Found an Ishapore Enfield 7.62 NATO

[Multigunner]

IIRC India had contracted with Sterling for a large shipment of conversion kits to convert No.4 rifles to 7.62 NATO, then some sort of tiff developed over Sterling not being authorized to sell the Sterling SMG to India so India canceled the order.
I suspect most of the sterling No,4 conversion kits that hit the surplus market came from that canceled order.
India had used the SMLE style rifles almost exclusively but they had a stockpile of No.4 rifles and these were used by their Navy.
Pakistan manufactured the No.4 rifle under license, but I have not heard of any Paki No.4s being converted to 7.62.

PS
I don't think India was illegible for SEATO but was illegible for NATO membership. A number of NATO members are nations you might think would have been part of SEATO.
Its likely they chose to stay out of NATO due to political implications of their on going confrontations with Red China. If India had been part of NATO the border skirmishes with Red China could have triggered WW3.

[rjathon]

I saw one today that looks near perfect. it is the model where the barrel barely sticks out from the end. The shop is asking $499.

It was part of an estate.

[Ed in North Texas]

IIRC India had contracted with Sterling for a large shipment of conversion kits to convert No.4 rifles to 7.62 NATO, then some sort of tiff developed over Sterling not being authorized to sell the Sterling SMG to India so India canceled the order.
I suspect most of the sterling No,4 conversion kits that hit the surplus market came from that canceled order.
India had used the SMLE style rifles almost exclusively but they had a stockpile of No.4 rifles and these were used by their Navy.
Pakistan manufactured the No.4 rifle under license, but I have not heard of any Paki No.4s being converted to 7.62.

PS
I don't think India was illegible for SEATO but was illegible for NATO membership. A number of NATO members are nations you might think would have been part of SEATO.
Its likely they chose to stay out of NATO due to political implications of their on going confrontations with Red China. If India had been part of NATO the border skirmishes with Red China could have triggered WW3.

Now that you mention it, I seem to remember the Sterling No. 4 Conversion kits being advertised at least by one seller as being from a cancelled contract.

India wasn't eligible for SEATO, but neither was Pakistan and Pakistan (including East Pakistan back then) was a member, so I'm sure India could have been if they desired. I'm sure the ongoing border issues with China caused them to walk a fine diplomatic line at times.

[Artful]

Well found one for sale - says the bore is in good shape - exterior looks a little rough - asking $250- what's the group think, worth it or not?

It is a 1965, 2A, with a 800 M sight, and the bore is in V.G. condition, sharp rifling and shinny.

[adrians]

I'd be tempted,

[Artful]

Well, going to go see it Tuesday

[Petrol & Powder]

Shackleton in The Heart of the Antarctic, in which some variation occurs.

Importantly, in this list, suppliers are noted where known.

It mentions:

.45 Revolver

.32 Revolver

.303 Rifle

12 Gauge Shotgun


Full list here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/9680441/Sh...tion-Food-List

A few weeks ago I Read "Shackleton's Boat Journey" by Frank Worsley (The Captain of the Endurance).
One of the best accounts of real leadership I've ever read. The men left on Elephant Island likely made good use of that rifle while they awaited rescue.

[Artful]

Well, it came home with me, oozing cosmoline. Looks like awhile before it will be picture worthy.

[Petrol & Powder]

I like cosmoline, it beats the hell out of rust! Besides, removing it gives you a chance to examine your new toy.

A .308 Enfield is a solid tool, a little bit of history that you can hold in your hands and FUN!

And just for the record, I think that .308win / 7.62 NATO or whatever you want to call it, is just about the perfect do-all rifle cartridge (at least for me)
Cool!

[Artful]

Most of the cosmoline is mostly gone - Wow is the throat long on this thing - actually longer than Remington 700 PSS that was the previous record holder in my book. - Going to take it out next week and fire off some and see how it does. Before putting in anymore work on the wood.

