Ishapore Rifle 7.62mm X 51mm 2A

			• Public Gallery • Help

		• Join Now! • Log In • Feature Tour

Ishapore Rifle 7.62mm X 51mm 2A

This is my Lee-Enfield Model 2A as it appeared upon arrival from AIM, Inc. The Rifle 7.62mm 2A (also known as the Ishapore 2A/2A1) is a 7.62mm x 51mm NATO caliber bolt-action rifle adopted as a reserve arm by the Indian military in 1963.

Production of the rifle - initially the Rifle 7.62mm 2A - began at the Ishapore Rifle Factory in India (R.F.I.), soon after the Sino-Indian War of 1962. This rifle was manufactured in 1964.

The Ishapore 2A design was based on (and is almost identical to) the .303 British caliber SMLE Mk III rifle, albeit reworked to use the 7.62mm x 51mm NATO cartridge. Externally the rifle is very similar to the classic Mk III, with the exception of the magazine, which is more "square" and usually carries twelve rounds instead of ten.

Viewing tip: after clicking an image, you can click "Original" at the bottom of the window to see it up close.

Date(s): Updated: July 29, 2020. Album by Rusty Springfield C];-). Photos by Rusty Springfield. 1 - 8 of 8 Total. 3574 Visits.

Sign the Guestbook. Displaying 1 of 1 entries.

I bought my 2A at a gun show around 1996 for $80. Miraculously, I also found the bayonet for it at another vendor for $25. Do you know where I can find field manuals for this rifle? I've never taken it apart and haven't even fired it (it looks good on the wall). The stock is in much better condition than yours, though, there aren't any patches. It's marked 1965.
- Tim, Wed, 12 Jan 2011 11:16AM

1 Rifle as Shipped from AIM, Inc. with So. African Battle Pack This is a full view of the rifle as shipped from AIM, Inc. along with a South African Battle Pack of surplus 7.62mm NATO ammunition (c. 1981). These rifles were designed to use the NATO load, which is lighter than that of commercially available .308 Winchester cartridges. Even though the .308 Winchester cartridge is the base design for the NATO cartridge, it is considered dangerous to use in Indian made Enfield rifles.	2 Right Side Showing Year of Manufacture and Repairs to Stock This view of the right side shows a large repair to the stock along with a smaller repair just ahead of it. This view also shows the year of manufacture as 1964 as well as the RFI name on a plate just beneath the bolt handle.
3 Top View Showing Bolt Action This is a view of the top with the bolt closed in the action.	4 Bottom View Showing Stock Repair This view shows a repair to the stock. I left the box magazine in place just as it was shipped.
5 Shipping Enclosures from AIM, Inc. The shipping enclosure on the left is promoting some items from Gun Parts Corporation that might be of use for adjustment or repair. The red tag to the right is a warning to the purchaser to thoroughly clean and inspect the rifle before use. They recommend an inspection by a gunsmith, given the age and condition of the weapon.	6 Butt Stock Showing Rack Number The butt stock shows a rack number of "9". The opposite side shows a cartouche from the Ishapore RFI. Again, the wood has two repairs. The butt plate looks as if the soldier(s) that used this, regularly dropped it into gravel.
7 Early Rear Sight The rifle appears to have an early rear sight version and is marked up to 2,000 meters. The hand guards fore and aft of the sight have repairs.	8 Primary Components Disassembled Typical of old imports, the rifle was dipped in a hot bath of liquefied grease. Note the common household tools, rubber gloves, and paper towel. (I decided not to wreck my good gunsmith's screw drivers or get the waxy goo on them.) The next step is to remove the mess from every part. Nearly every screw head is chewed up from someone's lazy work in years past. I need to repair them as best as I can. The next step will be to disassemble the trigger, bolt, and magazine. Clean everything. Then it can be reassembled.

Album Properties. Email Album. Send Invitation. Share URL