken out of Ordnance, stripped, examined and re-wrapped. But I never saw one after that. When the Big Armourers shop at XXXX was being wound down (budget cuts etc etc) a couple of years ago I found the wire and wrapping spool/kit and old lathe bed used to do it.

[Thunderbox]

Many of the Ishapore wire wraps appear to have been built new as wire wraps - and not converted from older worn rifles. Apart from the mint Lithgows, they are about the only way of coming across a No1 in "unused" condition.

Presumably they had a production run specifically for Police riot control use, as the Indian army was using Energa and other more modern rifle grenades by the late 60s.

[jmoore]

Picked a wire wrapped one up as well over the weekend. First LE I've bought in a coon's age, but for US$150 at a tiny gun shop, it was too good to pass up. Mine has not only the "Frankenstein's Monster bolt" protruding from the forestock but the old cross screw just forward (mostly covered with wire) as well. And the forestock is split anyway! Saw another just like it, but this one had all the metal bits matching with no signs of renumber. The fore stock may have been off another rifle, but the old number is too faint to make out. Older rifle, 1944.

[Buccaneer]

Many of the Ishapore wire wraps appear to have been built new as wire wraps - and not converted from older worn rifles. Apart from the mint Lithgows, they are about the only way of coming across a No1 in "unused" condition.

You're quite Thunderbox this one I am sure has been built as new albeit with some reused parts as the barrel is excellent, it won't accept a .303 bore gauge at either end so as I first said it appears to have done little or no work, the wire wrap has definitely not been done to extend the life of a worn out rifle.....

[Peter Laidler]

Mind you, in 1970 when yours was built/assembled, they were knee deep in No4 rifles as well as L1A1's so might as well just use the old No1's, regardless of condition!