No1 Mk111 I.P.

[Carlsr]

Purchased this rifle a few years ago. The guy I bought it from told me that it was made in 1945. I thought that to be odd as the date on the left socket is 1916. Have done some research but have yet to find out why there is no date on the right of the socket. What I do know is that this is a WW1 Enfield made in India. It has the mag cut off, adjustable wind age rear sight and volley sights. It also has a unite disk with F.E.P.H and the number 2 stamped on it. Another group member stated that it may stand for Frontier Eastern Province Horse, South Africa. I could find no info on them. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have also been told that these rifles are scarce but not rare???4257842579425804258142582

[free1954]

scarce to still have those original sights. if you can't get anymore info here try on the great war forum. http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/?forumId=151

[JB White]

This is the second time I looked at this thread. About the only thing I see "1945" is the nosecap which was introduced at RFI around that time. (WW2 through the 1980's) That is a later replacement but for what reason and who did it is unknown. Had it been done in India I would think the entire rifle would have been FTR'd along the way.

Old IP's don't turn up all that often so they are considered scarce and are a nice find. It will take a bit of reading up on them to determine exactly which conversion variation you have. Can't make out the date but the format looks like WW1 into the early 1920's. You did well to snag it when you had the chance.

The stock disc looks like a later addition as well, but probably worth leaving in place until you know for certain its significance. It isn't doing any harm. Getting the discs out require a little trick so the edges in the wood don't get pry marked. Collectors look for evidence of that.

[Sunray]

No such thing as Frontier Eastern Province Horse. There was the Frontier Light Horse and the Eastern Province Horse though. Two different units.
If it was used by South Africa it'd have their broad arrow in a U stamp.
Have a read of this. https://webpages.uidaho.edu/stratton/Enhistory.htm

[Carlsr]

Thank you JB White. I don't plan on removing anything on this rifle. I did break it all down and gave it a good cleaning. Not as many proof markings on the barrel as there are on English Enfields. I was told by another guy that this rifle was most likely manufactured between 1907 and 1910 which were the years I.P.** were produced. Somewhere along the way the date on the right was replaced with Ishapore. The conversion date is 1916 which would be WW1.
All numbers match even the nose cap. The rear sight had been replaced at some point as the old serial number is crossed out and the new one added at the arsenal.

[Carlsr]

Sunray, I did find those 2 units while searching for Frontier Eastern Provence Horse. After talking to the person who gave me the information he stated that many smaller units formed larger units and the names were changed. I did find information on that but not the previous unit names.