[Scharfschuetze]

I picked this one up from a fellow in my battalion back in 1997 or so when he was retiring and wanted a cushion of cash and was selling of many of his weapons. While I've never shot reloads in it, it has an almost new bore and it will shoot the 168 grain M852 match ammo into 1 1/2 MOA with the issue sights for 10 shot groups off of a bench rest. It's also pretty well on zero wise. Case stretch as measured from the head to the shoulder is about .012 to .015 inches. I'm sure with lower pressure cast boolit loads it wouldn't be an issue, but for full power loads, I'll probably just stick to surplus military rounds. It's a lot of fun with M-80 ball on steel targets at distance.

[Multigunner]

I can't say from personal experience but I've heard military match competitors prefer to break the hold of neck sealants of milspec ammunition to reduce variations in pull strength due to hardened sealants.
I would hazard a guess that excessive pull at the neck would raise pressure significantly.

Just a theory but if using old milsurp ammo it might pay to use the same methods, seat the bullet just a hair deeper to break the seal, or pull and reseat before firing. It should reduce chamber pressure (and stress on the cases) while tightening groups. Might make reloading easier as well.

PS
Just watched a movie called "the Trench" set in 1916.
The rifles used were mostly No.1 MkIII but in the back ground you could pick out the squared front sight ears of the 2A or 2A1.

[Scharfschuetze]

Multigunner,

I've shot on several military teams and we never broke the seal on our issue ammo. We were required to shoot issue ammo in military and DCM/CMP Leg matches and at Camp Perry.

When we "Mexican matched" the M-118 SB rounds by pulling the GI bullet and replacing it with a 168 grain Match King (SMK) or equivalent, we then often broke the seal as you suggest to make the pulling of the military bullet easier. We used this enhanced ammo at civilian matches such as state championships and regional matches under NRA rules and not the military or DCM/CMP rules.

We generally swapped out projos with the M-118 Special Ball in the 80s and 90s as that ammo often needed some help in the accuracy department. Lot to lot variation also was a factor as some lots were MOA and some... weren't.

[Artful]

Man I suck at the old iron sights on this anymore. It seems to want to group if I can do my part. Scout Scope mount may be next stop

[Gray Fox]

The Mojo barrel mount aperture sight that replaces the issue notch rear sight is nice and helps the eyes tighten up the groups. Also, SARCO just got back in stock some nice 2A1 magazines. Mine came in last week. It is solidly made and sure looks as close to an original as you could find. GF

[adrians]

Man I suck at the old iron sights on this anymore. It seems to want to group if I can do my part. Scout Scope mount may be next stop

I know how ya feel ,my eyes don't care for irons anymore so I ran across an old Rawson aperture sight and for now anyways they are happy.
A scout set up will be next,,,

[0802]

Digging up this old thread in search of help on my 2A. She's really not a very good specimen, but I bought it to shoot. Lots of stock repairs some well done, some not.

I just completed a minor cleaning of this -- I bought it 10 years ago and then got busy with life. Shot it a couple times but never really cleaned the cosmoline out of it thoroughly. I've done that now and have found a problem with the rear site.

When I adjust the (303) sight, some of the lower end adjustments, 300-800 meters (or yards?), the sight elevation is from (sight) metal on (stock) wood not (sight) metal on (sight) metal contact. At 100 or 800+, the sight is properly metal on metal.

I'm sure this is wrong and not as designed. My question is if this is common, what has been done about it, and what you would do with it if it were yours? Part of me says to just take off a little of the wood so its metal on metal -- it's not a collector, but I don't want to harm it. Alternatively, I could just get a aftermarket peep sight as described earlier in this old thread.

I'll try to post a picture of this, but its really hard to photograph.

[/URL]

Photographing on the other side doesn't show anything, but I can look under there and verify with a light that the sight itself is NOT contacting the sight base.

[Mk42gunner]

Well I had fun rereading this old thread, thanks for bringing it to the front again. To answer your question:

In the condition it is, you are not going to hurt its value any by trimming a small amount of wood to make it useable. You bought it to shoot not as a "Preserve at all costs, even if it makes no sense relic."

Robert