Ishapore 2A No. 1 MKIII

R

RamonA Dones

New member
I am thinking about buying a Ishapore based on the good reputation of the original .303 Enfield and also on the availability and price for the .308 ammo. Now, I heard about feeding and extraction problems on the Ishapore. Are these problems real and how they compare with the original .303 on accuracy and power? Thank you.
 
TimW will likely jump in here. He has an Enfield in .303 British.

His is quite accurate, due mostly perhaps, to the flip-up peep which is finely graduated to 1,000 yards (the Ish is just an open sight with a slider for range adjustment), and also the fact that his rear sight is located behind the action whereas the Ish's rear sight is located well in front of the action (reducing the sight radius by a significant 1/3).

I had the feed problem (likely it was my mention). The last two round are often not stripped by the bolt. It could just be that I need a new mag spring. Of course, the .303 British is a rimmed cartridge while the .308 is rimless.

For $70 or $80. It ain't a bad rifle. It depends on what you want to do with it. If this is your first .308 rifle, you may just spend an extra $300 on a really good rifle like a Savage, Tikka, or Howa. Lots of bang for the buck. Oh, yeah, ya gotta add at least $300 for Leupold scope and rings and such. Less if you go with other makes.

Rick
 
Just for the record, the Indian Ishapore 2 and 2A are called that. They are derived from the British Rifle No. 1, Mk III, but that rifle is in .303 and they are really different rifles. The Rifle No. 4, in .303, is yet a different rifle.

FWIW, My Ishapore 2A shoots very well, and I have had no trouble with it in several hundred rounds. I do know they break extractor springs, though, so a spare (identical to the Rifle No. 1 spring) is probably a good idea.

Jim
 
I finally shot my Ishapore last week.
14" group with my hand loads.
8" group with Calvim.
3" group with Bulgarian

The brass cases expanded about .004". I am going to neck resize them and go back. I have talked to other guys who get 1.5" groups with thier Ishapores. [I have never gotten 1.5" group with a military rifle yet and I have shot M1 carines, M14s, Garands, M60s, AKs, ARs, SKSs, Moisin Nagants, Mausers, Springfields, and FALs.

There were no mechanical or feed problems. I like the all steel Federal Arms no drill scope mount.
 
Ishapore 2a

This is a real gun for the price.I have restocked mine and added clifton ghost ring sites.I cut the barrel back to 20 "and recrowned,It shoots very well with the right loads.It handles like greased lightening also.I made it up for my 13 year old sons first bear/boar rifle.With winchester failsafe 180s it really is about perfect in the laural thickets.We have got some groups around 2"WITH THE GHOST SITE but it takes work.Anyway it's all fun.
 
Guys,

Can anybody tell me who's selling the Ishapore Enfields???

I've heard that SOG has them... anyplace else??

Thanks,
Swampy
 
Ishapore

As I keep telling Rick, "Ishapore" is just a bastardization of the phrase, "It shoots poor".

My rifle, from J&G (which also has Ishapores...www.jgsales.com), is great. Granted, .303 ammo is a little scarcer to find good deals on, but I've fed it a variety of things and it eats it all.

The 1/3 longer sight radius is REALLY nice. As is the flip-up sight. Unless you HAVE to have a .308, I'd stick with the No4 MkI or MkII.

TimW

Rick bleated:

TimW will likely jump in here. He has an Enfield in .303 British.

His is quite accurate, due mostly perhaps, to the flip-up peep which is finely graduated to 1,000 yards (the Ish is just an open sight with a slider for range adjustment), and also the fact that his rear sight is located behind the action whereas the Ish's rear sight is located well in front of the action (reducing the sight radius by a significant 1/3).

I had the feed problem (likely it was my mention). The last two round are often not stripped by the bolt. It could just be that I need a new mag spring. Of course, the .303 British is a rimmed cartridge while the .308 is rimless.

For $70 or $80. It ain't a bad rifle. It depends on what you want to do with it. If this is your first .308 rifle, you may just spend an extra $300 on a really good rifle like a Savage, Tikka, or Howa. Lots of bang for the buck. Oh, yeah, ya gotta add at least $300 for Leupold scope and rings and such. Less if you go with other makes.

Rick
 
Mine has worked just fine. I never expected it to be a precision rifle, but for under $100 I have been very plesantly surprised. Mine serves as my beater and trunk gun.
 
Can the Indian Ishapore 2A take a standard Enfield No.1 Mk3 stock, or do you need a special stock? I dont like the look of wood (I need to have as many black rifles as possible to piss off Paris Glendenning), and i'm looking for a cheap .308 beater, so the Ishapore seems perfect for me, if i can change the stock.

Kharn
 
I would echo TimW's comments. I have a MKII No.4 in .303 and find it very accurate and reliable. Everyone who shoots my N0. 4 gets a big smile on their face and comments how easy it is shoot with.

Only cost $89.99 at Big 5 sporting goods. If you already have a .308 and are looking to simplify your ammo choices then I see the merit in the Ishy-poor. If not then go with .303 British the round is available and relatively cheap.
 
It depends on whether you want to buy a beater or are looking to buy a 308 as a "primary" rifle in that caliber.

An Ishapore Enfield is the only firearm I have regretted purchasing. I paid $200.00 for a sporterized model with a synthetic stock. The rifle was (I've sold it,no regret about that part) in like-new condition when I bought it.

I never liked the sights on it,and putting a decent scope mount on one is next to impossible. If you're going to shoot at 100 yards and want groups less than 12 inches, you'll probably not own one very long.

By the time you pay a smith to drill and tap the barrel for a good scope mount and put a sporterized stock on it, that 90.00 rifle will be a 250.00 rifle that requires a scope with long eye relief. Then you don't have many choices when you start shopping for a scope.

This was the direction I wanted to go,because I wanted to be able to load the gun using stripper clips. My brother-in-law has one of those no-gunsmithing screw-on scope mounts,and hates it. He says the scope will only hold zero for a couple of shots.

I decided that for me, it was cheaper to sell the rifle at a loss and buy a better rifle than to put all that money and time into a rifle that has a finish that looks and smells a lot like high-temp spray paint.

No flame intended,just my impressions as a former owner. My problem was that I was purchasing my first rifle and expecting more than I was paying for. I realize a $90.00 rifle has it's advantages. Just don't expect too much. You get what you pay for.
 
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