WW1 No. 1 Mk III Enfield Chambered in 30-06?

[aqbill]

A friend of mine has a WW1 vintage No. 1 Mk III Enfield that is - he was told - "factory chambered" in 30-06. Has a warning on the butt stock with a red stripe and wording to the effect don't shoot .303 because it's chambered in 30-06. Did our British cousins make some 30-06 Enfields?

I've never heard of such a thing! Does this sound legit?

Many thanks, in advance,
AQBill

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[Roger Payne]

I imagine it will probably turn out to be a P'14 Enfield, not a SMLE. The P'14 was a UK design in a new .276 high velocity calibre intended to replace the SMLE, but largely because of ammunition problems it never did, though it went into production in the US for UK forces during WW1 chambered for 303. By the time supplies arrived in quantity the acute front line shortage of service rifles was largely over, so most P'14's went into storage, although selected rifles were fitted with scopes & fielded as sniper's rifles. When the US entered the War in April 1917 the country (USA) faced a similar shortage of service rifles to equip its rapidly expanding armed forces, & so the P'14 was re-jigged to take .30-06 & became the US Rifle M'17. In a strange quirk of fate, twenty-five years later, at the outset of WW2 when Britain stood alone, many US M'17 rifles were supplied to UK armed forces (largely the Home Guard). These rifles were painted with a red stripe across the woodwork so as to show clearly that they were chambered for .30-06 ammunition, not .303. I have a suspicion that this is where what you have heard may have come from.

[Parashooter]

I imagine it will probably turn out to be a P'14 Enfield, not a SMLE.

Seems to me it's more likely, as hinted in your last sentence, to be a US Model 1917 than a "P'14" (which would be a .303 and not have the red stripe). Also, let's clarify that the .276 rifle was the P13, not 14.

[Roger Payne]

Sorry, my silly slip up. Hopefully people will know what I meant, but thanks for the clarification!