Uttar Pradesh police to retire SMLE rifles?

Posts related to rifles.
Post Reply
User avatar
timmy
Old Timer
Old Timer
Posts: 2922
Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:03 am
Location: home on the range

Uttar Pradesh police to retire SMLE rifles?

Post by timmy » Sat Feb 22, 2020 11:55 am

Does anyone know any details about this news?
India police decommission historic British-era rifles
AFP•January 26, 2020
Image
British-era bolt-action rifles were used for the last time by police in northern India during the Republic Day parade (AFP Photo/SANJAY KANOJIA)

Image
The Lee-Enfield .303 rifle has been the main weapon used by police in Uttar Pradesh state over seven decades (AFP Photo/Prakash SINGH)

Police in northern India on Sunday bid goodbye to the historic British-era bolt-action rifles after using them for one last salute during the annual Republic Day parade.

The Lee-Enfield .303 rifle was the main firearm of British colonial military forces and, despite being designated "obsolete" around 25 years ago, it has been the main weapon used by police in Uttar Pradesh state over seven decades.

The rifle -- used by the British during the two World Wars -- fires one shot at a time, after which the barrel needs to be reloaded by pulling the bolt.

"They have been in use since independence (from the British in 1947) and now they'll be replaced by INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) and SLRs (Self-Loading Rifles)," said police superintendent Amit Verma.

As many as 45,000 of the rifles were being used by the state police, Verma said, and the model was a favourite among constables due to accuracy and sturdiness.

"This (.303) rifle is a fantastic weapon and has served us brilliantly in various operations in the past," police additional director general Bijaya Kumar Maurya told AFP.

"But it being a bolt action weapon with low magazine capacity, it was time for a change. Itss production has also discontinued so there was all the more need for an upgrade."

Maurya said the new automatic rifles would "add to the confidence of our officers" and would result in improved policing.

"The criminals will naturally face the heat when they'll face officers armed with automatic weapons."

The rifles will be returned to a gun factory in Ishapore in West Bengal state where they will be converted into anti-riot guns, spokesman Saurabh Singh told AFP.

Saroj Kumar Mishra, a constable with the Uttar Pradesh police since 1982, said he would miss the heavy-duty rifle.

"The weapon is as smooth as butter even after 20 rounds of back-to-back firing," he was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times newspaper.

"This feature is perhaps the most important one which we often miss in the modern day weapons."

India was Sunday celebrating the anniversary of the adoption of its constitution in 1950.
https://news.yahoo.com/india-police-dec ... 29455.html
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know”

Harry S. Truman

For Advertising mail webmaster
WhoCantBeNamed
On the way to nirvana
On the way to nirvana
Posts: 59
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2014 11:04 pm

Re: Uttar Pradesh police to retire SMLE rifles?

Post by WhoCantBeNamed » Sat Feb 22, 2020 1:35 pm

Yes, there were huge farewell ceremonies for .303 allover here in UP last month.

User avatar
ckkalyan
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 1484
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 10:37 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Contact:

Re: Uttar Pradesh police to retire SMLE rifles?

Post by ckkalyan » Mon May 04, 2020 7:04 am

Ah, the iconic, much loved, and venerable .303 Lee Enfield finally retires! It definitely provided exemplary service during its use.

I have fond, sometimes painful memories, of firing it in my childhood! :lol:
When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns!

partheus
Almost at nirvana
Almost at nirvana
Posts: 246
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 9:42 pm

Re: Uttar Pradesh police to retire SMLE rifles?

Post by partheus » Tue May 05, 2020 1:14 pm

So, does this mean 303 is NPB now? :D

Post Reply