Help Identifying rifle found on insurgent in Iraq

[zogorion]

Hello all. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide identifying the rifle seen in the attachments. One of my guys that found it said something about Enfield, but I'm not an antique firearms expert, I prefer to specialize in more modern equipment. Thanks again guys. Stay safe.
-zogorion

 

[Onmilo]

Appears to be a Peshwar produced copy of the English Enfield MK-lll service rifle.
Big production item in the Dharra (sic?) region of Pakistan.

 

[1911 guy]

Definately an Enfield

I'm not up on all the variations, but Onmilo is right, it's an Enfield.

 

[Oldtimer]

Definitely an Enfield "type", and probably made in Pakistan, but possibly a hand-made copy from the mountainous "gunsmither" region of Afghanistan.

Any serial number, or other markings on it?

 

[rbernie]

Not a local copy - that's a real Enfield No1Mk3 made in 1918 at Ishapore India. The crown marking with the GR is the inspection stamp of Ishapore, and the number below it is the date of manufacture. The "U" on the bolt further identifies the bolt as a No1.

 

[dfaugh]

Enfield No.1 Mark III*

I have same, also marked 1918(but with re-arsenelled-proof marks from WWII)

That's a real oldy to be using nowadays

 

[rbernie]

It'd be interesting to look for ownership markings, to see who's arsenal this rifle came from.

That's a real oldy to be using nowadays

Enfields - work great, last a long time, hardly ever break. Gotta love it.

 

[wallysparx]

could they actually have a significant supply of .303 out there?

 

[Owen]

yeah they could have a ton of it. Iraq was a british colony.

 

[rbernie]

We can only hope that they're using POF fodder. That should help save a few coalition troop's lives....

 

[perpster]

POF ?

 

[rbernie]

Pakistani Ordnance Facility. Their 303R surplus is known for inaccuracy, hangfires, and out-n-out duds.

 

[ID_shooting]

Oh lordy

You know you resistance is in sad sad shape when the AKs and SKSs are running low and you have to supply your troops with Enfields. I wonder how many Mosins are turning up.

 

[rbernie]

I dunno. I'd probably prefer an Enfield's range/power advantage to an AK unless I was stuck fighting in an urban setting....

 

[femoralis]

Gunsmiths in Pakistan do fake markings, so I suppose it is possible it came from there, depsite the markings?

 

[MatthewVanitas]

@ID_shooting: I'd seriously doubt that anyone is "running low" on Kalashnikovs in Iraq. If they're confiscating an Enfield, I'd bet it was either in a mixed-bag hidden arsenal of all kinds of mil-surp, was taken off one farmer or Bedouin, or if held by an actual fighting insurgent, that it was a "butterknife" throwaway rifle for a newbie.

IRT MN: I never saw nary a Moisin in two tours, and found their absence unexpected. Plenty of x54mmR ammo for the PKC, but never an MN. Never saw .303 ammo either, though ran across a handful of Enfields. Mostly found a ton of Mausers and 8mm ammo by the crate.

Has anyone actually encountered the Moisin Nagant in Iraq? My experience is mainly from Anbar province, curious as to whether the MN is more common up in Kurdistan or elsewhere.


@rbernie: a pretty significant portion of the fighting in Iraq is urban. If you're up against U.S. troop with NVG, thermal, Close Air Support, etc., you really want the protection and concealment provided by the "urban canyon" and a couple thousand potential collateral damage units on all sides of the rooom you shoot out of. Fighting out in the open desert nullifies a good many of the advantages the insurgents have.

-MV

 

[rbernie]

Gunsmiths in Pakistan do fake markings, so I suppose it is possible it came from there, depsite the markings?

Those markings are spot-on, and hard to fake. The fact that the bolt markings are consistent and appropriate for the receiver is also a clue that it's almost surely real.

If you're up against U.S. troop with NVG, thermal, Close Air Support, etc., you really want the protection and concealment provided by the "urban canyon" and a couple thousand potential collateral damage units on all sides of the rooom you shoot out of.

I hear you - there's safety in CQB when there's a lot of collateral around in which to hide. But regardless of whether the contact distance is as a result of a rural setting or simply engaging from an elevated position some distance away, standing off and shooting a full-power round from a long rifle sure sounds more feasible for long-term survival than does engaging in spray-n-pray with a superior military force at close contact distances and hoping that they don't try to pick me out from the crowd.

But this is all theoretical to me - I was a Signal Corp. batallion support puke back in the day (many days past), and not assigned/trained in a direct combat role.

 

[ArmedBear]

It's a Smelly!

Read all about it: http://www.surplusrifle.com/smle/index.asp

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Many Lee-Enfields saw service in Iraq, both by the Brits and the Iraqis. AAMOF, Iraq even made .303 British ammo, some of which was imported into the US back in the 1980s. I shot some of it and it was better than the POF crap, though not nearly as nice as Greek .303 headstamped HXP.

 

[Moonclip]

Many of these rifles were used against the Soviets in Afghanistan. Another advantage this rifle would have and should be watched for is increased penetration ability over the 7.62x39 of the Ak and somewhat better accuracy most likely.

 

[Duncaninfrance]

15 aimed shots a minute from a British Infantry Soldier in 1914 - the Germans thought they were up against machine guns!

Still a great long range rifle if you can cope with the recoil.

WISH I HAD ONE

Duncan

 

[KaceCoyote]

Dont forget the Afghans made great use of the .303 steelcore to penetrate Russian vests.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

Fighting modern US troops with a 70 yr old bolt action rifle really requires a lot of dedication to one's cause. Its very troubling really, and worrisome. I doubt we have the same dedication.

 

[trickyasafox]

just cause she's old doesnt maker her less lethal.

 

[redneck2]

just cause she's old doesnt maker her less lethal.

reminds me of some of the women I've known