Aquired a No. 1 Mk3* with Arabic inscriptions

[smelliemk3*]

Got this No. 1 Mk 3* on Sunday from a friend that purchased it as a project that he lost interest in. The rifle was totally disassembled and covered in cosmoline 10 times over and seems quite beat up. This rifle has been around no doubt. The SMLE has Arabic inscriptions on both sides of the buttstock. There is also a signal unit stamp on the barrel shank. If someone here can translate the Arabic and identify the unit ID, I will most certainly be most appreciative.

I am new to Lee Enfields but have been collecting Finnish Mosin Nagants for 10 years. I shoot at VMBAR matches often and even the Eastern CMP Games time permitting.

Enjoy the pics.
Smelliemk3*

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.

[bigduke6]

Can't help with the arabic, but what you think is a signal unit is a proof mark.

[breakeyp]

Fifteen years ago or so, I saw a number of these at Springfield Sporters. They felt the translation was to be used for training. They were being sold as nonfiring DP rifles.

[smelliemk3*]

Bigduck6. Ok. Thank you. I must have missed finding that stamp.

Breakeyp. Thanks. Let me add there were two barreled actions in the box. One of them a 41 Lithgow with a DP stamp and the one seen above that does not. The DP action doesn't allow a bolt to be inserted. The barrel on this DP looks almost new to me. I would like to keep it. The assembled rassembled rifle in the pics above will be gaged before it is fired.

[Peter Laidler]

Ah, smellie. You can gauge it until the cows come home. But YOU don't know the reason exactly WHY it was selected as a DP rifle. There are a couple of threads on DP rifles on this forum.

To add to this, the photos 2,3 and 4 of your rifle show the remains of a white band just forwards of the front trigger guard screw. That is a danger sign.

Just me 2c's worth based on absolutely nothing more that experience

[Bruce_in_Oz]

The markings on the LHS of the "socket" would strongly indicate something other than British origin. Can't recall too many rifles marked in that way.

India?

Afghanistan?

Not sure if that's even arabic; could be one of the related scripts like Farsi (Iran) or from somewhere further east. If you can get the origin ( and translation) of the script, you will be a lot closer to who "owned" it, but maybe not to who made it.

Nepal?

[browningautorifle]

I took it to be an Ishapore made rifle.

[bigduke6]

Think its the FTR mark at Ishapore, have seen it before but can't remember.

[smelliemk3*]

Thank you all for the info. I will take note. Below is the second barreled action I got. Only one bolt was available and it does not fit this action. Looks like it was tinkered with and it is DP marked.

[Ridolpho]

The rifle in the original post is a type assembled by Ishapore (apparently from salvaged action bodies) between '41 and '75. According to Edward's book (Indian Enfields) new barrels, furniture, bolts, etc were fitted. Ishapore was, apparently, always heavily into upgrades, rebuilds, etc.

Ridolpho