TomcatPC Posted 21 January , 2012 Share Posted 21 January , 2012 Hello Here is my 1916 Rifle Factory Ishapore made Pattern-1907 Bayonet that I got a few years back. The scabbard came with the bayonet, not certain when the black paint was put on the metal?, I have seen this black paint on a lot of Indian made items. Thanks Mark The date and makers markings. And the other side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 21 January , 2012 Share Posted 21 January , 2012 That is a very nice example and one of which I am envious. Full length Ishapores are suprisingly difficult to come by it took me ages to find one. A Great War dated one is even better. You are correct about the black enamel - almost ubiquitous on rifles and equipment that continued in Indian service after WWII. I would date its application to sometime post 1945 based on my obsevations. The Ishapore 7.62mm 2A and 2A1 rifles produced in the 1960s are slathered in the stuff - but underneath the paint they are very nicely blued. The paint was an easy and effective rust proofing. Actually painting the unexposed metalwork on enfields was standard practice in WWII (no not just for foreign climes!) as a rust preventative (orders were issued to this effect as a replacement for the annual complete strip down, greasing and re-assembly). India continued this practice post WWII. Cheers Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomcatPC Posted 21 January , 2012 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2012 My gut reaction was telling me that the paint was at least post Great War, but I don't feel confident enough to come out and say it LOL. If that makes sense? I think I'm going to keep the paint on the scabbard for the time being. I sort of "lucked into" this bayonet by accident. The dealer I bought it from online thought it was a Pattern-1903 Bayonet, when it got here, I knew otherwise, for an entire $30 (U.S.) ...I did not send it back LOL. From what I have seen and heard, many of the Pattern-1907 Bayonets that were used by the Indian Army were cut down to 12" blades prior to and during WWII?, so having this land in my lap was a good thing. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 21 January , 2012 Share Posted 21 January , 2012 Indeed India preferred the P1903 bayonet and only reluctantly accepted the 1907 and early in WWII began producing and modifying bayonets to shorter pattern (these are very common now in the US) they are interesting in and of themselves but not WWI. The shortening program was very thorough and unmodified Ishapore bayonets are not so common. Large numbers of British and Australian bayonets were also modified. There were several patterns of modification and also newly made 12" blades. Many of these have an unfullered blade and this actually does have a Great War connection as ishapore trialled an unfullered blade during the war. At the price you paid you certainly got a bargain. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomcatPC Posted 21 January , 2012 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2012 What version of Bayonet Frog would be correct with this bayonet? If it was issued to a British unit, I'd think the Pattern-1908 Bayonet Frog?, but if it went to an Indian unit?, then what should I be looking for? Thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smleenfield Posted 21 January , 2012 Share Posted 21 January , 2012 That is a very nice example and one of which I am envious. Full length Ishapores are suprisingly difficult to come by it took me ages to find one. A Great War dated one is even better. You are correct about the black enamel - almost ubiquitous on rifles and equipment that continued in Indian service after WWII. I would date its application to sometime post 1945 based on my obsevations. The Ishapore 7.62mm 2A and 2A1 rifles produced in the 1960s are slathered in the stuff - but underneath the paint they are very nicely blued. The paint was an easy and effective rust proofing. Actually painting the unexposed metalwork on enfields was standard practice in WWII (no not just for foreign climes!) as a rust preventative (orders were issued to this effect as a replacement for the annual complete strip down, greasing and re-assembly). India continued this practice post WWII. Cheers Chris I have a mint unissued 2A and they are absolutely beautiful before being issued, beat to death, and then painted black. The stock is a deep red mahogany and the parkerized finish is a dark gray. Another I have is a 2A1 and after all the crud and paint was removed it looks like black parkerizing so the finishing must have varied from one batch to another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jscott Posted 22 January , 2012 Share Posted 22 January , 2012 Lovely bayonet Mark - thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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