1965 7.62 LeeEnfield, should I buy it?

[BahamaLure]

At my local range I found this 1965 7.62mm rifle and an interested to buy it, but I am far from knowing what the markings mean. Any insight would be very appreciated, thank you.

Information

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[BahamaLure]

I trolled about online this afternoon and the asking price for this rifle is in line or a bit below others that I see available, but am still very interested to hear from anyone who can tell me anything about the rifle or the markings. Thanks!

[NRA]

You never said for how much? Its a sporter, If it was 100.00 yeah I would buy it

[Steve H. in N.Y.]

Made in India for use by their security forces. R.F.I. = Rifle Factory Ishapore. As NRA mentioned it's been sporterized by removing the handguards and modifying the forend and buttstock. As far as restoration, I THINK a standard MkIII forend would work but the butt is a peculiar one and not always available.

[Patrick Chadwick]

R.F.I. = Rifle Factory Ishapore

C.R. xxxx = Component, Rifle xxxx (i.e. part number xxxx)

Your market may be different, but over here these rifles have no great value (100-200 in original condition). And in "sporterized" condition I would forget it, as the cost of putting it back into original configuration would exceed the value.

[ArtioZen]

Its a sporterised RFI (Rifle Factory Ishapore) = Indian 2A1A and upgraded version of the Lee Enfield No1Mk3 SMLE to take the Nato 7.62 round - called the last bolt action battle rifle in production. Most aftermarket parts made for the No1 Mk3 with interchange with an Ishapore - like Parker Hale sights, sporter buttstocks like this one etc. The wrist is marked with the RFI factory insignia and name, the model 2A1 and the year of maunfacture -1965. I beleive this after they changed the metalurgy in the receiver to better cope with the round (2A being the previous designation) This one has the later rear sight marked in meters. Ishapore was run by the British government and used all the proofing and inspction marks required - they kept this habit through independance. These are pretty good bolt actions in 7.62 - mine gives my No4mk2 a run for its money with equivalent peep hole target sites. The rimless round allowed 12 in the magazine - an original magazine is quite valuable. The EXXXX number is the serial and should match bolt, and magaxine (nosecap is missing) if you are lucky. The "CR" numbers may be part numbers. I hope this helps!

[Peter Laidler]

Just a minor correction Partrick, but CR to the part number on the butt trap is the prefix to the complete part nuimber of the part and not 'component, rifle'. India still use their own part numbering system that they took over from us after independence and as a republic. It is from the old post war Ministry of Supply B1/CR system. They still use B1 as the VAOS heading for bolt action rifles, so the part numberof the butt trap in the Indian Ordnance system will be B1/CR 1336.

This old MoS numbering system together with the various suffixes of SA, GA or just A are apparent on the body sides of their Mk3 and L4 Brens, such as C1/CR 1234 MA

[Ridolpho]

BahamaLure: You may or may not have found old threads regarding these Indian "308's" that question whether .308 spec ammo can be used or only 7.62 NATO. Having a fairly new condition 2A1 that I would like to shoot (but not wear out) and finding nothing conclusive in the various threads I decided to stick to the NATO spec stuff. Presumably, and according to various references, the Indians manufactured these from a higher grade steel- however Peter Laidler has questioned this "fact" and there are references that talk about relaxed proofing standards being involved. Perhaps someone out there that's shot one of these a lot could comment on the wisdom of buying a possibly well used example? Do they stand up to hundreds or thousands of rounds?

Ridolpho

[3mctoledo]

I have about 6. I love them. They are a solid military rifle and not much more.

As for the Proof's etc. They are all pretty standard from what I can see. As a Sporter / Parts gun $75 to maybe 100 at most (Parting out the magazine, butt plate and bolt). To restore it would be cost prohibitive. You could find a matching number's one for far less than the parts to restore (Unless someone gives you them for free); in the end it would not really have matching parts anyways.

In 1965 they did transition to the new rear sight which that rifle has (Hence 2A1 as opposed to the 2A).

I do not shoot anything but 7.62X51 NATO. I can say they stand up to hundreds of rounds (Not thousands yet). I then resize to .308 for my other rifles. Only one really shoots well as in came to me. The others need work on the bedding. Look in the Retsorer's Corner for the one I had blued etc. or if you poked around already you may have seen it.

[Peter Laidler]

Surely, once you have matched the BOLT to the rifle BODY and set the rifle up correctly, set the bolt up, then renumbered the bolt etc. exactly as an Armourer woulod do with, say, a part worn bolt and nose cap, then this originality thing is academic. After all, that what we'd do every day of the week - even with No4T's and L42's. I wonder how many L42's for example have re-numered bolt bodies that the current owner would never even notice unless he took a micrometer to the arm.

Or am I missing something