The IOF .315 sporting rifle is a civilian version of the British military Lee–Enfield rifle, chambered in the 8×50mmR Mannlicher cartridge rather than the .303 British military cartridge due to Indian gun control laws.
| IOF .315 sporting rifle | |
|---|---|
| Type | Bolt-action rifle |
| Place of origin | India |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1956[1] |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.34 kg (7.4 lb) (without magazine)[2] |
| Length | 1,117 mm (44.0 in) |
| Barrel length | 640 mm (25 in) |
| Cartridge | 8mm BSA[3] (8×50mmR Mannlicher) |
| Action | Bolt-action |
| Muzzle velocity | 610 metres per second (2,000 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 275 metres (301 yd)[2] |
| Feed system | 5 round box type magazine |
| Sights | Open sight with two leaves, graduated to 100 yd (91 m) and 300 yd (270 m)[4] Riflescope can be fitted.[5] |
The rifle is manufactured at Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli which manufactured Lee–Enfield rifles for the British colonial Indian Army and post-independence Indian forces. It's also made in Rifle Factory Ishapore.[6]
It has a box-type magazine which holds 5 rounds and uses an 8 mm cartridge based on the 8x50mmR Mannlicher, but is loaded with hunting-type bullets rather than military ones.
The Rifle has a modernised version, which has a wire folding stock, picatinny rails, a carrying handle and a skeletonized pistol grip. The factory has added sling swivels on the grip and at the base of the fore-end. The stock folds to the left via a push button on the right side. For a sporting rifle the stock doesn’t look comfortable, it has just a single metal rod curved to give a shape of butt.[7]
References
edit- ^ "Important Milestones". Rfi.nic.in. Archived from the original on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
- ^ a b "Ordnance Factory Board: 0.315" Sporting Rifle". Indian Ordnance Factory. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2011.
- ^ "I Have This Old Gun: Lee-Speed Sporting Rifle". American Rifleman. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ "315 Sporting | RIFLE FACTORY ISHAPORE | Government of India". ofbindia.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "..315" SPORTING RIFLE | ORDNANCE FACTORY TIRUCHIRAPPALLI | Government of India". ofb.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Our History | RIFLE FACTORY ISHAPORE | Government of India". ofb.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "Bringing the Lee Enfield into the 21st Century, Indian style". The Firearm Blog. Retrieved 10 February 2016.
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