Ishapore Enfield 2A1

[Brad in Idaho]

SEE LAST UPDATE ON THIS SUBJECT AT MY POST DATED 03-07-14

Acquired this rifle some years back. It is in VG shape, and the bore is shiny with good rifling. Since I have another one that shoots well, I have never shot this one. I have been worried about what the yellow paint on the stock, across the top of the bolt and action signifies. Does anyone know why this paint was applied?

Reposting this to see if anyone else has any further thoughts. I'm going to take this one to the range soon. I'll be shooting Radway Green NATO spec ammo as I did with my other "Ishy". Thanks

[p246]

Yellow paint meant bore safe to shoot but has some issue that made it not front line worthy...rust or pitting or wear,, etc. I've only been around one with yellow paint and it shot acceptable groups. Give us a range report.

[p246]

Looking at your picture again yellow paint does not appear to be up on hand guard. On the one I shot years ago paint went on hand guard to. Your hand guard could have been replaced, or that stock might be off another rifle and re issued. The yellow paint may not apply to your gun.

[Alan De Enfield]

But there is yellow paint on the action as well.

Yellow paint - safe to shoot, but as stated above, 'outside gauging limits' for front line use, kept in reserve or possibly used by cadets.

[Brad in Idaho]

I suspect the handguard was replaced too, but there is paint on the action. I'll post a range report when I've tested it out. Thanks.

[JB White]

I was always under the impression the green-yellow-red code applied to Australia, not India. That India paint markings outside the red & white band were para-military/police/training rack markings.

[Brad in Idaho]

I was always under the impression the green-yellow-red code applied to Australia, not India. That India paint markings outside the red & white band were para-military/police/training rack markings.

That may very well be. I haven't been able to find any information which is why I asked here. Basically, I just wanted to make sure that the yellow paint didn't mean OMG DON'T EVER SHOOT THIS!!!. The rifle doesn't look beat up or overly worn anywhere, and has a pretty good looking bore. I'm comfortable with giving it a go.

[Brad in Idaho]

Took this rifle to the range yesterday after giving it a thorough going over and cleaning. The first shot is at 8 o'clock in the 10 ring of an SR1 target. Then the problem. I couldn't get the bolt to pull back. The extractor is engaged to the rim, it just won't move. I finally had to use my small hammer on the bolt to get it to move. Once the casing was extracted, I noticed it had a scratched spot near the web. Other than that it looked normal. Whether it was the smart thing to do or not, I repeated this 4 more times with the same result every time. At this point I decided not to fire it any more, and put it away. Please take a look at the pics below, and offer any thoughts you may have about what the problem might be.
TIA, Brad

I can't see anything obviously wrong with the chamber.



This is the point where a spent casing won't go any further without being forced.



These are the scratches on the spent casings. These were on every one.

[kcw]

Are you certain that "scratch" in the 2nd pic actually isn't a stretch/crack, as in excessive headspace? Bolt & receiver #'s match? As to the 3rd pic, are those "dig" marks at the end of the case( at the bottom end of that mark), or is that a brass burr? Difficult to tell from the pic. If you simply drop a factory round into the chamber, will it chamber fully, or does it meet resistance before it properly bottoms?

[Rock]

There seems to be a burr on the edge of the extractor cutout where it meets the chamber. It corresponds to the position of the scratches on your cases. I looked at my rifle and it is very sharp in that area. Perhaps the extractor in your rifle battered the barrel cutout enough to push a burr of metal into the chamber. That could cause extraction problems. Smoothing that out shouldn't be difficult.