help IDing MK1 or MKIII Captured in Afghanistan

[muffett.2008]

My gut feeling is original rifle, reworked at a Kabul Arsenal and very well used since.
It would be nice to have a few shots of the face of the front volley sight plate, markings in better detail around the knox.

[Patrick Chadwick]

Anyone any idea what the sun logo on the barrel nocks form and butt socket is meant to represent?

If you look very carefully inside the sun, you will see a battered version of the Afghan national crest. The style appears to be nearest to that used in the reign of King Aminullah (1919-1928). I therefore vote for : Kabul armory makeover of an original Enfield No.1 using home-grown replacement parts.

[paulseamus]

Regardless of it's history, at least it is no longer shooting at our boys.

[browningautorifle]

I'd love to have one like it!

I agree completely. I find them facinating. But we've been through all this with examples from all over the world. VC capture Thompsons and handguns, various Khyber pass repros, and the Khyber pass relics show copy detail right down to the markings. Presumably because they didn't know what the marks were and didn't read English. They seemed to do 100% copy...

At any rate, the thing I notice is the nose cap seems to be at an angle...is that just the photo? Regardless, I'd like it just because of where it came from...

[The Monk]

Anyone any idea what the sun logo on the barrel nocks form and butt socket is meant to represent?

Well, i'll stick my neck out.

At first look my thoughts were the Burma Smiling Tiger logo.

Runs for cover.

Cheers

[Jc5]

I would bet it's probably a genuine SMLE MkI, because it has all the minor features that would be pointless to fake (or not economical to fake). Someone making a Khyber fake would just do a common MK III or a desirable Long Lee. We've all seen those. Too much effort would have gone into putting these MkI features into a mere forgery.

So I say this is the real deal. The original markings were mostly removed and replaced. The unusual markings were probably applied at some point when it was issued to a local militia unit or some such thing. If it were a fake, they would try to replicate British markings, it seems to me.

A big clue is the particular hump shape of the fore-end below the front volley sight... that's an early aspect that would be hard to fake, but more importantly, what are teh odds someone would know to fake that?

I'm not saying there might not be some fake parts somewhere on this thing, or that it's safe to fire. But I would clean it and hang it on my wall as a genuine piece of history. It could have been in Afghanistan since the Third Afghan War of 1919 for all we know.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Regardless of it's history, at least it is no longer shooting at our boys.

Indeed. And how great that he shared it with us! Stay Safe and thanks for sharing.

[Robert303]

It is NOT a Siamese 'Smiley Cat' the crest is nothing like the Siamese crest. The Burmese did not use a 'Smiley Cat'

[Peter Laidler]

Where do we get this 'Kabul Arsenal' fairy story from................? They couldn't run a bath let alone an Arsenal - or even a bakery now that I think about it!

[Brian Dick]

He meant Kabul tent!