I was in a gun shop in the city today and they had a 1949-dated Ishapore (RFI) No 1, MKIII* rifle with a shiny bore and rack beaten wood. I primarily collect British Enfields but all un-altered No1 rifles draw my attenion these days. The bolt and the reciever had matching numbers which is rare these days for RFI guns, and looking further, so did the rear sight and nose cap. I asked to see the magazine and lo! it also had the same serial number. When I pulled off the back section of top wood (causing the young clerk to startle greatly) the serial number under the grease on the barrel also matched. The rifle was $225 and that is more than I like to pay, usually, but this rifle seemed unique in its completeness so I bought it. Here's the odd part: I have a slew of Enfields. Additionally, I have had hundreds and hundreds of them pass through my hands in various states of condition. On almost all of them, a patch down the bore with a good copper killer like Sweet's 7.62, or even Hoppes #9, will produce a blue tinged patch on the next pass. From this particular rifle however, the patches come out unmarked but for the solvent they are saturated with. The bore is absolutely c-l-e-a-n. Shiny and bright with sharp rifling.
Either the person to whom this rifle was issued took VERY good care of it, or it was rebarreled (and), or just not used! In any event, it's an interesting piece and I'm glad i came by it.~Muir
Either the person to whom this rifle was issued took VERY good care of it, or it was rebarreled (and), or just not used! In any event, it's an interesting piece and I'm glad i came by it.~Muir
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