[MG Note: This is the first of three installments on the Indian-produced version of the FAL rifle. I want to thank Andy Gerstmyer for the use of the photos of his magnificent replica Indian 1A1 rifle. Andy's replica is probably the best looking of all the 1A1 rifles built.]
Rifle Factory Ishapore
Rifle, 7.62MM, 1A1
The Rifle Factory Ishapore, West Bengal, India, began production of the 7.62 NATO caliber 1A1 rifle in 1963. The 1A1 rifle was a reverse-engineered version of the famous Belgian FAL rifle. The FAL (or light automatic rifle) had been adopted by numerous countries in either a metric-pattern or inch-pattern variants. For its version of the rifle, India decided on a interesting mixture of both metric and inch features, plus Indian.
Note: It should be observed that Indian Ordnance Factories, of which R.F.I. is a part, have produced many British designed arms. Ishapore also produced a 7.62 NATO bolt-action rifle, the 2A and 2A1, that was a version of the venerable No. 1 Mk III SMLE rifle for issue to para-military and police units starting in 1963.
Like the mythical "swoose" -- a bird that is part swan and part goose -- the parts of the 1A1 rifle could replace many metric or inch parts as assemblies. However, there were also some parts that were unique to the Indian rifle and did not interchange with either the metric/inch-pattern guns.
The Indian 1A1 rifle is closer to the Commonwealth L1A1 or C1A1 series of inch-pattern rifles than to the metric-pattern equivalents. Indian 1A1 rifles use copy of the inch-pattern magazine with the large latch lug, but the magazine body length is 1/4-inch longer than either the L1A1 or C1A1 magazine bodies.
Above: A typical Indian 1A1 20-round magazine. Note the location of the markings that readily distinguish an Indian magazine from those of Australia, Britain, or Canada. This is a Rifle Factory Ishapore-manufacture magazine from 1967 production. Note the large latch lug (upper right corner) that readily identifies inch-pattern magazines. (Photo: Bob Stoner)
Below: A photo montage of typical Indian 30-round magazines (used by the Indian 1B Bren light machine gun and 1A1 rifle). Note the location of the markings that readily distinguish an Indian magazine from those of Britain. This is an OFT-manufacture magazine from 1994 production. Note the large latch lug (lower right corner) that readily identifies inch-pattern magazines. (Photo: Pat Jones)
The Indian 1A1 rifle has not changed very much in its production run. Furniture -- butt stock, pistol grip, handguards, and carrying handle -- have remained wood.
Above: A replica Indian 1A1 rifle. The wood furniture follows the pattern of 1950's and early 1960's L1A1 rifles. (Photo: Andy Gerstmyer)
While Indian 1A1 rifle furniture remained wood, only certain pieces were interchangeable with inch-pattern equivalents and one piece, the butt stock, is not interchangeable at all.
The Indian 1A1 butt stock is wood and follows the pattern of the L1A1. However, the aluminum butt plate is attached by two wood screws (this butt plate is shared by the bolt-action 2A-series rifle variants of the No. 1 Mk III SMLE). Unlike the L1A1 butt plate, the lower butt plate screw does not retain the lower sling swivel.
Above: Indian recoil spring tube screw. (Photo: Bob Stoner)
The recoil spring tube screw (that attaches the butt stock) does not have the internal 1/4-28 TPI threads of the L1A1 and C1A1 screws.
Above: Indian 1A1 rifle butt stocks do not interchange with either metric/inch-pattern stocks. The butt plate is aluminum and attached with two wood screws; the lower sling swivel is made of five individual pieces, similar to the Canadian C1A1 or Israeli FAL rifles, but does not interchange with either. The metal ferrule that reinforces the stock at the weakest point is clearly shown and is a feature found only on metric-pattern FAL rifles. The white stencil on the butt is a rack number -- "68" in Bengali -- and used for inventory purposes when the rifle is placed in racks with others. (Photo: Andy Gerstmyer)
The lower sling swivel is a five piece design that consists of the swivel, a top plate, two wood screws, and a lower plate. The butt stock is inletted to receive the upper and lower plates. These five parts are unique to the Indian 1A1 and neither Canadian C1A1 or Israeli FAL rifle parts fit.
Above: The Canadian C1A1 butt swivel is very similar to the Indian 1A1, but the Canadian is more robust and does not interchange. (Photo: Rich Saunders)
(Continued in installment 2 of 3)
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