Ishapore 1945 No. 1 Mk III* SMLE

Description

The Ishapore rifle factory Indian north of Calcutta was established by the British in 1904 & produced the SMLE No. 1 Mk III under direct supervision of the British & these were very well made rifles which were made to the exact specifications as ROF Enfield. These rifles played an important part in the war against the Japanese by supplementing the supply of weapons to the Indian troops during WW2. These are not to be confused with the later Ishapore 2A1 which was chambered in 7.62 NATO...this is not one of these! These are rarely found in Australia & being in pristine condition with matching numbers, it is quite the find. The gorgeous wood is marked SLAZ 44 (see photos) indicating Slazenger 1944 so it was replaced with fine Aussie wood, but when & where is a mystery. According to the markings on the wrist, it was part of the FR (factory refurbishment) program, which was the Indian version of an FTR in 1945 which ties it in but it is still interesting as to how Aussie wood came to be on this lovely rifle. The barrel would rate 9/10 so definitely a shooter. If you are a serious collector looking for a hard to find & exotic addition to your SMLE collection this may be it. Make your decision based on what you see, so please view the photos carefully as they form the main description & override all written information so ask for more if desired. As with all used guns, we recommend you have this checked by a suitably qualified person prior to shooting. Call for shipping cost to your dealer. Being sold on consignment for a collector.

Specifications