My Ishapore 2A1 Navy Arms No.7 Jungle Carbine 7.62 : hoadie wrote:I didn't...

 

Hi H

 

I understand that the Indians improved the metal quality and manufactured smles in 7.62mm as their issued battle rifle as a stop gap between the .303 enfields and the fn's which were taking a while to arrive and which were a costly upgrade.

 

This makes the Ishapore rifles very strong and able to handle the 7.62 round. I believe the ishys were the last bolt actio battle rifle to be issued to serving troops.

 

Navy Arms and Gibbs, probably along with some other companies, took these rifles and the .303's and made them into jungle copies. The Gibbs rifles were sometimes sporterised in stainless steel for the US market.

 

I believe that there were also conversions of the .303 rifles to 7.62. These converted rifles could be prone to issues as the receivers weren't designed to handle the 7.62 cartridge.

 

Mine was made the same year I was so I had to have it.

 

It shoots well. I've had the flash hider re-aligned to allow the front sight to be central on the barrel (no windage adjustment on standard ishy smle's) and had the barrel re-crowned.

 

It has a very short sight radius for a rifle and I shoot at 100 yds at my club and so I've replaced the fornt sigt blade with a higher blade to bring the poi up and it's abut right.

 

If you have the chance to shoot one I'd recommend it. The ishys tend to have the aluminium butt plate and are marked RFI. They are a nice handling and lightish rifle with a 12 round magazine.

 

Mine has a scope mount fitted and so I've not tried loading it with stripper clips.

 

I hope this helps.