Rapal or Enfield Musket

Rapal or Enfield Musket

This rifle was the most celebrated weapon in Chitral in the twentieth century, locally called it Rapal ,Patakhidar in Badakhshan and cap-locked in Europe. This was model 1853 Enfield, P53 Enfield and Enfield rifle-musket) was a .577 caliber Minié-type muzzle-loading rifled musket, used by the British Empire from 1853 to 1867, after which many Enfield 1853 rifle-muskets were converted to the cartridge-loaded Snider–Enfield rifle (Dunbalapur). Rapal was introduced in Chitral in 1876 but in 1885, Mehtar of Chitral was received 200 Rapals from British Government. In 1887 and 1892 some of the native Muslim instructors have been assigned to train Chitralis for Rapal loading and firing. This rifle was the most dubious weapon during the war of independence of 1857. The Enfield rifle-musket was a contributing cause of the Indian rebellion of 1857. Sepoys in the British East India Company’s armies in India were issued with the new rifle in 1857, and rumors were spread that the cartridges (referring here to paper-wrapped powder and projectile, not to metallic cartridges) were greased with beef tallow, pig fat, or a combination of the two – a situation so abhorrent to Hindu and Muslim soldiers based on religious beliefs. In 1910 Mehtar of Chitral had decided to distribute rapal with the countrymen of Chitral.

In Chitral there are five kinds of Rapals

1. Shikari Enfield P 53

2. Xhange Enfield P61

3. Kabuli (made in Afghanistan)

4. Urosi (Russian)

5. Shaghali (made locally)

Beside there are some other kinds are 1. ai nala 2. Chonala 3. Balch or chon (cho tasmaye) 4. Throng (Troye tasmaye)

Posted by Chitral Printing Publishing Company in News Updates