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he!!o, From Australia
Just a word on the Indian.
Ishapore Rifle 7.62mm, Model 2A.
Safety Caveat,
"If you do buy one of these Rifles". "Do have it correctly, Head Spaced by a Qualified Gunsmith".
Preferably by someone who is familiar with the type, (Lee Enfield Action).
Please, do not be discouraged at all.
"By the above statement".
Well maintained and if kept, In good order, these are great Rifles. Will last a life time & then some.
Having been an enthusiast, owned and fired all types of Lee Enfields including the Pattern 1914 & US Rifle Model 1917. For about 45 years now.
My book case has one shelf.
Entirely dedicated to these rifles, including their maintenance & history.
Mr Ian Skennerton and Charles R Stratton, (RIP).
Being some of my favorite authors on the subject. Amongst others.
However, I read a lot and each day try to improve my English skills, which are still wanting.
("Really wish our young people would read more too. As it always improves your life at any stage".)
The Short Version:
The Ishapore, Rifle Model 2A in 7.62mm, (NATO).
Are not strictly speaking, SMLE Rifles.
Hence the different naming conventions.
There is also the Model 2A1, a later variant.
Also, they are not.
Conversions of .303 SMLE Rifles, (But that's another story).
The Ishapore Rifles, Model 2A in 7.62mm are or were.
When manufactured brand new, production rifles. Designed from the start for the new at the time, 7.62mm round.
A Factory Proof Test of 19 Imperial Tons was required for this.
Strengthened, Lee Bolt Action, design specification.
In order to take the higher pressure of the 7.62 NATO round.
Previously
Factory Proof Test for .303 SMLE Rifle No1, MK III Rifles. Which may Include an, (* Asterisk) in the rifle designation.
Required an 18 Imperial Ton, Proof Test. For .303 British, usually MK VII ammunition, 174 Grain, FMJ.
After 1916, through to 1955.
Final Australian .303 SMLE Rifle production ended in 1953.
Last assembly of 1000 .303 SMLE No1 Rifles In Lithgow, NSW Australia.
Occurred in 1955 in order to prove the factory machinery capability.
Before it was serviced, greased up, stored and mothballed.
Note:
Neither Australia or India. Converted to production of the No IV, (Four) series of .303 Rifles. In WW2 or Postwar.
The Nation of India
At the time, only recently.
Independent from British rule from 1947 and,
less than 20 years a nation.
To produce the Rifle Model 2A in 7.62mm.
The Indian Ordnance Factory, System.
Really, "Pulled A Swifty"
On the other members of our Commonwealth Of Nations.
By implementing a very laymen type, solution.
To a somewhat, complex & technical task at hand.
In essence they thought outside the box.
In order to make this rifle a success.
The Indian, Rifle Model 2A in 7.62mm.
is really a success story of an emerging nation.
The Indian Government & Ordnance Dept.
Considered, retooling to produce the FAL Rifle to be too cost prohibitive.
Concurrently at this time.
The other issue was the factory personnel were considered to be semi-skilled.
If you were making woodwork for the .303 SMLE Rifles at the Ishapore factory.
It is likely, your father and indeed your grandfather did the exact same job. Dad, probably bought you to work on occasion and you started by sweeping the floor around his machine.
Note: It is very important
Not to view this Indian industry experience, through the lens of American industrial practices.
You can have a Semi Skilled, workforce and still produce a very high quality product.
The previous British, Indian Ordnance Dept had got around this issue at Ishapore and other factories.
By implementing a more numerous and rigorous inspection & gauging regime.
A more recent American example and experience of this was the Marlin Factory, before the sale & move in 2005?
Those human, Marlin factory workers used old & very worn out machinery, (Connecticut?)
However, they were such a unique & skilled workforce.
Spent so much time on their individual machines, that any out of tolerance part.
A result of worn out ways & aging out of tolerance machinery.
Could and was first observed by eyeball and then.
Corrected with further machining & gauging.
This is part of the reason that Remington had so much trouble.
Trying to convert analogue erranious, human eyeball corrections to CNC machinery.
As Elon Musk, stated
if he had to produce the Tesla car again.
He would use more humans on the production line.
If a computerised, robot machine breaks down on the line.
Production just stops,
If you have humans doing the assembly, production will usually slow.
However it generally won't stop, as people will find a temporary work around.
Elon, stated that humans are so underrated.
Indian Ordnance
Believed it had a way to strengthen the Lee Bolt Action system.
In this mission they were proven to be correct and by doing so.
Negated much of the training liability, that retooling to produce the FAL would have entailed.
As following the end of WW2. All major Commonwealth Nations, found themselves in the 1950's. To be in possession of very large numbers of serviceable. Lee Enfield Rifles of various types.
7.62mm was agreed to be adopted by the UK.
Britain in late 1953? As the future for a Standard, NATO Cartridge.
Dammit A Segway
Indeed 20 years, later. This is one reason of many, why.
The excellent US M14 Rifle, soldiered on in American Service. Retained as Standard Issue.
For all US Forces, deployed to Germany or Europe. In the first Ten years, following Vietnam.
Though a futuristic design.
The M16, may have been at the time and,
Looking Star Wars, capable in appearance.
All tarted up in black.
Like your Mother-in-Law would be. If you were taking her to the Prom Night dance. Just to impress your friends.
I'm afraid it's belated, service debut. For NATO Operations. In the European Theater. Displayed all the Hallmarks of Turning up.
A Day Late & A Dollar Short.
Anyway I digress.
Please accept my sincere apologies.
So I will pause here.
For now.
However, I should like to return for Part Two
Of the Ishapore
Rifle, Model 2A Story.
Cheers for now.
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XX/E
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