What kind of rifle is this?

kytimberman

kytimberman

New member
A buddy brought over an interesting old military rifle, I was not familiar with what it was, but it seemed very tight and quite functional, it shot well, although currently lacking sights or a scope mount. Can anyone tell me what it is? The caliber is 7.62 NATO(.308?). The side strap has "RIFLE 7.62mm 2A1
RFI
1966" engraved on it, and what is also interesting is it has a flash suppressor that looks to be original to me. It has obviously been restocked in a synthetic stock. Any info is appreciated.

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It is a sporterized Lee Enfield. I have two Enfields, a No. 4 1944, and a 1944 No. 5 jungle carbine both in .303. Great guns.
 
yep that looks like an enfield. I personally don't like them that puny little bolt would worry me. Also they just seem too weird for me
 
This Enfield 2A1 was made by the Ishapore factory in India. I assume they adopted an obsolete rifle design because it was cheaper than buying new rifles from abroad. You can visit the link below to see what one looks like before being Bubba'd. A batch of these Ishapore rifles was imported two years ago and sold well.

http://www.courter.org/guns/rifles/enf2a1.html
 
As Galland said, it was made by the Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI), but they had another way to reduce the cost of buying from abroad. When in the 1960s India decided to replace the venerable bolt action that had served it through the two world wars with a copy (without license) of FN's FAL in 7.62mm, they couldn't produce them fast enough so they decided to issue them only to front line troops. They kept using RFI's existing tooling for Lee-Enfields to build a 7.62mm NATO version to replace the .303s in rear elechons and reserve forces. The 2A and 2A1 are the result.

It is an adaptation of the pre-WWI Lee Enfield Number1 MarkIII design. They had to use improved metal because of the higher chamber pressures developed by the new calibre so don't worry about using 7.62mm in a 2A, 2A1, (or a converted No4, the No4 design from the 1930s was made with improved metal compared to the earlier No1MkIII) as long as it is in serviceable condition. The Indians designated the first 7.62mm version of the No1. MkIII as the 2A. Later they recalibrated the range adjustments on the rear sight to match the 7.62mm ballistics (the 2A's sight was as for .303British) and called this version the 2A1. The smaller 7.62mm cartridge allowed a larger magazine capacity, twelve rounds instead of ten, and the magazine has a more sqare shape than on .303 rifles.

The barrel on the example kytimberman's buddy has has been modified or may be a replacement. The knox form doesn't look original to me and just forward of that is where the rear sight would have been mounted on an original, which was also longer and didn't come with a flash suppressors. Synthetic sporter stocks like this one are made by Ram-Line and by ATI and are commonly available.

The finish on RFI production is generally held to be poorer than on other Lee-Enfields, but functionally they are quite accurate for a military service rifle of their time and they are robust and reliable.
 
Thanks for the replies, gentlemen, those are most helpful. Can anyone offer any suggestions on where to get some good open sights for it, or a scope base?
 
S&K and B-Square make mounts that don't require any drilling and tapping, so they are particuly useful if you don't want to reduce the value of a collectible by permanent modification, though obviously that doesn't apply to this example. I haven't tried them, but I have seen many comments from people who have who say they work well. However, I have also heard a few people complain that the B-Square mounts don't hold zero. Another no-gunsmithing mount is one that I have used successfully on No4 and No5 Enfields, the Cad-Technik, and I think they make it for for the No1 Mk III. If so, that would fit a 2A or 2A1. Brownells sells the Cad-Technik.

Weaver's T01 mount is probably the cheapest. It does require drilling and tapping, and it uses Weaver 1" tip-off rings.

You may find other useful information at www.303British.com
 
I have owned a couple of the 303 and 308's in my lifetime. I never could get a decent trigger. It seemed that no one made any kind of a replacement trigger and none of my local gunsmiths wanted to do anything with mine. I bought my first Lee enfield 303 for $12 brand new in the paper at a sporting goods store in Los angeles in the 60's. Liked the rifle hated the trigger.
 
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